Adventure-wise, not a very relaxing plateau!

After a day of sand that pushed the Gazelles to their limit, it was time for some plains. This fourth leg, which marked the midpoint of the Rallye, started with fifty kilometres of road leading the teams to the wide Aguelmouss plateau with its landscapes of constantly-changing colour.

The Gazelles hit their pace

Team 503 (Natacha BORDRY / Clothilde HAMION - Crédit Suisse) were very happy this morning. They were leading in e-Gazelles Class. “We make a good team, the car is great, we’re having fun. We’re driving through all kinds of terrain. The car has good capability. Our route is really well designed. We’re taking our time today. For the first few days we rushed it but now we’re communicating better and we’re not in such a hurry.”

To reach checkpoint 3, common to routes E and S, the teams needed to cross a oued. They needed to carefully study the up and down slopes all along this route. At this checkpoint it was time for a break. The checkpoint officials offered the Gazelles coffee while they discussed the previous day in the dunes. They took their time and enjoyed the moment!

Zero visibility

The morning was just getting started when the mist appeared. Heat haze or actual fog? Team 182 (Alexandrine ANDRE / Amandine VIROULAUD - Beam Suntory) took no chances: “We prefer to air down and waste 10 minutes to avoid the risk of getting stuck.” Especially since they hoped to at least maintain their position in the ranking: they are running 53^rd in First Participant class.

With this new factor to consider, the navigators needed to study their headings carefully. Visibility was decreasing, and the landscapes and features were hidden behind a curtain of white. Marion of SSV team 25 (Sophie TOESCA / Marion FINET) teases: “We’re navigating a bit by feel but it’s working. We’re taking our headings, don’t worry.” Others, such as Team 127 (Catherine ZAKEL / Nell BONNET), want to avoid trouble at all cost and remain meticulous and focused: “So did you find a heading? I’m lined up with it, adjust your course. Ok? See that peak sloping down a bit, over to the right? Try not to line me up with sand, ok?”

Mechanical problems

Motorbike team 22 (Tracy MORANDIN / Valérie ROCHE - MORANDIN Yves) towed each other up to their third checkpoint. Sand in the tank was blocking the fuel intake of one of the bikes. One of their injectors did not appear to be working. “We’re gong straight back; we can’t drive 174 kilometres. If we go back, are we Unranked? We could keep going but we can’t continue to tow each other like this.” They decided to call mechanical assistance and managed to get going again, but for how long? The suspension arm of Team 27 (Prune SALTI / Elisa BOULAND - ESAF) was damaged by a rock. “We’re going to try to find a garage and get it welded back on. We’ll pray to Allah that it holds.” Betty of Team 28 (Elisabeth (Betty) KRAFT / Sonia BAUDOIN-GUERARD - POLARIS FRANCE (quads) arrived and asked after the other teams before continuing: “it’s going to be a long and difficult leg for us.” And if even the champion felt that way…

Hugs and tears

Navigation became increasingly difficult in the haze. Visibility was not improving. The driver of Team 116 (Danielle MEUNIER / Myriam LHUILLIER - MONTGOLFIERE ANNECY) was crying, afraid of getting lost. “Luckily we spotted a checkpoint. We’re stopping every 50 metres, we don’t have a choice so we’re navigating by tufts of vegetation.” Anne of Team 185 (Marie Helene BRAUD / Anne LAVAL - LES MAISONS BY CHANTAL B) was also in tears. She wanted to throw in the towel and return to the bivouac. Fortunately, another Gazelle came to her rescue: “You have a normal compass; well, you can use it as a ball compass as well.” Anne remained pessimistic: “We’re following tracks; everything we do is pretty haphazard.” Team 177 (Valérie KELLER / Virginie SIRAUD - AC-Environnement Diagnostic Immobilier) chose to navigate using their ball compass: “You can’t triangulate here. 8 years ago, this leg was just as hazy and in a kind of basin. They’re testing our navigation!”

François, one of the CP setup crew, set up a “complaints bureau” to cheer the Gazelles up. So the Gazelles ask him to get rid of the sand, the haze and the camel grass… no less! The afternoon draws to an end. Team 501 (Valerie ROMANN / Carine DECRAENE - ACER France) want to get to CP5 but their electric car won’t be able to handle the pass that the 4X4 is climbing ahead of them. At the top, an impressive sandy downslope gives the finishing touch to this leg. The navigator of Team 104 has vertigo: “I’m going to close my eyes and scream!”

At CP 7, the teams picked up the pace. Reaching the bivouac was a blessing for many. The vehicles visit their mechanics workshop to get back in shape before a marathon leg requiring two days of complete autonomy…