The UAE Desert Challenge
The gruelling annual UAE Desert Challenge is a FIA World Cross
Country Rally for cars, bikes, quads and trucks. It attracts
entrants from the top works teams as well as some of the aspiring
local drivers and riders. It is held over a five day period in the
sands of the Empty Quarter close to Liwa.
This year’s event was won by Stéphane Peterhansel in a Pajero
and also saw Carlos Sainz win the world championship. The bike
section was won by Marc Coma from Spain on a KTM.
We were also very pleased to see four Land Rover Defenders
taking part, although these were a bit more powerful than our very
own.
We were part of the marshalling team helping out with the
running of the event. It was great fun and a bit scary wondering
whether or not the giant Kamaz trucks would be able to stop safely
for you to stamp their passage cards. We had enough spare time to
be able to place a cache on each of the five stages that we were
helping out on. If you are wondering why there is no Special Stage
5 it’s because we did not help out on that one!
Special Stage Four
Our passage control was on the gatch track here. The cars, bikes
and trucks raced out of the sand, stopped for their stamp and then
hurtled off down the gatch track which is also used by the
occasional private truck or car.
The cache is hidden on the south side of large rock 200meters
off the gatch track in soft sand. You may be able to follow the
track down to this without having to deflate.