Competition briefing: Leg 1 “a little harder” than yesterday

Pens and navigation plotters are out at this morning’s breakfast as the Gazelles studiously prepare their maps. After being woken up at 5 a.m. by Dominique Serra, creator and director of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc, the teams gather in the dining tent at 6 a.m. for a competition briefing. Ludo, sport director of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc, discusses certain aspects of yesterday’s Prologue and provides important details about today’s leg.

“It will be a little harder than yesterday”, he mentions before reminding the Gazelles that “as of today, you can’t follow each other”. And the organization won’t be helping anyone to get back to the bivouac. Teams will need to be autonomous, and must be prepared to get back on their own or sleep out in the desert if necessary.

Today the teams will have to watch out for cropland close to Oued Nejjak, shown on the maps by cross-hatching. Leg 1 has seven checkpoints over a distance of 120 kilometres. One of these is set up near the village hosting the Coeur de Gazelles medical caravan. Teams will be able to visit and see the caravan’s team of volunteers in action.