Dubai Russian driver Vladimir Vasilyev will return to defend his title in the 25th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, powered by Nissan, later this month.
Vasilyev had to battle deep snow and temperatures plummeting to -20C when he began the defence of his World Cup title on home territory recently in the Baja Russia - Northern Forest, finishing second in an event won by Finland’s Tapio Suominen .
The conditions contrast sharply with those to be faced in the 25th edition of the Desert Challenge, which sends the world’s best cross country rally drivers and riders on a five-day passage over the giant dunes and sabkha plains of the UAE’s Western Region of Al Garbia. The rally, which also marks the first round of the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship for bikes and quads, gets under way with a super special spectator stage at Yas Marina Circuit on March 28.
“The change in extremes of weather and terrain couldn’t be more pronounced,” said Ronan Morgan, who has the distinction this year of being Clerk of the Course for the first two World Cup rounds.
For many years a key member of the team behind the Desert Challenge, Morgan was ‘loaned’ to the Russian event promoters by the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE as part of its year-round support for motor sport development worldwide.
“It was a real eye opener for Ronan and of course Vladimir and the other competitors who took part in Russia and are coming here will face a completely different set of tests,” said ATCUAE President Mohammad Bin Sulayem, the Desert Challenge founder.
“Over there the organisers have to guard against the threat of hypothermia when competitors break down and become stranded. Our priority when competitors find trouble in the desert is to help or evacuate them as soon as possible to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration.”
