SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Convoy of cars from the Netherlands arrive at World Cup

Record ID: 455359

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Convoy of cars from the Netherlands arrive at World Cup
  • Date: 12th June 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FAN, DAAN DE GROOT, SAYING: "Perfect, everything is good about Africa. I am not done with this continent. I go back for sure." VARIOUS OF DUTCH FANS IN CAMP (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FAN, JURJEN THOMAS, SAYING: "This was one part of our journey and the next part is winning the trophy and bring the World Cup home. That's why we are here." GENERAL VIEW OF CAMP
  • Embargoed: 27th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA364ENMZRXVBJC8WA00PJKO1U2
  • Story Text: A 22-strong convoy of orange cars, including a motorbike, Beetles, VW vans and a lorry full of Dutch fans drove into Pretoria on Friday (June 11) after a ten-week trip from Amsterdam.
    Dutch fans lined the streets to welcome the convoy on the opening day of the World Cup.
    A tranquil camp site hidden from a main road in Pretoria will act as home to some 800 Dutch fans clad always in orange.
    Johan Roos, who drove an open top, orange sports car, said the cars had endured problems along the way, with his engine blowing up in Ethiopia.
    "I blew a cylinder, so that was a huge problem. I had to fly in a new engine, and we put it in and now here we are," he said.
    The fans said the long drive had been a fantastic experience.
    "Perfect, everything is good about Africa. I am not done with this continent. I go back for sure," said Daan de Groot.
    Next the group will be a joined by a bright orange double-decker bus, and around 100 mobile homes, or camper vans, which are in the process of making their way to the site.
    "This was one part of our journey and the next part is winning the trophy and bring the World Cup home. That's why we are here," said Jurjen Thomas.
    After watching the Netherlands against Denmark in Johannesburg on June 14 they will pack up and drive in a convoy of 175 cars to Durban for the game against Japan on June 19 and then on to Cape Town for their game against Cameroon on June 24.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register