VIDEOS
RALLYE AÏCHA DES GAZELLES DU MAROC 2018
TV REPORT #18
TV REPORT #17
TV REPORT #16
TV REPORT #15
TV REPORT #14
A gala in the colours of the sea
GALA EVENING, ESSAOUIRA
Marvels of the sea or of the desert?
From the desert to the ocean, the 330 Gazelles traded in their pink Rallye vests for their best evening finery. After spending 15 days deep in the Moroccan desert, the Gazelles enjoyed a prestigious gala evening in an immense white marquee tent across from the ramparts of Essaouira. In a fitting tribute to the former Mogador, the theme of this year’s gala was “Marine Marvels”!
Dominique Serra and the Governor of Essaouira opened the gala, inviting the 1,200 guests to stand and drink a toast with a glass of Tsarine champagne. The décor featured an aquarium, seashells, a sailboat and even a mermaid. Jazmin Grimaldi, daughter of Prince Albert II of Monaco and a Gazelle of Team 504 (Kiera CHAPLIN / Jazmin GRIMALDI - Saint Honoré) in e-Gazelle Class, took the stage to perform an original song after the start of the meal. Further entertainment during the meal was provided by belly dancers, sailors and acrobats. The winners of each category were then invited to the stage to receive gifts from event partners Aïcha, Saint Honoré and Afriquia.
The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc is much more than a navigation competition; it is also an event with strong values, such as solidarity and sharing. Cœur de Gazelles non-profit organization was created out of those values 17 years ago. Lively applause and a standing ovation were given to Marina Vrillacq, the association’s president, Frédéric Valat, manager of the medical caravan, and all the volunteers and partners. “We were able to perform 8,400 medical acts thanks to our volunteers and the partners who support us and understand our needs. I wish to thank them, because without them, we could do nothing. The strength of Cœur de Gazelle is in its patient follow-up. My thoughts go out to each of them.” Her speech was interrupted by tears, and Frédéric Valat took over: “Thanks to the 140 teams of Gazelles who stopped to visit us in the villages where we were set up. You are our best representatives. You are the ones who promote Cœur de Gazelles.”
The evening ended with music as dinner gave way to the dance floor.
See you next year for the 29th edition!
OFFICIAL FINISH & PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY
ESSAOUIRA
In their words!
First Participation – 4×4
Team 139 (Léa GOULLIEUX / Laetitia BERTIN - EUROPCAR): hand in hand, the two Gazelles admit their surprise: “We never thought we could do it. It’s a huge victory for our friends, our families and our sponsors, and a nice victory for our friendship, which has lasted since childhood. This rally reinforced all that. The Gazelle rally is amazing because everyone does it and lives it differently. Everyone has their own personal story.”
Beauty Car Challenge
Team 202 (Jeanette JAMES / Emmanuelle TARQUINI DOS SANTOS - Bumper Off Road Jeep): “This year, I did the Rallye a little differently,” explains several-time Rallye winner Jeanette James. “Not to win, but to provide the experience for my teammate, who has a rare disease, occipital neuralgia. She did some amazing things during this edition. The rankings weren’t very important this year. As long as we made it to the end, any position would do,” continues Jeanette. Her teammate, Emmanuelle, is happy and“so honoured to have done this rally with a driver like Jeanette, who put her trust in me.”
Team 238 (Hélène GRAND'EURY / Charlotte ZUCCONI - VAL THORENS/VALTHOPARC): at the end of the last day of competition, they weren’t sure they had won. Now the results are official. The team finished in second place in last year’s edition. “This is our year! We worked better, we were more accurate, and we can tell we’ve gotten better, especially at trajectories and optimizing exit points. The experts forced us to push ourselves above and beyond our limits.”
Quad/Moto/SSV
Team 28 (Elisabeth (Betty) KRAFT / Sonia BAUDOIN-GUERARD - POLARIS FRANCE (quads) may know this rally by heart, but that does not decrease the pleasure they have in doing it, year after year. 2018 marks the 12th victory for Betty Kraft in 13 editions! “Her great strength is to never let go,” explains Betty’s teammate Sonia. “We’re happy to win, but our greatest satisfaction come from the pleasure of driving in the dunes, of finding a way across a terrain that looks impossible. Our greatest enjoyment is still out on the terrain. Thank you to the organizers and the Gazelles who supported us in our search for sponsors.”
