Local firm to help fire tunnel attempt
Fuel Force supports the next attempt of the fire tunnel by Bibi Schoeman and Andre de Kock.
FORCE Fuel company in Alrode will be involved with an exciting world record attempt later this year.
The company will back a Guinness World Record attempt to beat the current distance mark for riding a motorcycle through a fire tunnel.
The current record is held by South Africans Enrico Schoeman and Andre de Kock from Alberton at a distance of 103 metres, set with an Australian motorcycle and sidecar outfit in the Limpopo town of Vaalwater two years ago.
Schoeman and De Kock plan to extend the record to 120 metres on September 5 this year, as a highlight of the 2014 Bike SA Rhino Rally in the Free State town of Parys.
“South Africa needs all the world records we can get, and we are happy to assist with this one,” said Mr Andre Botha, CEO of Force Fuel, this week. “Riding a motorcycle through a fire tunnel is a highly unusual occupation, and we believe the event will generate a lot of publicity,” he said.
Mr Botha’s son Luke races a Toyota Hilux LDV in the national Off Road Racing Championship.
According to stuntman Enrico Schoeman, the record is probably the most dangerous one left in the Guinness record archives.
“It is lethal, if anything at all goes wrong. For one thing, the temperature inside the fire tunnel is over 900 degrees Celcius, which means that we would die if we breathed. Secondly, no rescue team could ever get to us in time, should we fall or hit the side of the tunnel,” he said.
“We are hugely indebted to Force Fuel for their assistance – without the help of such sponsors the attempt could never take place,“ he said.
