Goodyear announces today that it has partnered with German record breaker Rainer Zietlow and his Cape-to-Cape world record attempt from Norway to South Africa later this month.

Zietlow, a multiple world-record holder in extreme continent-spanning journeys, will depart from Nordkapp with his Challenge4 team on Monday September 21st bound for Cape Agulhas in South Africa, more than 17,000 kilometers away.

In order to cross three continents in record-breaking time, Rainer Zietlow’s Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI will be fitted with Goodyear Wrangler HP tires for SUV and 4X4 vehicles, designed to resist the rigorous demands of the extreme climates and road conditions en route.

The world record attempt is expected to take around 10 days to complete and will see Zietlow and his Challenge4 team passing through 19 countries: Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. To reach the African continent, the team will fly from Adana, Turkey to Cairo, Egypt.

Goodyear has provider Zietlow and his team with its leading Wrangler HP All Weather tires.  After evaluation of different tire types by Goodyear and Zietlow’s team, they decided these were the best suited as the tires, designed for SUV and 4X4 vehicles, combine solid year-round performance on tarmac and harnened roads, strong offroad abilities and also deliver fuel efficiencies. The tires offer an aggressive grip in wet weather, strong aquaplaning resistance and a quiet, comfortable ride, delivering peace of mind to the team as they make their way to South Africa.

“The Goodyear and Challenge4 teams worked hard to ensure we are delivering the right tire for the right job”, says Hans Vrijsen, Marketing Director EMEA at Goodyear. “Rainer’s journey down to South Africa will primarily be on hardened roads, but he will also encounter thousands of potholes, roads in disrepair and at certain times, he’ll need basic off-road capabilities. Goodyear’s Wrangler HP tires will meet all these challenges while at the same time ensuring a comfortable ride. As a result the team will be able to focus on the task at hand, to break a new record.”

“I am excited to work with Goodyear on this project”, adds Zietlow. “We have spent a significant amount of time looking at the needs of the Cape to Cape challenge and I am confident that Goodyear will get us across that finish line. Breaking these kinds of world records is not about speed, it is about ensuring that the right parties and equipment meet the needs of the challenges at hand. We are excited to take the Goodyear Wrangler HP tires across three continents for this challenge”.

Rainer and his team have already extensively tested the tires, with success. The car will carry a total of six tires, four fitted and two spare.