Africa Eco Race 2015

The emphasis will be placed on the individual daily conscientiousness concerning eco-responsibility.

A number of organisation vehicles for example are equipped with solar panels in order to use the solar energy for realizing their mission without using a classic generator. (chrono on arrival, online rankings or supplying electricity for vehicle circuits).

Both the entrants and the organisation will take care to leave no harmful traces of their passage through the countries.

The organisation is setting a good exampleby providing allcompetitors with a reuseable cutlery set for the whole rally.

The Africa Eco Race® will maintain this commitment inyears to come. The aim will be to supply many others schools, hospitals and libraries in order to encourage the long-term development of this country and its population.

Gilles Gard and Daniel Mouchon (#223) made itto the finish! Well done!

"The last day went really well. First there was the liaison of 230 km to get to the 24km special, and then a final liaison of 40 km that took them to Dakar. The podium was fantastic set in scenery even more magnificent than everythingthey had seen along the route. This evening the competition makes place for a meal and celebrations. Gilles is pleased to have finished the race with him and his co-driver both well and they are delighted with their trophy." (Team Gard)

Auto & Truck category

1- #201 SABATIER Jean Antoine - ROJAT Jean-Luc - BUGGA ONE

2 - #401 SHIBALOV Anton - AMATYCH Robert - KHISAMIEV Almaz - KAMAZ

3 - #404 KUPRIANOV Sergey - KUPRIANOV Alexander - TANIN Anatoly - KAMAZ

4 - #215 SHAGIROV Kanat - MOROZ Alexandr - TOYOTA Hilux

5 - #216 SAZONOV Yuriy - SAKHIMOV Arslan - H3 Evo5

6 - #400 TOMECEK Tomas - LALA Ladislav - TATRA

7 - #212 GRIGOROV Anton - SAUKANS Maris - Oscar 03

8 - #207 MARTIN Patrick - METZ Jean - VOLKSWAGEN Tarek Tdi

9 - #220 MAURY Thierry - HANS Olivier - NISSAN

10 - #230 MOLGO Pawel - GÓRECKI Ernest - TOYOTA Vdj200

11 - #403 JACINTO Elisabete - TEIXEIRA MARQUES Jose - COCHINHO Marco - MAN

12 - #218 CHEREDNIKOV Andrey - TSYRO Dmytro - H3 Evo

13 - #217 ABYKAYEV Marat - CHIPENKO Andrei - NISSAN Patrol

14 - #408 DOMOWNIK Piotr - JANDROWICZ Janusz - UNGURIAN Michal - UNIMOG

15 - #228 JUCHAULT Jean Louis - THIOLAT Philippe - TOYOTA Kdj120

16 - #210 PORCHERON Philippe - RIVET Cedric - BUGGY Peugeot

17 - #225 CONTOZ Guy - NORMAND COURIVAUD Jean-Pierre - MITSUBISHI Pajero

18 - #208 PETRUS Gintas - RIMSA Rimvydas - RALLYRAID UK Desert War

19 - #233 VIDAL Luc - VIDAL Marlene - TOYOTA Hdj100

20 - #224 BRUN Jack - LARROQUE Charles Henri - BOWLER Wildcat

21 - #234 AIVAZIAN Marc - FOCKENIER Francois - TOYOTA Kdj120

22 - #402 KOVACS Miklos - CZEGLEDI Peter - ACS Laszlo - SCANIA V8

23 - #236 HAY Laurent - FILLAUDEAU Vincent - TOYOTA Kdj120

24 - #288 CUCURACHI Ennio -  PREDATOR 

25 - #232 ZIEGLER Michael - OAKELEY Ronald Patrick - Toyota Prado

26 - #223 GARD Gilles - MOUCHARD Daniel - MITSUBISHI Pajero

27 - #231 TOUZERY Bernard - DUPIECH Michel - SMG Buggy 2x4

Stage 1

René METGE said: "The warm up stage close to Nador is designed to allow competitors to complete the liaison to the south of Morocco in the day, despite this it’s going to be difficult and full of surprises" The sports director couldn’thave been clearer when he said that as the motor bikes just like the cars have already run into difficulty.

Stage 2

After a warm-up day particularly lively, the 2015 Africa Eco Race competitors went straight in at the deep end for the second special of 377kms from Merzouga to Mahmid. The stage was appreciated by everyone and enabled Pal Anders ULLEVALSETER to confirm his superiority in the motor bike category and for the impressive Mathieu SERRADORI to obtain the first special stage victory in a car. Elisabete JACINTO dominated the truck category.