Crossover
Team 312 (Laetitia GIRAUD / Sarah SOURBIER - FRUIT4FIT): “This Rallye has been an amazing experience. It’s a complete break from our daily lives. There are so many intense feelings: joy, pride, sharing. We all supported each other: we didn’t win this by ourselves. We’re all winners. We had to call for mechanical assistance two days ago. After the anger and the disappointment, it gave us a boost. This victory is the cherry on top. In fact, we didn’t really come for the competition. This rally is a life lesson, and what we have learned is that nothing should be taken for granted; you’ve got to savour and enjoy the moment, and give it everything you’ve got.”
E-Gazelles
Team 503 (Natacha BORDRY / Clothilde HAMION - Crédit Suisse): Clothilde and Natacha are smiling from ear to ear on the finish line and waving their Swiss flag. “We’re in heaven. It was important for us to represent sustainable development and our sponsors. We had so many intense emotions, so much fatigue. It was a huge challenge. We really worked as a team, which brought us even closer together.”
We hope to see them all again next year at the 29th edition of Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc. Inch’Allah!
BEAUTY CAR CHALLENGE
The Beauty Car Challenge is awarded to the team competing in the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles 2018 with the most outstanding, visually effective vehicle wrap, as voted by the 2018 Gazelles. Each 2018 team was able to vote for one 2018 team of its choice. The votes were collected at the bivouac by the Organization throughout the competition, i.e. from March 22 until 6:00 p.m. on March 29th, inclusively.
The winning team received an €8,000 reduction on their registration fee for the 2019 edition.
Winners of the Beauty Car Challenge
CROSSOVER / SUV CLASS
PODIUM
General Ranking
1st Participation Challenge
Awarded to the top team in each class whose members are both doing the Rallye for the first time.
QUAD / SSV / MOTORBIKE CLASS
PODIUM
General Ranking
1st Participation Challenge
Awarded to the top team in each class whose members are both doing the Rallye for the first time.
E-GAZELLES
PODIUM
General Ranking
1st Participation
Challenge
Awarded to the top team in each class whose members are both doing the Rallye for the first time
4X4 / TRUCK CLASS
PODIUM
General Ranking
Expert Challenge
Awarded to the top teams in 4×4 / Truck Class whose members have done the Rallye at least 4 times between them.
1st Participation Challenge
Awarded to the top team in each class whose members are both doing the Rallye for the first time.
Well-deserved awards
PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY, ESSAOUIRA
Under the immense white Marquee tent that takes up quarters each year within the ramparts of Essaouira, an honour guard formed by the event’s organizers greeted the Gazelles as they entered the tent. Having experienced the Rallye by their sides, at the same pace, and witnessing first-hand the Gazelles’ moments of discouragement and happiness, the frayed nerves, jumps for joy, fatigue, amazement at the Moroccan landscapes…, the event’s organizers truly understand just how challenging the Rallye really is.
Gazelles, organizers, families, friends and event partners all came together for the presentation of trophies and partner gifts. Moroccan Secretary of Tourism, Nadia Boutelem came in person to congratulate the Gazelles. “Congratulations to every team. You have experienced Morocco in all its simplicity. Each edition is better than the last, and it has become a real showcase for Morocco. We are extremely proud of this event and the values it represents.” The Governor of Essaouira, Jamar Matatar, then took the floor: “I am addressing you for the fifth time and yet every year brings new emotions and feelings of joy and pleasure. Thank you for allowing us this experience. If it weren’t for the decorum required by our status, believe me, we would come dance with you! Thank you to all the organizers for the way they run this event. And finally, thanks to Dominique Serra to have selected Essaouira to host these events. And bravo to all the winners, with a special mention for this year’s Moroccan teams!”
The event organizers took the opportunity to pay tribute to the memory of well-known former Gazelle Florence Deramond, who passed away during this year’s edition.
Avid Rallye supporter Paul Belmondo then took to the stage to present the prizes in First Participation Challenge: in Quad/Moto/SSV Class, Team 22 (Tracy MORANDIN / Valérie ROCHE - MORANDIN Yves), our one and only biker team, who earned our admiration throughout the event… In SUV Class, Team 312 (Laetitia GIRAUD / Sarah SOURBIER - FRUIT4FIT). In 4×4 Class, Team 139 (Léa GOULLIEUX / Laetitia BERTIN - EUROPCAR) who turned in an excellent performance. Finally, in e-Gazelles, Team 503 (Natacha BORDRY / Clothilde HAMION - Crédit Suisse).
Every team, without exception, was then invited on stage to receive their trophy, to thunderous applause and cheering from the enthusiastic crowd!
