And now for something completely different...
This announcement appears to have little to do with genealogy except that the fact that genealogy powerhouse MyHeritage is sponsoring a world-famous automobile, truck, and motorcycle race. (The same company also sponsors this not-so-world-famous genealogy newsletter.) The cross-country race will take place over 12 days in Saudi Arabia.
Here is the announcement:
LEHI, Utah--As the international market leader for exploring family history and finding relatives, MyHeritage develops innovative search and matching technologies and has a global database of historical records to help millions of people connect to their family history. Sponsoring a team led by a father-son duo is par for the course for MyHeritage. The company has a long history of partnering with top athletes, sports teams, and cultural figures to reveal their family history, forge connections with their relatives, and underscore the importance of knowing one’s roots.
Danny and Omer Pearl founded the Pearl Racing Team out of their passion for motorsports. The team has competed for many years in the SSV category, racing in numerous international competitions.
The Dakar Rally is considered the toughest and most grueling off-road competition in the world. This is the second year the competition is being held in Saudi Arabia, following its relocation from South America, where it was held for the last decade. The race spans more than 7,000 kilometers and 12 days over the challenging and beautiful Saudi terrain. This year’s race departed from Jeddah and will traverse the entire Arabian desert in a circular course. Each day the team will navigate under the most extreme conditions, using a Road Book produced by the rally organizer.
“As leaders in the field of exploring and discovering family history, we are thrilled to support a team that includes a father and son who are competing in one of the world’s most difficult competitions,” said Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “Particularly during these challenging times, we appreciate the significance of supporting family members coming together in bold and creative ways, working as a team to achieve the impossible. Just like the Dakar, family history can be an enjoyable and adventurous journey.”
“It is with great pride and excitement that we enter this legendary race,” said Omer Pearl. “We believe that determination and perseverance yield results, and our family bond is one of the driving forces behind our success. We hope that our efforts will inspire more families to team up and work together to pursue their dreams.”
The Dakar Rally is taking place between January 3–15, 2021.
About MyHeritage
MyHeritage is the leading global discovery platform for exploring family history. With billions of historical records and family tree profiles, and with sophisticated matching technologies that work across all its assets, MyHeritage allows users to discover their past and empower their future.
Launched in 2016, MyHeritage DNA has become one of the world’s largest consumer DNA databases, with more than 4.6 million customers. Since 2020, MyHeritage is home to the world’s best technologies for enhancing and colorizing historical photos. MyHeritage is the most popular DNA test and family history service in Europe.
www.myheritage.com--MyHeritage, the leading global platform for discovering your past and empowering your future, announced today that it is sponsoring a racing team in the 2021 Dakar Rally — the elite off-road endurance competition currently taking place in Saudi Arabia. The MyHeritage team comprises driver Danny Pearl, a veteran of off-road racing, and navigator Charly Gotlib, who has participated in the Dakar Rally more than 30 times over the years, and has received an honorary distinction of Dakar Legend from the race organizers. The team is managed by Omer Pearl, Danny’s son. In recent years, Omer has managed the Pearl Racing Team in different competitions around the world. The team is named the MyHeritage Team and is competing in the Dakar’s Lightweight Vehicle category.