Mighty Wight Duo Completes Mongolian Rally on Avon Tyres

A pair of Isle of Wight adventurers have crossed a third of the world – from the UK to Mongolia – on a single set of Avon Tyres. Ross Smallcombe and Seb Cnossen, whom together are Team Mighty Wight, travelled 8,230 miles on the Mongolian Rally on Avon’s ultra-durable CR322 rubber, taking in some of the world’s toughest terrains, including potholed, unmade roads, waterways and off-road areas.

Smallcombe voiced his delight with the performance of his Avon rubber: “They’re amazing tyres. I had used them before when I worked for a racing suspension company and loved them, then I was recommended to use them for this trip and they have done me proud. So many tyres were supposedly better suited to the terrain but by the end of the trip everyone wanted Avon tyres.

“Teams paid hundreds of pounds for specialist tyres, rally tyres, desert tyres and off-road tyres. People couldn’t believe we didn’t even get a puncture, when their tyres were getting ripped to shreds. We travelled over mountains with no roads, deserts in 50C heat, crossed rivers that were as deep as our bonnet, and even jumped ditches when necessary. The tyres barely looked worn when we crossed the finish line.”

The Mongolian Rally consists of 500 teams travelling from the UK to Mongolia in a 1.0 litre car with no assistance, for charitable causes. As well as testing Team Mighty Wight’s endurance, and that of their Suzuki Swift and its tyres, the aim of the expedition is to provide education, awareness and donations for the Christina Nobel Foundation charity.

Leaving on 19 July, Mighty Wight joined the other teams at the ‘Check Out’ party in Prague, Czech Republic. They then headed south through Eastern Europe to Turkey. The trek to Mongolia continued through Iran into Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and finally into the finish line in Mongolia from the north west.

The Suzuki Swift will now be auctioned for charity to add to the money already raised by the trip, which currently stands at £2,000. Smallcombe and Cnossen are hoping to continue to add to the success of the Mongol Rally by starting a charitable youth scheme to encourage further education and alternative outlets for learning. Team Mighty Wight then hopes to embark on an adventure mentoring children as they travel the world.