LONDON, 23 Feb. - (ANA) - The 25th edition of the Rally Aicha des Gazelles will take place this year from 21 March to 2 April.
This year a record 185 teams, 370 women will participate in the biggest women only off-road rally in the world taking place for eight days in the Moroccan desert between Erfoud and Foumz'Guid. As usual, the "Gazelles" as the participants are known, will use traditional navigation techniques without GPS. They will use a compass to follow the route that they themselves will have planned on topographical maps. They will shore themselves with the values dear to the rally: audacity, courage, sharing, perseverance, determination, solidarity.
The official start for most teams will be in Nice on 21 March 2015. The gazelles will then drive on to Sete to catch the ferry boat to the port of Nador, in Northern Mrocco. From then on, they will drive to Rabat where the Moroccan official departure (including the Moroccan, Canadian and American teams) will take place on 23 March. The start of the competition proper will be on 26 March from the town of Erfoud and will finish on 2 April in Foumz'Guid. 2 days later, all the teams will be in the Moroccan coastal city of Essaouira to celebrate yet another successful rally.
This year and for the third time will see the participation of the Anglo/Franco/Moroccan team of the Smily Gazelles ( Benedicte Clarkson and Jamila Aitakka - pictured, team 219). They will again be driving their trusted Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ80 rented from Baroud Terre du Sud in Marrakech and their charity of choice will again be the British Moroccan Society (www.britishmoroccansociety.org)
For the first time there will be a British Team ( team 159) made of Danielle James and Anneliese Dayes who have bought a Land Rover Freelander for the occasion.
The Rally Aicha des Gazelles is fully subscribed and remains the world’s biggest women only off road rally. Created over two decades ago, the rally is going stronger every year with participants from all over the world. This is a responsible rally as it won the ISO 14001 certification because carbon dioxide emissions are kept to a minimum and the event respects the local population and the local environment.
Part of the profits of the rallye is redistributed through a charitable foundation called “heart of Gazelles”. - (ANA)
AB/ANA/23 February 2015 - - -