Transporting rally cars, dirt bikes and more from America to X Games Brazil

For Anthony Belenardo, logistics coordinator for ESPN’s X Games, the workload literally never ends.

He is in charge of shipping everything to each Global X Games event, including Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil — home to the next event April 18-21 on ESPN — Barcelona, Munich and back to Los Angeles. This mammoth mission includes keeping track of 13 ocean cargo containers and three 747 charter planes in which everything from rally cars to dirt bikes and necessary television production gear is transported.

It is a relentless treadmill of planning and execution for Belenardo and his staff.

“I’m in constant work mode. Everything is ongoing at all hours of the day and in different time zones,” says Belenardo, who lives in Venice Beach, Calif., and has been working with the X Games since 2001.

“I’m always on the phone. It’s definitely not a 9-to-5 job.”

Belenardo started planning back in September 2012 for the X Games in Foz. Thirteen cargo containers were loaded in early January at the Port of Los Angeles before beginning a 38-day ocean voyage to South America.

Belenardo is in charge of logistics before and during the various X Games events. He also provides conduits for supplies and materials which staff might need to accomplish various jobs on-site.

In addition, there’s the task of dealing with shipping challenges and the rules for international customs.

Every item to be shipped has to be weighed and listed. That includes heavy equipment, golf carts, tools and even each plywood slab.

“Weights can’t change, numbers can’t change,’’ Belenardo adds. “So when we ship this stuff back from Foz and the wood is wet from the rain, it could cause a problem. We have to plan and account for everything.”

Cargo planes are used to transport rally cars on special tiered racks that protect the vehicles. A convoy of 20 trucks carries the cars from airport to venue and back again.

Amid the inevitable stress, Belenardo maintains an upbeat attitude to accomplish his mission.

“You learn to use every hour,” he said. “And we do what we do because we love it. If you don’t love what you’re doing — like anything in life — you’re not going to succeed.”