“Now I need to be old and strong!”
CREW FACTS…
W.B.
- An entrepreneur and adventurer at heart, William Battershill lives life at the fullest whether it’s at the helm of his steel company or behind the steering wheel of an off-road car.
- He first started racing some 25 years ago on bikes before switching to four wheels and competing in local races in southern Africa.
- His life-long dream to start the Dakar will be fulfilled in January when he takes on the rally in a Century Racing CR6.
- The physical side shouldn’t be an issue for the 64-year-old who has completed several ultra marathons and triathlons and also enjoys flying helicopters or sky diving.
- And he should have his share deal of adrenalin on the stages of the Dakar in Saudi Arabia alongside his codriver Stuart Gregory.
G.C.
- Stuart Gregory’s Dakar career started when the event was still on South-Armerica soil. That first experience in Lima sadly ended before he managed to make it to the finish. The South-African had to wait to be in Saudi Arabia to achieve his goal in 2020 (66th).
- The nut farmer whose Instagram and Facebook page used to be ‘Nuts4Dakar’ then gave it a go in the Original by Motul class. Despite bearing an uncanny resemblance to George Clooney, the “mid-pack rider” as he admits being struggled to find sponsorship and had to settle for this class.
- And that actually paid off. Gregory indeed managed to finished all three of his rallies in the toughest class (62nd last year).
- But with age coming, the 47-year-old hadn’t planned to return to the Dakar, at least on two wheels. A call from Century Racing made him decide otherwise. Looking for an experienced navigator to help William Battershill reach the finish of his first rally, Stuart Gregory was the perfect choice.
AMBITION 2025
W.B.: “Dakar is a life-long dream and challenge I have always wanted to do. I would have preferred to do it in a younger man’s shoes, but it was too expensive when I was young and strong, so now I need to be old and strong! My key objective is to finish the race. I don’t expect to be very competitive but hope to finish in a respectable position, if I can get into the Top 40, I will be very happy.
I am an entrepreneur and adventurer at heart. I have led an exciting life with many diverse hobbies over the years. My only regret is there is no way I can live long enough to do all the things I want to, but I will keep on trying until I run out of steam, which won’t be any time soon I hope!”
S.G.: “I’ve done five Dakar rallies in Original by Motul. They were tough and it as great. But with age comes a cage as people say. So, it’s great to get into a car. I’s very exciting. The car is very comfortable compared to a bike. And sleeping in a camper van makes it a completely different life to what I used to have. We’re going to luxury after sleeping like a peasant. I don’t know William too well. It’s important for him to have my experience from five Dakars. Century insisted on that. The goal is to get him to the finish. I don’t think we’ll be chasing stages but hopefully my experience and knowledge of Saudi Arabia can help him. I’m excited to come back for a new chapter in my Dakar career.”