Discovering Essaouira
ESSAOUIRA, MAROC
After surviving long gruelling days, accomplishing extraordinary feats of courage and determination, the 330 Gazelles deserved this afternoon to relax and enjoy the former city of Mogador. Proud to wear the colours of the event, hundreds of pink vests flooded the streets of the medina… They have become Gazelles for life! As the saying goes: “Once a Gazelle, always a Gazelle!”
As is the custom, Essaouira played host to the official finish and closing ceremonies of the 28th edition of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc. This adventure has transported and, in many cases, transformed our Gazelles. Released from the pressure of the competition, they were free to express their joy and take some time for themselves after the gruelling challenge of the past 10 days.
Groups of Gazelles discussed their adventures over a glass of mint tea while others explored the ancient city with family and friends who came to join them here and share in the celebration… Nestled behind its high walls on a windswept peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean, Essaouira is always pleased to welcome the Gazelles and has many surprises in store. The 330 women of this year’s Rallye bathed in the atmosphere of its old port and wandered through its maze of souks.
As the sun set and the ancient fort glowed in shades of pink, the Gazelles got all dressed up for the grand finale of this year’s edition, the Gala Evening. This year’s theme: “Marine Marvels”.
To end the Rallye, the beach
CEREMONIAL FINISH ON THE BEACH, ESSAOUIRA
The end of a 1,300-km desert adventure
Today held one last stretch of sand, one which all Gazelles hope to reach, whatever their ranking. At 9 o’clock, the first teams started moving up the vast beach in Essaouira against a backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean and an azure blue sky. Their vehicles shone and sparkled in the distance through a fine ocean mist.
This year for the first time, 24 Fantasia horse riders led the parade, decked out in traditional costume: an extremely impressive sight! Behind the security barrier, the crowd of curious onlookers and Gazelle supporters vied for a good look at the teams. As a reminder, this year’s edition included 7 sister teams, 18 colleague teams, 13 company teams (such as SNCF; Le bon coin; Europe Assistance; Transavia, official Rallye transporter, who entered 3 teams; Tsarine champagne and its team; CBA Informatique) and 16 different nationalities including, for the first time, China.
The 182 members of the organization were all at their posts to guide the ceremonial parade. Dominique Serra, the Rallye’s founder and director, commented: “They have been wonderful; they’re happy and proud of what they have accomplished.” That is plain for all to see: perched on the roofs of their vehicles, the heroines of the day had huge smiles on their faces as they waved enthusiastically at the crowd.
Team 115 (Laurence SERAFIN / Pascale NAVARRO - Vinci immobilier) led the way, followed by 130 (Laurence MICHELET / Isabelle BURRI - PHENE IMPORTATION SA), 161 (Laura PEDOTTI / Adeline MESNIL - Volkswagen Group France), 134 (Nadia LARBI / Isabelle ROUSSEAU), 160 (Delphine ROUX / Anna GOUROVITCH - Volkswagen Group France) fromVolkswagen, 191 (Christine CHEYREZY / Anne SARROT), 136 (Ophélie ROUX / Maëva MARTIN) and all the others, presented by Bruno Vandestick, the well-known voice of ‘24h du Mans’. Actress and Rallye fan Véronique Jeannot joined Team 168 (Pélagie PAGART / Laurence PICANO - OVELIA) on the roof of their 4×4: she didn’t want to miss that chance!
The rear of this lovely procession of ambition mixed with tenacity, generosity and excellence, was brought up by this year’s winner in 4×4 Class, Team 238 (Hélène GRAND'EURY / Charlotte ZUCCONI - VAL THORENS/VALTHOPARC), who have two previous podium finishes but never in first place. The parade culminated in a spectacular salute by Fantasia, a tribute to our host country of Morocco, always welcoming this event with great generosity and unflagging support. The Gazelles then headed for the marquee tent, site of the prize-giving ceremony and gala evening.
TV REPORT #13
LEG 6
OULAD DRISS-FOUM ZGUID
GENERAL RANKINGS AFTER LEG 6
4x4/Truck
Quad/SSV/Moto
Crossover/SUV
E-Gazelles
4x4/Truck
1ST PART. CHALLENGE
4x4/Truck
EXPERTS CHALLENGE
Quad/SSV/Moto
1ST PART. CHALLENGE
Crossover/SUV
1ST PART. CHALLENGE
E-Gazelles
1ST PART. CHALLENGE
Competition-wise: Final sprint: down to the wire
LEG #6, OULAD DRISS-FOUM ZGUID
4×4 Class turned upside-down
The favorites in 4×4 Class have fallen due to mechanical problems. During the first marathon, Team 246 (Carole MONTILLET / Sylvie GODEAU GELLIE - Vakkorama) were unable to perform with their usual precision. Accustomed to driving perfect straight lines, the vehicle’s reduced capabilities forced them to plot a few curves. But the great dune specialist turned in quite a performance, managing to gain on Team 153 (Fabienne GALIDIE / Tania LIO-MARTINEZ - MM-EVENTS Sàrl) by almost 5 km. The team of Carole Montillet and Sylvie Freche are capable of anything! Starting in 6th place after the first marathon, they managed to end the competition in the second spot.
