Muscat: The PDO Ras Al Hamra Off Road Adventure Club (ORAC) will hold the 13th edition of the Wahiba Challenge on November 25 and 26.
The Wahiba Challenge is a two-day endurance event for four-wheel drive vehicles, in which teams of three to five vehicles cross the Wahiba Sands, also known as the Sharqiya sands, following a series of GPS coordinates, according to a press release here on Saturday.
The challenge, backed by the Shanfari Group of Companies, is to navigate through the dunes to specific points given out at the start line, negotiating technically difficult terrain and complex route-finding.
The vehicles that participate in the challenge are modified for travel in the sands. "This is one of the main reasons the pairing of Shanfari with the ORAC event is a perfect fit and together they share the same deep passion for adventure off-roading," said a statement.
Nizar Al Shanfari, a name to reckon with on the Middle East Rally circuit, will enter a team in the event.
ORAC, which operates as a section of the PDO Ras Al Hamra Recreation Club, hastens to state that the Wahiba Challenge is not a race. There are no prizes awarded, and no time-keeping is done. This is an event organized to bring together a group of off road enthusiasts, and is intended to be a fun and safe weekend for all.
ORAC also endeavours to make this a zero-impact event, from an environmental standpoint, and all teams are required to adhere to a strict “pack it in, pack it out” policy.
“The Thursday night campsite will be left in a pristine condition. All teams are also urged to observe a high degree of sensitivity towards the local inhabitants, and will be instructed to avoid Bedu encampments and livestock,” says a spokesperson for the club.
