Keeping it in the family: Lithuanian couple in Dubai 'race' to success
A Lithuanian couple in Dubai is continuing a family tradition by racing to the top.
Even though they had no one to look up to when they first started out, Arunas and Emilija Gelazninkas became very successful bike-racing coaches.
Arunas Gelazninkas and Emilija Gelazninkas, a Lithuanian couple residing in Dubai, hit it off romantically and professionally the moment they met. In 2019, they formed the worldwide brand AG Dakar Dubai to instruct motorbike fans and racing aficionados, and it didn't take long for them to claim the Dubai dunes as their terrain. Although they were able to make their shared vision a reality by founding their company, they were initially left to fumble in the dark due to the peculiarities of their venture.
We lacked clear examples to follow when we first started out, so we had a vision but didn't know what to do. We both knew then that we needed to split up the workload: Arunas had to give her all to the athletic side of things, and I had to keep my eye on the business objectives and make sure everyone could understand what we were up to. How many other businesses are there that do what we do? We asked around, got some advice, but ultimately, how many do you know that do what we do? Probably not. Professional racer, rally driver, and co-owner of AG Dakar Dubai Emilija, 31, says that running, trying, and facing setbacks in this business is like competing in a rally raid race. She adds that they are still very far from the finish line, but they are continuing towards it.
In addition to being the first female competitor from the Baltic states, Emilija finished second as a rookie, ninth in her SSV class, the founder of a Dubai sports camp, an avid cyclist, a pilates fan, and a desert lover.
Instead of referring to himself as a businessman, Arunas prefers to call himself a sportsman, and he is content to pursue his passion. He became famous on the Dakar circuit after winning the Original by Motul category for motorcycles without assistance twice, most recently in 2022. His fellow competitors respected him for it.
The 38-year-old Arunas, who has won the Motocross, Enduro, and Cross Country championships in Lithuania and the Baltic states on multiple occasions, as well as the Dakar rally twice and placed fifth on five occasions, expresses his joy at being the first in Lithuania to start this type of business and his excitement about the expanding global possibilities. Motorcycles, rallies, and, more recently, buggies, are the center of attention in Arunas's universe.
On this, the fifth anniversary of the launch of their business, the happy couple reflects on the path they took as husband and wife. After only a month of dating, Emilija wanted to know if I'd ever fantasized about competing in the Dakar Rally. That was the day I realized our dreams were intertwined. The first small step, says Arunas, was the beginning of the big journey.
Starting their career in Dubai and progressing to the world's most difficult rally, the Dakar, the United Arab Emirates has played a significant role in the couple's success.
Three riders competed in the moto class, one pilot in the buggy SSV class, and the couple's team, AG Dakar Dubai, finished in the top ten after two rounds of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
"I didn't choose forest and hard terrain tracks because I had to prepare for my first Dakar rally as a professional moto rider. I decided to go with the race's actual conditions instead. Following my four-year stint in the Dakar, Emilija began training for her maiden Dakar, this time in the buggies category," Arunas explains. He remembers Emilija expressing her desire to succeed in the dunes and the necessity of starting their own Dakar school in Dubai. Are you game?"
Emilija found an investor with a single phone call, and now she and her partner are teaming up with local motorsport star and MX Ride Dubai star Mohamed Al Balooshi, for whose help they are extremely grateful.
When you're going to do something, do it well; that's our motto. Emilija wonders, "What more could we ask for?" as the couple continues to train amateurs with their racing prowess and tame the dunes. They have off-roading enthusiasts, a long season, and a perfect city.
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