Ditto for Team 202 (Jeanette JAMES / Emmanuelle TARQUINI DOS SANTOS - Bumper Off Road Jeep), who had been having trouble with their front suspension for the past two days. But unlike 246, the Chegaga dunes finished them off with a penalty of 2 km. But they took it well: “I did this Rallye in a different spirit. My teammate and I lived the Rallye we wanted to live. Despite her disease, she did some amazing things.” Emmanuelle suffers from occipital neuralgia, about which she wants raise awareness. She continued, “I am very honoured that Jeanette put her confidence in me. Whatever spot we end up in, we’ll be happy to have done it.”
As for 107 (Stéphanie PERUSSE / Anne-Marie BORG - Bleu Blanc Rouge communication), the leaders going into this final leg, they broke their axle on the first day of this marathon, and had no choice but to call mechanical assistance, which knocked them out of contention. That left the field wide open to some serious competition: Team 238 (Hélène GRAND'EURY / Charlotte ZUCCONI - VAL THORENS/VALTHOPARC) seized the chance to grab first place with a superb leg, boosted at the prospect of a podium finish. “We had time to really stick to our lines. We made up for the huge blunder we made in the first marathon that cost us 5 kilometres. We’re all within a few hundred metres today: it’s crazy when you think about it: this morning between 3X and 4X, we left with Carole Montillet but we didn’t follow the same line and then we compared our odometers and we had the same number of kilometres. It’s insane.” While 246 managed to beat 153 in the dunes, a stoked 238 widened its lead over the same 153 (Fabienne GALIDIE / Tania LIO-MARTINEZ - MM-EVENTS Sàrl) by daring to take a hard-to-find pass between checkpoints 8 and 9. This lost 153 and its excellent navigator Fabienne Galidie close to 2km: in this extremely close game, that is a big deal. “Today was very long and very hard. Our engine was acting up, we stalled countless times, we also got stuck a lot. In fact, I’d like to thank 146 who accompanied us through the dunes.” The driver, Tania, was so happy to reach checkpoint 5X yesterday evening that she did a donut in glee. Oops! A few extra metres, but it felt so good! “We didn’t think we’d get this far: we were aiming for the top 20. Honestly, we’re proud of ourselves because we really had a hard time,” continued Tania.
Tonight 238 emerged victorious, a team with two 2nd-place finishes to their name. In second position was Team 246, with 153 sitting in third. And as night fell over the bivouac, even the most hardened Gazelles had tears in their eyes. Fatigue, pressure release, joy and disappointment mingled on the finish line.
Baby Gazelles all grown up
Team 211 (Chloé PIRZKAL / Mireille VIDUEIRA), leaders in First Participation Class going into today’s marathon, were utterly devastated: after many exploits and just 104 penalty km at the end of Leg 5 (the best of the best were between 57 and 60 km), they ran out of time and missed the last two checkpoints after stopping to help other Gazelles in the dunes. However, their performance throughout the Rallye had been so strong that today’s setback only dropped them by one spot. They ended up in second place, switching with Team 139 (Léa GOULLIEUX / Laetitia BERTIN - EUROPCAR) who were delighted to grab the win from under their noses. Finally, Team 311 (Christelle PERRIN / Lucie FAGEDET) completed the podium by hanging onto their 3rd position.
Team 243 (Schanel Bakkouche / Pauline DUCRUET) were crying on the finish line, caught in an almost childlike joy: they were just baby Gazelles when they got here, but tonight they are true Gazelles: “We’re crying because we had so many great moments and troubles; the one makes up for the other. When we’re down we think of the checkpoints we found… The time passed too quickly! From CP to CP, we were more and more proud of ourselves. It showed us that when you’re not sure, you just have to go for it. And when you think you can, then you have to go all the way,” declared Pauline Ducruet and Schanel Bakkouche before returning their tracking devices and collecting their cell phones. After that they raised a glass of Tsarine champagne with the other Gazelles. Tonight is for celebrating!
