By Benedicte Clarkson
By Benedicte Clarkson
Morocco World News
New York, February 3, 2012
43 days separate us from the start of the world’s biggest women only off road rally in the Moroccan desert. The latter was created over 20 years ago and has grown ever since. In this 22nd edition, there are 150 teams of women driving 4x4s, trucks and buggies.
This year’s edition will take place from 17 to 31 March, with most teams departing from Paris. The start of the rally proper is scheduled on 22 March from Erfoud. The rally will end with big celebration in Essaouira on 31 March.
Only 3 teams are Moroccan, the rest come from France, Canada, the US, Belgium and other European and African countries. This is a rally of endurance, done the old fashion way: no GPS, no satellite navigation system (satnav), only old maps and a compass. It’s not a question of speed, but of doing the shortest way between various “balise” or meeting points.
One of the Moroccan teams is called Smiley Gazelles (one of the Gazelles actually live in London and both gazelles met in London). They are not professional rally drivers (70% of the participants enter the rally for the 1st time) but like the other Gazelles, they love challenges. They do not do it only for themselves, but also for the British Moroccan Society, a member based charity in London, dedicated to strengthening relations between Morocco and the UK.
