Women racing 2023 Dakar Rally Stages 1 – 8 reach Rest Day with Stages 9 – 14 remaining in what has been described as the most toughest Dakar in years. Beginning the arduous journey from the coast of the Red Sea on December 31 to completing Stage 8 at Riyadh, women have taken deep dive into the inner world of pushing their physical and mental abilities to the limit to stand in rankings across Bike, Car, Lightweight Prototype, SSV, and Truck classifications.
The challenges have been many from racing over rocky sections which afflicted numerous punctures, to the point that competitors ran out of tyres to change, to battling the incremental downpours of rain, which in Stage 3 created flows of water fast enough to trap even the most skilled driver’s, to picking perfect lines over the horizon of sand dunes in Saudi Arabia.
Whether difficulties give rise to human capacity to divide and conquer remains open for interpretation, competitors facing the realities of racing 2023 Dakar Rally are neither fictional in perspective nor predictable. These women know that competing in the world’s most grueling race will be the ultimate test on how each fronts up day after day – x15 – while at the same time bringing their A game to the fore amidst stiff competition in table rankings.
If desired results remains priority in Bike, Car, T3 and T4 standings, Spanish driver Cristina Gutierrez leads the charge, holding P5 overall in T3 with total time of 38 hours, 56 minutes, and 46 seconds. In T4 category, Australian Molly Taylor has broken top 10, a mega achievement for the vivacious competitor whose expectations to perform to the best of her ability are set at all time high – 24/7.
Placed P12 overall in T3, rookie driver Anja van Loon has surpassed her own expectations completing Stages 1 – 8 in total time of 45 hours, 1 minute, and 7 seconds. Not to say Anja has encountered smooth race experience, car issues, and more importantly coming across her father, Erik van Loon who crashed in Stage 7.
Anja: ‘It was a very tough start to the rally. I didn’t expect it to be this heavy. Dmytro and I just keep driving and try not to do anything crazy. I know that the experience I am gaining here is very important. I am happy with the help from South Racing and from Erik. Getting everything back in order tomorrow and then on to the second half with more sand and dunes, I’m looking forward to it!”
If there is one category which sets a rider apart from his/her competitors it has to be Bike classification of Malle Moto. South African Kirsten Landman remains the only female participant racing Origianl by Motul category, and currently stands P12 in class and P79 in Bike General rankings. With 62 withdrawals at end of Stage 8, of which 34 were bike competitors, Kirsten’s achievement heading into final 6 Stages are truly admirable.
Continuing the theme of acknowledging women from table rankings across categories, X Raid driver Annett Fischer and co-driver Annie Seel stand P14 in T3 with Spanish driver Laia Sanz holding P17 in Car T1.2 Prototype Cross-Country Cars 4×2. Both women driver’s have endured mechanical issues, with Annett solving electrical problem, and change of tyres on route, and Laia overcoming late-to-bivouac finish in Stages 2 and 5.
If experiencing the joys of racing Dakar along with the sorrow of losing precious time is particular to the iconic event, re-visiting the unknown factors 14x over remains monumental challenge for all competitors and crew. From Dakar Legends, to rookie’s, to Team mechanics, issues that arise are par of the Dakar, to be dealt with, so driver’s and rider’s can continue.
Racing her 14th Dakar, Camelia Liparoti expresses how Dakar can be pure joy to race while at the same time vengeful in keeping the challenge alive, even for the most seasoned of driver’s.
Camelia: ‘Rollercoaster race until now. Great times and terrifying ones. Difficult terrain and challenges, I love it! I enjoy less when me and my codriver lose over 5 hours in the ranking, freezing in the desert and being pulled by a truck in the dunes by night. 😱 All this is part of the game though… We win and we lose, the wheel keeps turning!
With Paraguay driver Andrea Lafarja on P17 in T1+ Prototype Cross Country Cars 4×4 and Camelia on P20 in T3 overall, women push outside their comfort zones even when positions have tumbled from one Stage to the next. Leading Bike Women’s category rider Mirjam Pol, knows more than most that riding smart, avoiding mistakes and staying upright are key factors to make it back to the bivouac before dark. Standing P29 in Rally 2, Mirjam recounts what it is actually like, racing Dakar to fellow competitor while eating dinner:
Mirjam: ‘Today someone asked me if this was normal, being as tough as the rally was. That’s not normal, is it, Mirjam? You know the rally, what do you think? I only replied: Did you want to go to the toughest rally in the world? Yes? Well then, you’ve come to the right place! This was exactly what we wanted. And actually, it is wonderful. In a few weeks at least or maybe next year we will say: remember that forty-fifth rally? The toughest ever! Hahaha’.
The following women have current standings which don’t reflect their racing capabilities, but this is how it is – according to Spanish co-driver Monica Plaza. Hitting P30 in T3, Dania Akeel has proved excellence remains her standing motto coming back from late return to bivouac in Stage 4, along with Brazilian rookie Pamela Bozzano placed in P34 overall.
Buggyra Racing Team driver, Aliyyah Koloc has displayed fine attributes to rise above mechanical issues in early Stages, noting that each and every experience racing her first Dakar counts towards her development as a driver. Standing P36 in T3, the 18 year old compliments her idol Cristina Gutierrez as a superb driver, of which rookie driver Patricia Pita Gago (P41) aspires to as well.
Notable exceptions go to Italian pair and rookie Rebecca Busi with co-driver Giulia Maroni who have held on to P41 in T4, along with Rosa Romero Font, co-driver with Pedro Manuel Penate Munoz who stand P26 in T4 classification. Heart-breaks go to: Merce Marti and Lisette Bakker for their retirement after Stage 1, Sandra Gomez for all that was beyond her control in Stage 6, and Monica Plaza for enduring numerous mechanical problems with her father, Manolo Plaza.
2023 Dakar Rally Stage 9 Riyadh to Haradh total distance 623.94kms with 358kms timed. Header photo: Aliyyah Koloc Image: A.S.O
Words: Sharon Cox.
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