No surprises in Quad Class
Betty Kraft and her teammate Sonia Baudouin-Guérard, Team 28 (Elisabeth (Betty) KRAFT / Sonia BAUDOIN-GUERARD - POLARIS FRANCE (quads) won this 28th edition with disconcerting ease and a lead over their nearest contenders that grew every day. For the quad and jet ski champion, this will be her 12th win out of 13 participations. It doesn’t get much better than that. « We’ve been working hard right from day 1, we did everything we could to be as precise as possible. That’s why I never get tired of this rally: it’s a brilliant game,” she commented on the finish line, giving Sonia a kiss on the cheek with a “Bravo Poulette!” They are followed by teams 27 (Prune SALTI / Elisa BOULAND - ESAF) and 26 (Amélie DELACHESNAIS / Emilie CAZAL).
312: emotion to spare
They were dumbstruck, tears in their eyes, at the finish line. Too many contradictory feelings and a hard time believing that it’s true: “We can’t wait to go sign our road sheet: that will prove that we did a good job,” exclaimed Laetitia of Team 312 (Laetitia GIRAUD / Sarah SOURBIER - FRUIT4FIT). Bravo! They came in ahead of Team 313 (Solen KERLEROUX / Carine POISSON - RUN FUN / MTECH), who also had a superb Rallye, achieving the goal they had set themselves at the wheel of their Zoé: to prove that electric vehicles have their place at major sports events!
e-Gazelles
Finally, in e-Gazelle Class, Team 504 (Kiera CHAPLIN / Jazmin GRIMALDI - Saint Honoré) experienced a long day of problem after problem: it was not their marathon yet they dug in their heels, refusing to call for mechanical assistance to get put of the sand and spending 5 hours on one single stretch of their route. Stuck, unstuck… They managed to finish in 3rd place, behind 502 (Mélanie MOR / Delphine MIQUEL - ENEDIS) and 503 (Natacha BORDRY / Clothilde HAMION - Crédit Suisse) who had a comfortable lead over their followers for a well-deserved win.
LEG #6
OULAD DRISS-FOUM ZGUID
On the finish line
GAZELLE QUOTES
That’s it, they’ve done it. The 28th edition of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc is over. There were hugs, tears and wide smiles on reaching the bivouac. The 330 participants can be proud of themselves: they have crossed the finish line! While waiting for the celebrations to begin, they collect their telephones, discuss their adventures in the bar tent, and prepare for the drive to Essaouira…
Here are a few reactions from the heat of the moment:
Stéphanie of Team 181 (Mathilde ANTOINE THANNER / Stéphanie MARSEAUT - Arnold Kontz Group): “I cried in the photo. I’m upset. I don’t want to go home. I just want to do it again. »
Mathilde of Team 181 (Mathilde ANTOINE THANNER / Stéphanie MARSEAUT - Arnold Kontz Group): “I’m proud of us. I swallowed my tears. There had to be one of us who wasn’t crying. It’s the end of an adventure, I’m really sad. It’s an emotional roller coaster.”
Sylvie of Team 111 (Catherine OSTERMANN / Sylvie ESPINASSON - Carbel Hydrocurage - Gravier TP): “I wish every woman in the world the chance to experience this.”
Catherine of Team 111 (Catherine OSTERMANN / Sylvie ESPINASSON - Carbel Hydrocurage - Gravier TP): “I feel like crying. It’s like the pressure is gone. We’re so happy, we’re feeling a lot of emotion right now.”
Anne-Marie of Team 107 (Stéphanie PERUSSE / Anne-Marie BORG - Bleu Blanc Rouge communication): “This edition doesn’t mean the same as in other years. But there are worse things in life.”
Stéphanie of Team 107 (Stéphanie PERUSSE / Anne-Marie BORG - Bleu Blanc Rouge communication): “When we broke down it was over.”
Béatrice of Team 125 (Dominique CREPIN. GUERIN / Beatrice Mennessier - SA WARLUZEL): “Finally! We did it and we finished.”
Dominique of Team 125 (Dominique CREPIN. GUERIN / Beatrice Mennessier - SA WARLUZEL): “It’s my fourth Rallye and I only just discovered that I know how to navigate. I can come back by myself. It’s great!”
Anne of Team 151 (Anne WITTORSKI / Marie CHAMPAGNON - Groupe JENOME): “I’m happy it’s over and at the same time, I want to do it again.”
Marie of Team 151 (Anne WITTORSKI / Marie CHAMPAGNON - Groupe JENOME): “I don’t know. I’m still feeling euphoric. It doesn’t seem real. We’re still at the bivouac.”
