Dakar Rally to return to South America

The organizers of the Dakar Rally have said it will return to South America next year, following its successful hosting in Argentina and Chile this January.

“Based on the success and popularity of the 2009 Dakar held for the first time in Argentina and Chile, A.S.O. (Amaury Sports Organization) and the two countries have decided together to renew the organization of the rally in 2010 in South America," a statement on http://www.dakar.com/ said.

The race was moved from its traditional route in West Africa because of concerns about terrorism which had caused the 2007 event to be cancelled. The 2009 race began and finished in Buenos Aires.

The Dakar is controversial, particularly because of the 26 competitors and 25 other people that have now died because of the race. It was originally conceived 31 years ago as a trans-Saharan race from Paris to the Senegalese capital.