N°401 Auto XTREME PLUS - CST - POLARIS

SHINSUKE UMEDA

(jpn) 1.7m / 80kg

Loisirs

Marine sports, Overlanding, Camping

Sponsors

Tokyo Ashino Kekkan clinic

2023: 27th (T4)
2022: 33rd (T4)

2023: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (6th), Sonora Rally (3rd), Desafio Ruta 40 (4th), Rallye du Maroc
2022: Rallye du Maroc, Tunisia Desert Challenge
2021: Silk Way Rally
2016 Rally Mongolia

Interview

“Finish for the third time in a row”

Having a busy everyday life with an extremely demanding occupation and living your passion for off-road rallies can sometimes be combined. Shinsuke Umeda is a perfect example of that. A surgeon back home in Japan, he has gradually become a regular figure of the rally-raid scene. Born in Fukuoka, he first competed in the Mongolia Rally back in 2016. Since then he has travelled the world behind the steering wheel of a race care from Russia to Africa and of course the Middle East. He indeed first took part in the Dakar two years ago and managed to reach the finish of the event in a Polaris SSV prepared by Xtremeplus. And the passion kept on going with another fine finish a year later. For his third Dakar, the Japanese 45-year-old who took part in all rounds of the World Rally-Raid Championship, will be counting on the precious help of a new co-driver: Maurizio Dominella, a man who has become a key figure of the Dakar having taken part over 30 times in the event, even finishing 7th back in 1998 with Dominique Housieaux.


S.U.: “I was 11 years old when I first discovered and loved the Dakar, watching the Mitsubishi team on TV. My first Dakar was in 2022 and I keep fond memories of the dunes at night that were so beautiful and terrifying. The Dakar really represents a childhood dream. My goal this time will be to finish for the third consecutive year.”

M.D.: “The Dakar really is a passion. It has to be when you’re prepared to live hell during 14 days. This is going to be my 32nd Dakar. The dream started in Africa in a Tatra truck and that dream became a bit of a profession. I’ve always wanted to be a navigator being a biker myself. In 1998 we finished 7th even winning a stage and I went on to compete in South America and now Saudi Arabia. I like the course in Saudi Arabia, it reminds me of Africa. But of course times have changed and the Dakar is now more a race of speed. I was previously competing with Cinotto but for 2023 he wanted a younger co-driver and I got a call from Shinsuke. He really is a gentleman and has a good regular pace. We communicate in English and that isn’t a problem. Back in 2011, I was racing with Kun Liu of China and he didn’t speak anything else than Chinese. We spent 14 days of silence. I’m happy to be part of Xtremeplus team, it really feels like family and the passion is still there.”

Véhicule

XTREME PLUS - CST - POLARIS

POLARIS RZR PRO R
XTREME PLUS - CST - POLARIS

  • POLARIS
  • RZR PRO R
  • Extremeplus Polaris
  • Extremeplus Polaris
  • T4 SSV de série modifié

Classement 2024

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