Amandine of Team 182 (Alexandrine ANDRE / Amandine VIROULAUD - Beam Suntory): “You go through the whole range of emotions.”
Vanessa of Team 173 (Vanessa PAILLET / Fanette CADOU - Indian Forest Vendée): “Disappointed. We should have stopped yesterday. No, more a feeling of unfinished business. I’ll come back for a return match.”
Christelle of Team 200 (Elise GRAVOUIL / Christelle MASSIAS): “It’s a mix of tears, laughter, sadness and joy.”
The mechanics workshop: pampering the third member of the team
Not far from the refuelling station lies a parallel world: the mechanics workshop of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc. This space, set up a short distance from the rest of the bivouac, is a sacred place for the Gazelles. They pay it a visit every day and are on a first-name basis with all the mechanics!
For three years, Rallye partner Kraftwerk has been supplying the tools for the mechanical assistance teams of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc. Their pliers, ratchets, portable LED lamps and socket wrenches are among the tools used during this 28th edition. Before this partnership came into being, each mechanic brought his own tools. Kraftwerk’s commitment provides precious help and a guarantee of quality equipment for the Rallye’s 50 mechanics who work tirelessly to repair the damaged vehicles every day.
A total of 47 volunteer mechanics look after the Gazelles’ vehicles, seven of whom spend the day out on the terrain to be on location in the event of a call for mechanical assistance. Five mechanics workshops operate through the night, including one specializing in SSVs and quad bikes. Their schedule is opposite to that of the rest of the Rallye. The mechanics sleep during the day while the Gazelle are out in the desert. And when the teams return at the end of the day, they have one hour and not a minute more to deliver their vehicles and mechanics sheets to the head mechanic. If they exceed the one-hour time limit, they are penalized one penalty kilometre per minute. The vehicle may require a simple checkup or more serious repairs. The mechanics often achieve “minor miracles” and manage to get disabled vehicles up and running again. Head mechanic Christian Viano is in charge of this parallel world. “We’re all passionate about 4x4s and rallies here,” he explains. In recognition of the mechanics’ skill and hard work, the Gazelles often leave them little messages and notes of thanks.
Adventure-wise: Ending on a high note with Chegaga
LEG #6, OULAD DRISS-FOUM ZGUID
This second marathon covered an ideal distance of 235 kilometres in an estimated time of 15.5 hours, with 11 checkpoints. Two marathon legs back to back… It was challenging, intense and long! These last two days brought heat, fatigue, skill and amazement.
The rankings should change
The region of Chegaga with its sand, its hills and its Oued Draa will be the last images of the Moroccan desert that the Gazelles will have. Faces were tense on the start line, and not just from fatigue. Some were starting to look to the end of the competition and a ranking that they would like to hold onto or improve. Team 187 (Jennifer KALKA / Jessica AUBERT - VULPES ZERDA) admitted it: “We’re super excited: We want to do our best, give it our all since it’s the end.” Team 176 (Françoise BRENCKMANN / Oriane BRENCKMANN - Leduc) was 57th in the general ranking at the start of this marathon: “It would be good to be in the top 60 but I don’t really like driving in the dunes, it’s long and slow.” There is no room for error. Will the Chegaga dunes be more vicious than Merzouga?
Concentration required
The day begins with countless small dunes, and the Gazelles knew that those could be the trickiest. Team 182 (Alexandrine ANDRE / Amandine VIROULAUD - Beam Suntory) admitted it: “We need to stay focused despite being exhausted. We’re a bit worried; the maps are different than usual. There are a lot more features. Maybe it’s to help us find our bearings.” They didn’t want to go looking for trouble and were playing it safe. “But that doesn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves.” Team 231 (Perrine THERY / Astrid WILLAERT - PLB Energie Conseil) remained prudent: “We’ll go progressively. We alternate between driving and navigating so when we change, we start from zero. But we’re here to learn.”
