Just a little less than two months from the start of the AFRICA ECO RACE 2016 edition, which will be held in Monaco on December 26th and 27th, and registrations are still arriving. René METGE and his team just returned from final recce and they are now preparing the road books, a press conference is in preparation, the organization list is finalized, etc... Breifly, the excitement within the organization team is ramping up until the D-Day, in order to continue to honor Thierry SABINE’s disappearance on January 14th 1986, nearly 30 years ago.
A dozen of nationalities represented
On two wheels, the 2015 record is already exceeded. Among the bikers which will start from Monaco, Pal Anders ULLEVALSETER, the defending champion, will be the favorite in the motorcycle category. Top bikers will do there best to prevent him of winning a second time. Among them, Alessandro RUOSO, the 2013 and 2014 BAJA World Champion. The Italian will find someone to talk to with his compatriot Stefano PELLONI. The eternal Norbert DUBOIS will forsake his big KTM 690 and switch to a lighter 450, which will be way more manageable in the dunes. Three women will also be at the start with the Russia’s Anastasiya NIFONTOVA, already present in 2015, Christine STEINKRAUSS from Germany and Kazakhstan’s Yevgeniya NESTEROVA.
David FRETIGNE, who will be present again, racing in the OPEN class and riding his 1200 Yamaha Super Ténéré.
The Enduro World Champion will be followed by Jean Marc TRIVIDIC who’s already excited about being part of this great adventure on the same motorcycle : "I discovered the 2015 edition of AFRICA ECO RACE through Facebook, by following the adventures of David FRETIGNE, with who I did a riding course in Andalusia back in 2014. I thought to myself: Why not me? So I decided to offer this challenge to myself for my 40th birthday and see the Lac Rose with my Yamaha Super Tenere. I’m preparing thoroughly and physically ! I also did a riding course in the sand with a big Trail at David’s place. I'm really looking forward to be in Monaco! "
But what is even more striking in the bike category, is the dozen of nationalities which are represented on ten different brands.
A high-end car category
In the Car category, Jean Antoine SABATIER is the defending champion, and will have much to do as the pack has never been as high and competitive on the Africa Eco Race. However, the French-Moroccan is not impressed and he is working hard to try and win the 2016 edition:
Jean Antoine SABATIER"Our Bugga'One proved its competitiveness and reliability in 2015. Obviously after exiting Morocco, very few people had gambled on my chances of winning. But the AFRICA ECO RACE is a long and difficult race where local knowledge and experience can make the difference. Therefore, my approach for this 8th edition is to race without any pressure. I would especially like to find a crew to race on our second Bugga'One, which is still available for rent at a very good rate. Indeed, I think that two is always stronger, especially against the competition which, from what we know, will be tough this year. " .
Jean Antoine SABATIER’s predicitions are to be considered as a strong battle should occur between the four-wheel drive and the buggies. In the four wheel drive category, we will have to keep an eye on Anton GRIGOROV’s OSCAR V8, the Kazakh HUMMER driven by Yuriy SAZONOV and Yerden SHAGIROV who continue to improve, but also on the TOYOTA Overdrive of the experienced Kanat SHAGIROV.
Talking about experience, Buggies will not be disappointed with the return on a great African rally of Dominique HOUSIEAUX, Pascal THOMASSE and especially Jean Pierre STRUGO who is a legend in the production vehicles category, registered with his mates in the MD Rallye Sport Team.
Drivers which are excited to be back in Africa, as explained Jean Pierre STRUGO: "Several elements made me decide to participate in the AFRICA ECO RACE. I first of all want to come back to Africa, on a race with an excellent reputation. After that, with the presence of the whole MD Rallye Sport Team, I could obviously not let the guys go have fun without me. Finally, the fact of finding a real atmosphere of Cross Country Rally and especially to see my old friends in the discipline starting with René METGE and Jean Louis SCHLESSER."
