Thuraya at UAE Desert Challenge
Thuraya proved to be a valuable communications tool for the Middle East’s top privateer rally team, "Team Saluki", when they competed in the recent U.A.E. Desert Challenge in mid October.
Driver Mark Powell and co-driver Tim Ansell raced a modified Land Rover Defender in this event, which is part of the F.I.A.’s Cross Country Rally World Championship. 
Since the 5-day race takes place in the desert region known as the Rhub Al Khali or "Empty Quarter", where cellular phone communication is often not possible, the team decided to choose Thuraya as their communication vehicle. Using the Thuraya phone, Craig McAteer, the team’s communication expert was able send Team Saluki’s progress reports to the UK, which were forwarded to the numerous web sites and news agencies.
Craig McAteer had a lot to say about the Thuraya phone. "Throughout the 5 days of the race, and despite our remote location, I was able to stay in constant touch with the UK without any difficulty. I sent almost 20 news updates over the Thuraya phone during the course of the race, many of which contained high-resolution images as well as text, and they were all received quickly and completely. Having a GPS on the unit was an added bonus, since I could use it each day to confirm our position as I traveled from the rally bivouac to the service points”. 
Co-driver Tim Ansell thanked Thuraya for their support for Team Saluki saying, "When you are competing as a privately financed team, against the world’s largest car manufacturers with their million dollar race budgets, you have to depend on great team work and great support if you are to be competitive. Thuraya’s contribution was to help keep our sponsors and fans informed about our progress, and to help us share our great news at the end of the race”.
Racing against the world’s best cross country drivers, Team Saluki finished in a very creditable 7th overall, were the highest placed privately entered team, and won the coveted "First in the Gulf" trophy as the highest placed team from the Middle East. In finishing 7th they beat Colin McRae (former WRC World Champion), Stephan Peterhansel (current world cross country champion) Jutta Kleinschmidt (former world champion), and many others professional drivers.