When fatigue gets the upper hand
Regularity would be key during these final hours of competition. Important not to let down one’s guard at the risk of losing the advantages of everything that had accomplished up to that point. For Team 158 (Gazelle Gazelle / Chloé JARAS - ASSYSTEM France), this marathon did not get off to a good start: on reaching the second CP, they found it was the wrong one. They got lost in the small dunes. “This is the first time we’ve gone too far. We’re tired and these little mistakes got our spirits down but we’re starting to perk up.” On the map, the feature looked like mountains. The experts tackled them head-on, while the novices went around them. “You need to listen to yourself. This rally is really exhausting morally and physically. Everything is multiplied here: emotions, fatigue, it’s incredible.” Team 142 (Amélie CRIMETZ ZORDAN / Stephanie MARTINEU - AATHEX) were also exhausted. “We’re not going to do Route X. We don’t want to put ourselves in danger.” They were worried about what is still to come…
The vehicles are tired too
The drivers are tired, the navigators are tires, and so are the vehicles. Team 144 (Laurene VOILLEQUIN / Laure AVELINE - Adhome Services) was experiencing that first-hand: “Two days ago, we hadn’t used our sand ladders, straps, or shovel, even though it’s our first time and we’d never done any navigation in Morocco. Then today we busted a tire. At least we know how to change it, but we want it to be over. We’re hoping to end on a high note.” It was hard to control where the tires went; they went where they could. With small dunes just two metres high, there was nothing to navigate from. Virtually impossible to stick to a heading. The Gazelles forgot distance and thought about time. On Route B, Team 111 (Catherine OSTERMANN / Sylvie ESPINASSON - Carbel Hydrocurage - Gravier TP) was heading for CP5: “We had a hard time finding CP3. We had difficulty in the dunes. You need to tackle them differently than the other ones. We got pretty stuck at one point…”
More dunes
The veiled sky worked to the Gazelles’ advantage, but the rising wind had them worried. The leaders attacked the dunes at the end of the day. The Chegaga dunes are less high, rounder, closer together, but not necessarily easier. They may be less impressive than Merzouga but they’re no less dangerous. The sand was sometimes firm, sometimes soft. Luckily the Gazelles crossed paths with other teams. From CP4 to a few kilometres after CP 5, they were allowed to follow each other. Team 220 (Delphine Bichoffe / Christine Hunka - BFGoodrich) got stuck and reconsidered their goals: “We mustn’t aim too high. We were optimistic, we thought we would sleep at CP6, but we’ll aim for CP4.” The navigator of Team 114 (Sonia BARDEN / Delphine VANMALDER - Team Asset Managment) was crying on reaching CP5 on Route X, due to fatigue and difficult navigation without landmarks. The Gazelles would spend one last night in the sand, alone.
Final hours!
Second day of the marathon and final day of competition. The sandman must have passed this way. Whichever route they chose, all Gazelles crossed the Erg with some amount of difficulty. The vehicle of Team 153 (Fabienne GALIDIE / Tania LIO-MARTINEZ - MM-EVENTS Sàrl) kept sinking into the sand, forcing them to stop at every third dune. At the top of a dune, the two Rallye veterans of Team 246 (Carole MONTILLET / Sylvie GODEAU GELLIE - Vakkorama) didn’t expect to be on the podium this year. The Gazelles found the dunes tough this morning, but the sand was still cool. Team 22 (Tracy MORANDIN / Valérie ROCHE - MORANDIN Yves) was in a festive mood: Valérie was celebrating her 34th birthday today.
They did it!
At checkpoint 7 of the more challenging Route X, Team 138 (Mélissa BERT / Aurélia PAPET) arrived in tears. Team 131 (Sandrine LANG / Susanne RIEL - EST ENTRETIEN ETANCHEITE) fought to reach the flag: “We got a flat tire and changed it on top of a dune, not the easiest thing to do.” Team 23 (Valerie WANNEZ / Emmanuelle GIRAUD BUSSAT - EBV FRANCE) reached CP8 at 12:20: too late, the CP closed at noon. After the dunes, time to cross Lake Iriqui, about 10 kilometres across a smooth surface with no landmarks. The mountain up ahead appeared to rise up out of an infinite lake. The heat and fatigue made it hard to progress. Important to keep a clear head. M’daouer, a large tajine-shaped mountain, soared above the last Gazelles at the end of the day. Team 206 (Jennifer Royer / Elodie Campoy - MERCI à notre Famille) was relaxed at the checkpoint before last: just one more CP before the bivouac. “We’re wondering if we’ve gotten better or if it’s easier.” The checkpoint official teases the Gazelles of Team 237 (Marie-laure PONDEVY / Nathalie CASANOVA - FEC FRANCE), telling them that they’re at the wrong checkpoint. On hearing the good news, they danced for joy! Tonight the Gazelles will celebrate their exploits with a Star Wars themed evening and fireworks. One last night at the bivouac before the long road to Essaouira…
Final day for Cœur de Gazelles
Day 8, Zaouia
Children and Cœur de Gazelles
The final day of the 2018 caravan is already here… One last village, a last set of smiles and the Cœur de Gazelles team will have completed its mission… a mission in which children have a special place. The caravan includes a paediatrics unit alongside the General Medicine unit.
