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Keeping it in the family: Lithuanian couple in Dubai 'race' to success

Arunas Gelazninkas and his wife Emilija Gelazninkas became successful bike-racing coaches with no examples to follow when they started out in the business

For Dubai-based Lithuanian couple Arunas Gelazninkas and his wife Emilija Gelazninkas two things clicked when they met each other — love and business. It took no time for them to mark the dunes of Dubai as their terrain and they teamed up professionally to launch the global brand AG Dakar Dubai in 2019 to coach motorbike enthusiasts and racing buffs. Although their common dream translated into reality with the establishment of their company, they had to grope in the dark for a while because of the unique nature of their business.

“When we started out, we had a vision but didn't initially know what we were doing because we lacked clear examples to follow. It was then that we realised the need to divide the work: Arunas needed to dedicate 100 per cent to the sport aspect, while my task was to focus on our business goals and showing people what we were doing in a simple, clear way. We looked around our environment; sought help; received tips, but in the end, how many companies do you know that does what we do? Perhaps none. This business was like a rally raid race — we ran, we tried, we faced setbacks, but we continued towards the finish line, although the finish line is still very far,” says 31-year old Emilija, professional racer, rally driver and co-owner of AG Dakar Dubai.

Emilija is the first female from the Baltic states to compete in the Dakar rally and is also a second-place rookie; a ninth-place SSV class participant; the founder of a sports camp in Dubai; a cyclist; a pilates enthusiast and a desert-lover.

Arunas likes to call himself a sportsman and not a businessman, and he is happy to do what he loves doing. A well-known figure on the Dakar circuit, he earned respect from his fellow competitors by winning the Original by Motul category for motorcycles without assistance twice, the last time in 2022.

“I am very happy that both of us were brave enough to be the first in Lithuania to start this kind of business, and excited about the growing possibilities around the world,” says 38-year old Arunas, who is a multiple-time Motocross, Enduro, and Cross Country Lithuanian and Baltic states champion, a two-time Dakar rally winner and five-time finisher. Arunas’ world revolves around rallies, motorcycles, and now buggies too.

The couple, who is now celebrating five years of their business, recalls how they embarked on a journey to start their venture as husband and wife. “From our first steps in the relationship, after one month together, Emilija asked me if I had ever dreamt about the Dakar rally. It was on that day I knew that we shared the same dream. The big journey started from the first little step,” says Arunas.

The UAE has immensely contributed to the couple’s success as they traced their career graph from the earliest stages in Dubai to the most challenging race in the world — the Dakar rally.

Recently, the couple’s team of four racers successfully completed two rounds of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, where three riders competed in the moto class, one pilot in the buggy SSV class and AG Dakar Dubai team made it to the top10.

“As a professional moto rider, I had to prepare for my first Dakar rally, so I didn't choose forest and hard terrain tracks. Instead, I opted for exactly what I would face in the race. After concluding my moto career with four years in Dakar, Emilija embarked on preparing for her first Dakar in the buggies category,” says Arunas. He recalls Emilija subsequently saying, "I want to excel in the dunes; we need to establish our own Dakar school in Dubai. Are you in?”

With just one phone call, Emilija found an investor, and now the couple is collaborating with the renowned MX Ride Dubai and local motorsport star, Mohamed Al Balooshi, to whom they are profoundly grateful for all the assistance he lent to their business.

“We always believe that if you're going to do something, do it the best way. A warm welcome, a perfect terrain, off-roading enthusiasts, a long season, a perfect city — what more could we ask for?” wonders Emilija, as the couple continues to tame the dunes and train amateurs with their racing prowess.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com