Stage 4

It was a glorious sunny day in Morocco for the second to last stage of the 2015 Africa Eco Race. The stage involved long descents towards the south. The obstacles along the way were not insurmountable. The difficulty lay elsewhere in the number of waypoints which had been halved to make the navigation more interesting and selective. Competitors were well prepared for the navigational difficulties on this technical course between Assa and Oued Aarraid and the favourites have widened the gap between them and the other participants.

Stage 5

Even though the 5th special of the Africa Eco Race had been reduced by 20 kilometres due to the presence of water in an otherwise dry wadi, the race still offered a number of surprises. Particularly in the three motorbike categories with three new faces leading the race including RobertTheuretzbacher. In the car category there was Anton Grigorov and for the trucks Sergey Kiprianov. The rest day tomorrow has been well earned!

Source: africarace.com

Stage 6

A comfortable bivouac was set up on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in the outskirts of Dakhla. Sunday was rest day for the Africa Eco Race and the spring weather meant that the competitors could rest and recharge their batteries before facing the daunting Mauritanian stages.

Stage 7

On Tuesday, the 4x4 gods looking down on the Africa Eco 2015 race decided to be clementwith theweather. Last night at the briefing the conditions were uncertain but this morning the sun rose to reveal a good day. The 433km special between Chami and Amsaga went ahead normally with just an hour delay, the time it took for the helicopters to arrive in Nouadibou. As expected and announced by René Metge, the first stage in Mauritania was more selective and a number of competitors arrived back late at the bivouac.

Stage 8

Despite a difficult day for many yesterday, only three vehicles didn’t make it to the bivouac in Azougui this morning. However, eleven of the cars arrived too late to take part in the next stage, a loop around Azougui. Instead they spent the day at the camp repairing their vehicles and resting to be ready to resume the race tomorrow.

Stage 9

The sun is shining again in Mauritania and the temperatures are more in keeping with the season and the region. The change has given everyone taking part in the 2015 Africa Eco Race a boost of energy just in time to attack the final stages of the race.

There was a dramatic turn of events in the car category. Jean Antoine SABATIER had finished the stage with a ten minute lead and was telling the press that Mathieu Serradori had been delayed by a puncture but was actually in sight just behind him, when suddenly the PREDATOR No. 211 came to a standstill 500m from the time control. Didier HAQUETTE and Mathieu SERRADORI pushed the car across the line. Unfortunately this was for nothing as the blue buggy refused to start, the engine was blocked. This was a disaster for the French team who up until then had ran a faultless race and were first in the overall ranking. It was a huge disappoint for them to be out of the race.

Source: africarace.com

Stage 10

During the briefing, René METGE insisted on the importance of navigation to avoid wasting too much time. He advised competitors to fix a point on the horizon and stick to it. The 10th special was particularly difficult this morning as there was a strong wind blowing sand across the course between Akjoujt and Akreidil, bringing the visibility down to almost zero. Adding to the navigational problems was a line of dunes between CP1 and the CP2. Despite the Mauritanian stage being challenging there are no changes in the overall rankings and the leaders hold their positions.

Stage 11

As in 2014, the final timed section of the Africa Eco Race was twenty kilometres from Nouakchott much to the pleasure of the vast majority of competitors. The special was designed by René Metge and his team to give a maximum pleasure to finishers of the Africa Eco Race.

Stage 12 (The finish)

After 6837 km including 3430 km of timed sections, the 7th edition of the Africa Eco Race 2015 ended in style on Sunday the 11th of January at Lake Rose in Dakar. The final stage, a 22km specia, was won by Pal Anders Ullevalseter on his motorbike, Patrick MARTIN in the car category and Tomas TOMECEK for the trucks. Congratulations to everyone!

December 28th 2014 from Saint Cyprien (France - 66)

This year a new stage in Mauritania!

12 stages across Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal.

• Sunday 28th December 2014: Administrative and technical checks. Boat boarding Motril (Spain)/Nador (Morocco)
• Monday 30th December 2014: Arrival and 1st stage.
• Sunday 4th January 2015: Rest day –12 stages across Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal.
• Sunday 11th January 2015: Arrival at Lake Rose- Senegal and prize giving.
• Monday 12th January 2015: Boat boarding Dakar/Europe

(source :africarace.com)

Find here the whole  2014's edition!