His enthusiasm is shared by Pascal THOMASSE, 2009 winner of the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies in the two-wheel drive category in front of Jean Louis SCHLESSER: "I think the AFRICA ECO RACE will be my last big race as I started playing Golf and I will fully devote myself to this sport in the future. The loop will then be looped. Indeed, I started on Cross Country Rallies on the Dakar in 1983, even though I still was competing in road rally since I won the Championship of France in 1986. I have already started preparing physically because I know that the AFRICA ECO RACE is very tough. But with the OPTIMUS V8, which is a fabulous toy, I clearly have in mind to put my name in the history of the event. "
Faced with these experienced men, other Buggies in thr mix will be Yves FROMONT and Patrick MARTIN with their two TAREK buggies or Philppe PORCHERON. They will have the advantage of knowing the field quite well as they have been faithful competitors in the AFRICA ECO RACE for a while. Mathieu SERRADORI will also be part of the battle. He shone in 2015 and will return at the wheel of a brand new Buggy which he will use for the very first time.
Trucks: The desert mastodons
They provide a non-stop show, flying over the difficulties and swallowing the kilometers with ease, a woman regularly shows up in the race. Portugal’s Elisabete JACINTO will be back this year, driving her MAN. She will try to muscle in the battle between the two KAMAZ trucks of Anton SHIBALOV and Sergey KUPRIANOV, but also Tomas Tomecek’s TATRA, which is the three time winner of the event and the SCANIA of Miklos KOVACS, both faithful to the AFRICA ECO RACE:
"I just returned from a rehearsal in Morocco and it was rather complicated due to bad technical choices. I must say that our truck is mostly effective on long courses such as the AFRICA ECO RACE that on five days sprint races. Personally I also prefer open spaces and long stages where the physical qualities of the crew and the reliability of the truck are highlighted.The AFRICA ECO RACE is unquestionably the best rally because it is organized by specialists who do not hesitate to share with participants. The route is always well balanced and the atmosphere is incomparable. I'm sure we'll have a wonderful time in Africa once again. "
A Course with more sand
Two weeks after their return from Africa, René METGE and Manfred KROISS are currently putting the 2016 route on paper as they finalize the road books, of which the precision is one of the hallmarks of the AFRICA ECO RACE. After more than 40 years traveling on the African tracks, René METGE still manages to find interesting tracks: "I think we have once again succeeded in achieving a beautiful course. Especially, for 2016, we will certainly have one of the most pleasant editions in terms of driving. Indeed, we have sought to put more sand under the wheels of the competitors. As a result, Morocco will be less rocky and Mauritania will still be as fun and will have a stage with sand only. But don’t misunderstand that it will be an easy race, far from that. Navigation will play a major part as usual, and in order to go the end of the race, competitors will have to avoid the pitfalls which are always present in Africa. Anyway, I hope that the participants will take as much pleasure as we were able to take at the wheel with Jose Maria SERVIA during the recos."
From Monaco to Dakar
The start will take place in Monaco on 26 and 27 December 2015 for two days dedicated to the African Rally.
The first time of a kind for the Monaco “Rocher”, more accustomed to have low vehicles such as Formula One’s and WRC’s rather than high offroad vehicles. Due to the number of participants and the obligation to take a boat to go to Spain, the administrative and technical checks will take place from Saturday, December 26th at 14:00 and will end Sunday, December 27th around 16:00, all within the comfortable facilities of the Monte Carlo Country Club which hosts the prestigious Monte Carlo Tennis Masters.
Competitors will have two days to enjoy the beauty and the luxury of the Monegasque city. After the traditional opening briefing which will be held at Stars’n'Bars, Monaco's famous bar-restaurant whose theme is dedicated to sports, motorcycle, car and truck competitors will exit the “parc fermé” installed on Quai Antoine 1er to start their transfer towards Spain and will take part to the official departure ceremony at 17:00. This will be the opportunity to present all the competitors and their vehicles before starting the challenge long of 6000 km on African tracks separating Nador in Morocco from Lac Rose in Dakar.
MONACOThe parc fermé and the official start will be on the Monaco's harbor
All the info is on the website: www.africarace.com
