Preparations for Dakar Rally 2024 – Women complete Baja Aragon in Bike and T3/T4 categories. Round 2 of FIM Baja World Cup provided perfect conditions for women to test their performances over total of 905kms, including 533kms of special stages from Friday July 21 to Saturday July 22.
Taking the win in Women’s Bike category, Sara Garcia steered her Yamaha WRF-450 Rally bike to victory ahead of Esther Merino Garcia, and Alona Ben Natan, nailing P39 in scratch from 79 rider’s. Missing from the line-up of Women was Dutch rider Mirjam Pol, whose recent decision required total use of resources for racing Dakar Rally 2024.
For sure, Sara’s win bodes well for racing up-coming Off-Road Rounds, confirming the 4x Dakar Rally rider whose successful achievement of completing Malle Moto in 2020, and 2021, holds equal measure of talent, skill, and experience as her male counter-parts.
In T3 category, Laia Sanz paired with her Dakar Rally co-driver Maurizo Gerini – this time transitioning from car to Lightweight Prototype vehicle: TAURUS T3 MAX- T3M. Completing the 2 days in P8, and P29 in scratch, Laia’s talent, skill, and versatility was evident finishing Stage 1 in P4 heading into busy few months pre-Dakar 2024.
Saudi driver Dania Akeel gained another opportunity to pair with South Africa’s talented Taye Perry, racing CANAM Maverick X3, finishing P12 in T3 class. Having completed the Italian Baja just one week prior, the capable duo have all necessary experience to race at pointy end of table, with Dania completing Dakar Rally 2x, and Taye finishing the grueling Dakar in Bike category in 2020, and as co-driver in 2021, and 2022.
In T4, Italian driver Rebecca Busi teamed with Alba Sanchez Gonzalez producing fine performance finishing P9 in category and P55 in scratch. Completing Stages 1 and 2 in 8h 31:39.7, results confirmed that Busi’s experience competing in Dakar Rally 2022 – 2023, together with Alba’s European Rally achievements provides bench-mark for upwards trajectory of race success.
With 2024 Dakar Rally starting on January 5 – 19, women competitors will be careful in race selection, training, along with making most of resources to fine-tune their performances albeit across Bike, Car, T3/T4, Truck and Quad categories. FIM Baja World Cup hosts Rounds in Portugal and Dubai in October and November, while 2R World Rally Raid Championship holds Round 5 in Argentina on 26 August to 1 September, and Round 6 Rally du Maroc on 12 – 18 October.
No doubt, forthcoming events will provide women fertile ground to cement their standings prior to the most grueling race in the world: The Dakar Rally Stages 1 -14.
Header photo: Sara Garcia winning Baja Aragon 2023 with Esther Merino Garcia and Alona Ben Natan Image: FIM Bajas and Cross Country Rallies.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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