Aziz and Abdelkhalek, the team’s two Moroccan paediatric surgeons, examine the children who come to see the doctors. It is even more difficult to win the trust of a child than an adult, especially when they are very young. The further the caravan ventures into the remote corners of Morocco, the less socialized the children are. They are not used to seeing doctors and are highly distrustful.
Fortunately, the paediatricians’ training and know-how, with the help of the parents, can do miracles. The work done with these young people is extremely important, even more so than with the adults. It is easier to teach them about good eating and hygiene habits, which will help them become informed adults. Abdel has even learned to speak Berber to facilitate communication with his patients.
Year-round follow-up
Patient follow-up is especially important for children, perhaps even more so than for adults, because the earlier they receive care, the better the chances of successfully eradicating their health problems.
Naïma, aged 8, comes to consult the doctors because she has a chronic limp. She has trouble using her legs properly, resulting in difficulty walking. Noura, who is in charge of patient follow-up, decides to give Naïma a pair of crutches to allow her to get around by herself and books her an appointment with a neurologist. The goal is to determine the causes of her handicap, in order to provide appropriate treatment and perhaps a permanent cure.
Another patient, an adult this time, is also transferred by the doctors today. An ultrasound reveals a large stone in her gall bladder. Having never received medical care, she is in a fragile state of health. An ambulance is quickly called for an immediate transfer. The patient is sent to the closest hospital, where she will have surgery as soon as possible.
Cœur de Gazelles will continue to follow these patients even after the end of the medical caravan, because we have a year-round commitment to the local populations.
SPOTLIGHT: the administrative unit
In addition to providing medical care, the Cœur de Gazelles caravan performs the important task of collecting and processing data on the care and treatments provided, making it possible to generate precise statistics on the volunteers’ activities.
Thanks to Sylvie, Caroline and Sandra, after the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, the association will be able to determine how many patients visited the caravan along with their ages and their symptoms. This information is extremely important as it is used to analyse the need for medical supplies in the field. For example, the pharmacists use it in planning their inventory for the following year, to help ensure that they have enough—but not too much—of each medication, to avoid waste. Similarly, the optical unit uses this information to build an appropriate inventory of the glasses it will need.
This year brought something new to the administration office. Our partner, CBA Informatique Libérale, accompanied the caravan in the field to analyse the way we operate. The goal is to come up with a software solution that will facilitate the day-to-day job of the volunteers and improve data collection and exploitation.
To that end, Hélène, Guillaume and Benjamin worked for 10 days alongside the caravan’s team. We would like to thank them for their work and for the investment and dedication they showed throughout the caravan.
PHOTOS
Rallying to raise awareness of malignant glaucoma
Team 224
Two and a half years ago, Sandrine, of Team 224 (Karine ESPERANDIEU / Sandrine JOUANNET - RÉCUPÉRATION ALÉSIENNE FERS ET MÉTAUX) discovered that she has a genetic disease: malignant glaucoma. She decided to take part in this 28th edition of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles to raise awareness of the disease, which is a deterioration of the optic nerve. She asked her friend Karina to compete with her and represent France Glaucome – La vue pour la vie, an association of which she is a member. They both belong to a motorbike club. Karina had already driven a buggy and a motorbike in the Merzouga dunes, but not a 4×4. “When she asked me to do it with her, I told her, you’re crazy, you don’t know what you’re in for! When I have a challenge before me, I invest in it 100%.” Sandrine had never been to Morocco and had never done a rally. “We also did this rally for the humanitarian side, the sharing and solidarity.”
“It is a terrible and irreversible disease.” Her interocular pressure is very high: 55 rather than the average pressure of 10 and 12. Too much pressure can cause the optic nerve to rupture, leading to blindness. “I will take medication all my life to control the pressure. I have had eleven surgeries at specialized centres and at Hôpital des Quinze-Vingts in Paris. It’s very hard psychologically. I could lose my vision from one day to the next.” The disease is little known, although it is becoming increasingly common. “The sooner it is diagnosed, the better the treatment. It’s a disease that you can’t see coming, it has few symptoms.”
Sandrine chose to navigate, a role that requires visual concentration. Looking at maps and distant landscapes all day long tired her eyes, which was made worse by the fact that one of her eyes is myopic and the other is hypermetropic. She has to pace herself, and her brain works twice as hard. The Sankas, as they call themselves, proudly took part in the Cœur de Gazelles donations drive by collecting glasses and distributing pamphlets about glaucoma.
