Competition-wise: “When the day starts like this…”
LEG #5, MECH IRDANE-OULAD DRISS
“In general, when the day starts like this, it just goes from bad to worse!” said Carole Montillet 246 (Carole MONTILLET / Sylvie GODEAU GELLIE - Vakkorama) this morning at her 7th checkpoint. Good call. That was indeed the case as the team accumulated mechanical issues: a shock absorber that needed to be changed, battery trouble… Good sports 107 (Stéphanie PERUSSE / Anne-Marie BORG - Bleu Blanc Rouge communication), leaders of the general ranking during Leg 4, stopped to give them a hand, but it was not enough. Team 246 (Carole MONTILLET / Sylvie GODEAU GELLIE - Vakkorama) who were hoping to shave off those extra km to regain 1st place (currently 6th in the general) gave it their all yesterday while crossing a mountain that all other teams chose to go around. But it is well known that, during marathon legs, mechanical issues often reshuffle the cards. In this case, misdeal!
2018 will not be the year of Team Montillet-Freche. We also know that the rankings really take shape after the first marathon. With more than 275 km and 12 checkpoints spread over two days, this 5th leg offered a taste of every type of terrain including rough trails, a bit of sand, a oued (Bou Haiara), camel grass, wide rocky plains hard on the suspension, and the beautiful and impressive Tafenna cirque with its zigzag passes in and out. Navigation ended at CP10 as the rest of the leg was along the trail.
Was it the idea of being on their own for 2 days, with the prospect of a bivouac with their friends? Many First Participation teams were smiling and looking confident, such as Team 111 (Catherine OSTERMANN / Sylvie ESPINASSON - Carbel Hydrocurage - Gravier TP) who soberly declared, like a true veteran, that getting back down the mountain she was on was “manageable”. “We got stuck yesterday; we want to do better today. 15 days ago, we had never driven a 4×4,” said her driver. The novice Gazelles were starting to build on their experience. With characteristic good humour, Team 243 (Schanel Bakkouche / Pauline DUCRUET) concurred: “For two days now, we’ve found all our checkpoints.” In First Participation Class, Team 211 (Chloé PIRZKAL / Mireille VIDUEIRA) finished just 140 metres behind Team 139 (Léa GOULLIEUX / Laetitia BERTIN - EUROPCAR) (over 275 km, don’t forget!). They hang onto their first position, while 139 (Léa GOULLIEUX / Laetitia BERTIN - EUROPCAR) stays in second. Team 193 (Marie Guillet Wohnlich / Amanda IRELAND - Mécène privé) climbs to 3rd place on the podium.
Kraft, again
Betty Kraft of Team 28 (Elisabeth (Betty) KRAFT / Sonia BAUDOIN-GUERARD - POLARIS FRANCE (quads) continued to dominate Quad/Motorbike Class with a total of only 49.25 km over the crow-flies distance since the start of the Rallye. Team 22 (Tracy MORANDIN / Valérie ROCHE - MORANDIN Yves), whom we thought may not be able to terminate the competition because of mechanical issues, placed 6th in today’s leg. If they make it through the next two days, they will have risen to a considerable challenge.
Leaders of the pack – 4×4
We have said it many times: the outcome is never predictable, but we are betting on Team 107 (Stéphanie PERUSSE / Anne-Marie BORG - Bleu Blanc Rouge communication) who have many good reasons to offer a victory to their vehicle, as a tribute to its owner Florence Deramont. Finishing first in the leg and first in the general ranking, they now have a comfortable advance of just over 3 km over 2nd-place team 153 (Fabienne GALIDIE / Tania LIO-MARTINEZ - MM-EVENTS Sàrl). As for 202 (Jeanette JAMES / Emmanuelle TARQUINI DOS SANTOS - Bumper Off Road Jeep), they stay on the third step of the podium even though they finished 100 metres (over more than 275 km) behind Team 238 (Hélène GRAND'EURY / Charlotte ZUCCONI - VAL THORENS/VALTHOPARC). The competition between second and third place is going to be tight.
Crossover Class
Lacking the technical capability to drive all of today’s SUV route, especially the mountainous pass into the Tafenna cirque, the Zoé of Team 313 (Solen KERLEROUX / Carine POISSON - RUN FUN / MTECH) was forced to end the leg early, which cost them points but no shame. The capabilities of this 2-wheel-drive vehicle have been a surprise to everyone. The team finished once again in second place, behind Team 312 (Laetitia GIRAUD / Sarah SOURBIER - FRUIT4FIT).
e-Gazelles
Team 503 (Natacha BORDRY / Clothilde HAMION - Crédit Suisse) showed their usual determination and another tight route, remaining at the head of their class. They were followed by 502 (Mélanie MOR / Delphine MIQUEL - ENEDIS) and 504 (Kiera CHAPLIN / Jazmin GRIMALDI - Saint Honoré). With a gap of 55 km between the top two teams, the order seems unlikely to change barring mechanical trouble or misjudgement of the vehicle’s energy reserve. The key now is to go easy on the vehicle. And unless they commit a major navigation error, Team 502 (Mélanie MOR / Delphine MIQUEL - ENEDIS) should hold onto second place. We are willing to bet that tonight’s ranking will still stand at the end of the Rallye. But then again… anything could happen and that applies to every competitor in every class.
