Gazelles Offroad Team had a tumultuous Dakar Classic debut in January, but successfully reached the finish. Helen Tait Wright and Marcella Kirk hope to be back, but it won’t be until 2028.

They confirmed their 2028 plan at an event over the weekend, nicknaming the effort “Dakar Deux”.

The first British all-women team to race Dakar, Tait Wright and Kirk entered the Classic in a 1988 Land Rover 110 that they nicknamed “Purdey”. It was an extensive restoration since the car was acquired in poor condition, but one they successfully completed with time to spare such that Purdey could do races like the Santana Trophy in advance.

Dakar, of course, was another beast entirely. Purdey was subjected to a gauntlet that resulted in flat tires and other mechanical issues, and the team also missed a stage for medical reasons before returning, only for the car to lose power at the start. On the final day, they even had two tires blow out at the same time.

Fortunately, they weren’t alone. Tait Wright and Kirk befriended Henry Favre and Alessandro Iacovelli, who were competing in a Mitsubishi Delica. Favre was already out of contention because of a myriad of misadventures, but opted to continue the race to help others and have a good time. He made good on the former by helping the Gazelles get Purdey running again.

By the end, the duo finished 63rd among cars (83rd overall) and 12th in H1.A. Kirk was also fifth for cars and eighth overall in the Authentic Codriver Challenge, reserved for navigators who relied solely on stopwatch and tripmeter.

Their story drew much attention, garnering coverage from those like the BBC upon returning home.

While certainly an experience to remember, it was also a very costly one. Nearly everybody heading to Dakar without factory support has commented on the financial toll it takes, with Tait Wright and Kirk both selling off items like cars and jewelry to afford the trip. When 131 Off-Road published a story about fellow Classic debutant Pom’Family Racing skipping the 2027 race to recoup their funds, Gazelles related and quipped, “we all need time to recover our finances”.

Even though Gazelles won’t be at the 2027 Classic, their friends at Team Roamerdrive will carry the Rover torch: Jenna Fribley and Liza Beres, a pair of Americans who’ve done races like the Rebelle Rally, plan to take part in a 1972 Range Rover Classic modeled after Alain Génestier’s 1979 Paris–Dakar Rally winner.

Featured image credit: Aurélien Vialatte / ASO