Marathon: one final challenge

“You must be very happy, this is the last time I’ll be waking you up at 4 o’clock!” opens Dominique Serra, director and founder of the event. It is also the final briefing of this 28th edition of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles. “I applaud you all. You have been excellent Gazelles and have shared many adventures and experiences. In terms of the rankings, a lot can happen during the last leg: nothing can be taken for granted!”

Sport director Ludovic Taché comments on yesterday’s leg: “It went really well. The last team got in at 11:30, which never happens: there are always 5-6 who sleep out on the terrain!”

This second marathon signals the last two days of the Rallye. It features an ideal distance of 235 kilometres with an estimated with an estimated time of 15.5 hours. There are 11 checkpoints.

“The CPs for Leg 6 close at different times. Once again, make sure you read all the notes on the road book. CP 1,2 and 3 close on the first day. CP 6 doesn’t open until 6 o’clock tomorrow morning. There is more sand in this leg. The Chegaga dunes are smaller and rounder but not necessarily easier. Altitude isn’t the only factor that makes dunes easy or difficult. And please, if you’re behind a dune, put a marker at the top!”

The Gazelles are allowed to follow each other in the dunes, from CP4 until just after CP5 along the “regular routes’ and until CP8 on the harder “X” route. There is no wind in the forecast, which is unusual for the area. “This is the last leg. Enjoy yourselves! And thank you for your attention.”