The odds against being picked for the ultimate off-road adventure are enormous. Five hundred thousand hopefuls applied to join the elite twenty-eight members bound for Madagascar and the 1987 Camel Trophy.
Fifteen hundred miles of tortuous jungle tracks, swamp crossings and rock hard desert roads made up the punishing route for the eighth Camel Trophy – the toughest four-wheel drive event open only to amateurs. Fourteen two-man teams battled against nature and each other for three backbreaking weeks on the world's fourth largest island.
Seven Special Tasks were designed to determine the overall winning country in tests of driving skill and navigational ability. The battle was fierce, Italy and the United States showed that they meant business from Day 1. Every team had their hour of glory as this action-packed Videovision production shows. Covered in the ever-present mud and dust of the Great Red Island, the teams hauled their identical Range Rover Turbo Diesels down the eastern 'Pirate Coast' of the Indian Ocean island. Day and night, the convoy fought through the virtually uncharted tracks – some of which had not been used for twenty years or more. The reward at the finish in the ex-French colonial port of Fort Dauphin was one of historical importance. The 1987 Camel Trophy was the first expedition to drive the length of Madagascar via the near-impossible east coast route. For team members, the chance-of-a-lifetime event was unforgettable. The excitement and drama of this unique event are portrayed vividly in this 60-minute video of mud, sweat and action. Hold on tight!
