SPORTS

Sport is a very important component in the life of Valentino Danchev. His passion is water sports and car racing. He participates actively in competitions and is involved in all types of events related to these sports. In addition, his trips on his majestic yacht allow him to engage in fishing, a sport he is also fond of, and to make expeditions near Isla Mueres. Valentino greatly enjoys the outdoor life and healthy activities, as well as everything that allows him to feel the adrenaline of adventure.


BAJA 1000

The Baja 1000 is a race also known as Mexican 1000. It belongs to the category of rally and takes place in the peninsula of Baja California, in Mexico, since 1967. It is known for being the longest in the world; it usually has its start in the port of Ensenada to end in the city-port of La Paz. Its route is 1,700 kilometers long. The participants include various types of vehicles, such as cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, pickups and ATVs.

The Pioneers

Dave Ekins and Bill Robertson Jr. were the pioneers in this adventure. In 1962 they decided to take a tour with their Honda motorcycles from Tijuana to La Paz. Their journey was not only a personal adventure, as they made the decision to record the times of the journey by sealing a form in the telegraph offices. Dave Ekins was the winner of the competition between friends. His time was 39 hours and 54 minutes. His companion went through the telegraph office an hour later.

For five years, the competition was the entertainment of the year. The adventure was part of every stage of the competition, since having to find the telegraph office in each stop used to take time. At that time, GPS did not exist! and the times used to be much more extensive. A well-known story from the early years of the competition is the one that tells when Ekins got lost on the road and was able to load gas thanks to the goodwill of a rancher. Those minutes of delay, added to those he lost looking for the telegraph office, did not prevent him from reaching the record of 39 hours and 46 minutes. In 1967, Spence Murria and Ralph Poole drove an American Rambler and achieved a record for four-wheelers.

The Mexican 1000 Is Born

After several years of adventure and innovation, someone decided to formalize the competition and on October 31st, 1967 it was given the name of ‘Mexican 1000’. At that time, 68 runners from Tijuana to La Paz participated. The telegraph offices were no longer the place of registration, the NORRA, National Off Road Racing Association, were in charge instead. The Association, which is worth mentioning was directed by the same person who had the idea of formalizing the competition, Ed Pearlman, was in charge of organizing everything. And so it happened until 1973.

As a result of several causes, among them a fuel crisis and the government’s prohibition to carry out the competition, the Mexican 1000 was not carried out in 1974; however, the following year it resumed and the adventure still continues.

The Mexican 1000 Is Born

After several years of adventure and innovation, someone decided to formalize the competition and on October 31st, 1967 it was given the name of ‘Mexican 1000’. At that time, 68 runners from Tijuana to La Paz participated. The telegraph offices were no longer the place of registration, the NORRA, National Off Road Racing Association, were in charge instead. The Association, which is worth mentioning was directed by the same person who had the idea of formalizing the competition, Ed Pearlman, was in charge of organizing everything. And so it happened until 1973.

As a result of several causes, among them a fuel crisis and the government’s prohibition to carry out the competition, the Mexican 1000 was not carried out in 1974; however, the following year it resumed and the adventure still continues.

The Participation of Valentino Danchev

Valentino Danchev is an enthusiast of racing and sports in general. He enjoys participating in different sporting events, but he also usually practices sports at professional level, the Baja 1000 is one of them and with which he has had many satisfactions.


TEAM VALENTINO

48th Annual Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000 – The First Chance For Valentino Danchev The 48th Annual Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000 Competition in 2015 was held in Ensenada, Mexico, and Valentino Danchev participated with great enthusiasm, leaving his mark on the field. It was his first time in this rally event.

The Pioneers

The competition between cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and ATVs is the culmination of the SCORE World Desert Championship. This meeting of adventurous drivers is televised internationally and has a passionate audience for sports and adventure. In a complicated and desert terrain that exceeds 800 miles, participants had to complete the journey in only 33 hours. Valentino Danchev and his team did not achieve the goal successfully, but they were able to overcome many others who were left on the way.

The start of the competition was divided into two groups. On the one hand, motorcycles and ATVs, which started at 6 am; on the other hand, cars, trucks, and UTV, which started at 11 am. In this last group was Valentino, who on the way had some problems with the engine that were quickly fixed.

Although it is considered a sport and an entertainment event, it is still an extremely risky activity, since in that year two people died and around forty suffered injuries. At that time, Valentino Danchev said “Although we could not arrive before 33 hours, I am proud to have been able to cross the finish line when more than two thirds of the participants did not.” At the end of the race, Valentino said he was already preparing for the following year. His first experience in this race did nothing but increase the enthusiasm to continue participating.