Cristina Gutierrez, Sara Price, and Aliyyah Koloc have produced outstanding results in Dakar Rally 48H Chrono Stage 6a and b, with all women enduring the most grueling leg of the race through sheer tenacity of conviction that their abilities behind the wheel would compliment the highest calibre of Rally-Raid driver’s in the world.
In the Challenger category, Cristina Gutierrez along with co-driver Pablo Moreno Huete excelled in tackling the monster sand dunes of Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter, covering 428kms to reach bivouac D, within time allowed. Such impressive headway in Stage 6A, allowed for less race-time the following morning, completing 119kms to stand 3rd on the podium of Stage 6 rankings.
In Challenger General standings, the Spanish duo are 3rd, with fellow Red Bull Off Road Junior driver 24 minutes ahead – making the remaining Stages 7 – 12 a doozer to watch, wait, and see what happens next.
In SSV category, Sara Price with co-driver Jeremy Gray have shown exactly what can happen when given the opportunity to line-up, race, and produce first-class results in the Dakar Rally. Having never tackled the mammoth sand dunes of Saudi’s Rub’ al Khali southern eastern region, nor embraced the experiences of racing with no assistance for 48Hours, Sara rose to new heights completing Special Stages 6a and b in 4th position.
Not one to shy away from pushing beyond what is possible, the American duo rank 2nd in SSV General standings, paying homage to their Team of personal, crew, and Can-Am Maverick TRS Turbo, vehicle.
In T1+ category, Aliyyah Koloc has produced unprecedented performances as the first female to compete in the premier car classification. Stating that although she feels more confident racing in the desert dunes – arriving at Stage A bivouac and settling in for the night, camped in the desert along-side her mentor’s of Rally-Raid, was a pretty surreal experience for the 19 year old driver.
Ranked 23rd in General classification after Stage 6, accompanied with all-that-extra-knowledge of completing the first half of Dakar, Aliyyah, and Team are poised to face the remaining Stages 7 – 12 with all capabilities to cross the final finish line at Yanbu on January 19.
For certain, 48H Chrono was extreme test of endurance for all competitors, with number’s falling by the way-side in Bike and Car categories – 15 withdrawals to be precise in Stage 6 – which makes for congratulations to all women who are still in the race.
The miraculous fortitude of Jane Daniels and Yael Kadshai in Bike category, exceed all expectations of matching their male counterparts finishing Stage 6 Specials in 38th and 59th place, in Rally 2 category. Equally, Spanish driver Laia Sanz and co-driver Maurizo Gerini completed 48H Chrono with due diligence, monitoring their fuel consumption which peaked at very high – to finish the T1.2 category SS6 in 4th position.
At the time of writing, was there was no word on Dania Akeel’s results in Challenger category, who prior to SS6 ranked in 7th position below Gutierrez. A big rise up the ranks, was father and daughter pair with Marta Plaza co-driver finishing the 48H Chrono in 14th position, and Rosa Romero in the same role, completing the challenging leg in 13th place with driver: Pedro Manuel Munoz.
Dakar Rally legend Camelia Liporati spearheads her campaign with co-driver Rodolfo Guillioli in what must be her 16th consecutive Dakar, completing Challenger category SS6 in 25th place, with female duo Annett Quandt and Annie Seel rounding out Stage 6 standings in 29th slot.
The highly close, competitive, and prized SSV category, has Sara Price in 2nd in General classification, a mere 2 minutes 58 seconds separation of time heading into Stages 7 -12. Having completed total of 29H 58′ 24” over Stages 1 – 6, Sara and Jeremy will be truly focused on making each Stage count, confirming the American driver has stellar capabilities on debut entry in Dakar Rally 2024.
Sole Lithuanian driver Emilijia Gelazninkiene outshone her previous Stage results, completing SS6 in 9th position, followed by Christine GZ and co-driver Ricardo Torlaschi finishing the last Stage before Rest Day in 15th place. Hopefully news of Rebecca Busi, and all-female trio of Anja van Loon, Floor Maten, and Marije Ettekoven in Truck category, will be positive heading into Stage 7 on January 14.
Dakar Rally Stage 7 Riyadh to Al Duwadimi total of 873kms with 483kms timed.
Header photo: Cristina Gutierrez Image: Team
Words: Sharon Cox.
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