{"id":435,"date":"2025-11-05T08:01:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T08:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/?p=435"},"modified":"2026-01-07T08:03:57","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T08:03:57","slug":"chasing-a-dream-beyond-the-dunes-anthony-raynards-road-to-dakar-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/chasing-a-dream-beyond-the-dunes-anthony-raynards-road-to-dakar-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Chasing a Dream Beyond the Dunes: Anthony Raynard\u2019s Road to Dakar 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For Anthony Raynard, motorsport has always been more than a competition – it\u2019s been a way of life. After 25 years of motocross, he decided to take on something completely new: rally racing. With no training, a borrowed bike, and a determination to learn on the go, he entered the 2024 Safari Rally, and won.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

That single victory set off a chain reaction.\u00a0\u201cWinning that race changed everything,\u201d he recalls. \u201cIt made me realise how much more I had to give.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>His next challenge was qualifying for Dakar \u2014 the race that stands as the ultimate test of endurance, focus, and courage.<\/div>\n
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After months of preparation, Raynard received the call confirming his entry into the Dakar Rally 2026. But the excitement of qualification soon met the reality of cost. As a privateer, Raynard is fully self-funded, covering the immense logistical and mechanical expenses himself. Two months out from the race, two financial sponsors unexpectedly withdrew, leaving him facing mounting Euro bills with little time to spare.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Still, giving up has never been in his vocabulary.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Raynard\u2019s motivation runs deeper than competition. His racing number, 23, carries personal meaning, it\u2019s his late mother\u2019s birthday. \u201cShe was my biggest supporter,\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0he says. \u201cEvery time I race, I carry her strength with me. Taking number 23 into Dakar is my way of honouring her and everything she taught me about resilience.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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That human connection, between courage, loss, and purpose – is what makes his story so compelling. His Back-a-Buddy campaign invites South Africans to be part of the journey, not just as spectators but as supporters of a homegrown dream built on grit and gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI want to show that anything is possible when you believe in yourself and your community believes in you,\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Raynard explains. \u201cEvery contribution, every share, every bit of encouragement brings me one step closer to that start line in Saudi Arabia.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Behind every athlete\u2019s story is a moment where passion meets perseverance. For Raynard, that moment is now. His Dakar dream is more than a race, it\u2019s a story of resilience, faith, and the power of collective support.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Help Anthony Raynard make South African motorsport history. Donate or share his journey via:<\/strong>\u00a0Link<\/u><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Anthony Raynard, motorsport has always been more than a competition – it\u2019s been a way of life. After 25 years of motocross, he decided to take on something completely new: rally racing. With no training, a borrowed bike, and a determination to learn on the go, he entered the 2024 Safari Rally, and won.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":436,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[62,61,63],"class_list":["post-435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-game-on","tag-anthony-raynard","tag-dakar-rally","tag-dakar-rally-2026"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=435"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":437,"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435\/revisions\/437"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salifemag.co.za\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}