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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 October 1999 Issue No. 451 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 October 1999 Issue No. 451
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Roaring across the desert
By Walid TawfikAfter nine days and 2,500 gruelling kilometres, silence once again returned to the Western Desert, but not before 500 competitors in cars and on bikes completed the Second Egyptian International Rally. After the long trek from Cairo to Baharia Oasis, then on to Siwa, Dakhla and Farafra, Belgians G Marcy and J P Cottret, representing Toyota's French team with their Landcruiser, were the big winners, taking first place in the car event, finishing the route in 24 hours, 43 minutes and 10 seconds.
Sixteen countries participated in the event that saw 150 cars, 100 motorbikes and 50 lorries, not to mention 70 rescue vehicles. Japan is the only country participating for the first time. The rally was organised by motor racing great Jackie Ickx and Ramy Siag.
Teams were divided into groups representing famed racing teams, including Nissan from France and Italy and Toyota from France and Portugal. KTM and BMW took part in the motorbike event.
At a press conference following the rally, one of three Egyptian participants, Azzam El-Farouki, who finished in 13th place in 34 hours, 57 minutes and 22 seconds, claimed that landrover No 224, driven by Pilot O Coune with co-pilot F Schwennicke from Belgium, had blocked his way, preventing him from passing. "If he [Coune] had raced fairly, I would have come 10th which would have been a big achievement for an Egyptian," said El-Farouki. He said that crossing his way while driving at 140km/hr was "something very dangerous", adding that punishment should be meted out. The organising committee said it will consider the request.
A lone motorcyclist adds to the criss-cross over the shimmering sand
photo:Khaled El-Fiqi
Meanwhile, Amr Shanan, also from Egypt, came 18th. A third Egyptian participated in the bike event but did not complete the race, withdrawing at the fifth stage. Meoni Fabrizio of Italy came first in the bikes with his KTM LC4 in 22 hours, 35 minutes and 10 seconds.
The rally's stages were originally eight, but were increased to nine, one stage more than last year's tournament. The third stage was cancelled, a decision agreed upon by all entrants, after Germany's Peer Bartels suffered fractures when his car overturned. Bartels, who had earlier been found by a search party after losing his way, was rushed to a hospital in Cairo.
The crews left Cairo on 2 October for the race into the Egyptian desert into specially designed stages. The medium length of the special trials was between 300 and 400 kilometres. The first stage, at the Cairo-Baharia Oasis, was situated near hot springs where the water stood at 36 centigrade. Negotiating at the Baharia Oasis-Siwa circular turn was tricky, for failing to follow the road map could end up in a driver going around in circles for hours without ever finding the right track. The confusion is due to the flat landscape suddenly turning into huge sand pinnacles.
The fourth stage was Siwa-Ein Dalla, then on to Ein Dalla-Mutt where the crews met the first large dunes which run through the entire country from north to south. For more than 900 kilometres, the route is dark and wide open. Then the return, from Mutt-Ein Dalla, followed by Ein Dalla-Baharia Oasis and finally Baharia Oasis-Cairo.
Several drivers had complained of a lack of competition in the annual Rally of the Pharaohs but most would agree that this year's event was more compelling. In fact, so successful was the international rally that Egypt will be organising the last four stages of the most famous rally of them all, the Paris-Dakar, to mark the third millennium. The rally, to be staged from 20 to 23 January 2000, will end at the foot of the Pyramids.
