So this is us...
Team Mongolmania was formed over a couple of bottles of wine and a load of seafood at Derek’s 30th birthday celebrations in Darling Harbour, Sydney.
Stephen and Derek met in 1984 in Coffs Harbour, and attended the same primary and secondary schools until graduation in 1995.
Tim and Derek met in 1996, as cadets for BHP Steel and students of the University of Wollongong.
Derek Powell
Age:
30
Hometown:
Coffs Harbour, Australia
Current home:
Various places including London, England
Background:
Derek has a Mechanical Engineering Degree from the University of Wollongong, Australia. As a former engineer for Honda Racing F1, Derek is more at home making cars go as fast as possible rather than making them go as far as possible.
Derek’s Rally motivation:
I like crazy challenges, and this certainly qualifies... But more than that, while working in motorsport, I visited a lot of countries where people are a lot less lucky than we are. The Mongol Rally allows me to help some of these people.
Stephen Bynge
Age:
30
Hometown:
Coffs Harbour, Australia
Current home:
Mosman, Sydney, Australia
Background:
Stephen has an Industrial Design Degree from Newcastle University. By his own admission he has little mechanical knowledge, but scores well as the only team member to have owned a Suzuki SJ before!
Stephen’s Rally motivation:
I've always been a little insane, and the Mongol Rally allows me the perfect opportunity to unleash this personal quality on the world
Tim Gale
Age:
31
Hometown:
Narrabri, Australia
Current home:
Narrabri, Australia, Soon to be a backpack (somewhere in Europe)
Background:
Tim has a Mechanical Engineering Degree from the University of Wollongong, Australia. Born and bred on a cotton farm, Tim is as masterful at repairing broken machinery as he is at breaking it!
Tim’s Rally motivation:
I'm not one to miss out on an opportunity, so as soon as Derek started throwing ideas around about the Mongol Rally, I was in. I love traveling to new places and have had a keen interest in this part of the world for a while. What better way could I spend 6 weeks than stuck in the back of a gutless wonder with 2 other smelly men - with the potential to be chased by anyone and anything. Hopefully I'll get to the end with all bits still attached, and my clothes still on my back, smelly as they will be. The idea of supporting a charity that gives people opportunities that they would not normally have had is an added bonus.
