So the 25th Rallye des Gazelles was launched on Saturday 20th March from the city of Nice for the first time and we were there. We were able to meet most of the participants just before their departure for this orienteering race while their vehicles were parked on the superb Promenade des Anglais where the whole world seemed to have met... Indeed, 239 French women, 20 Americans, 13 Canadians, 17 Moroccans, 6 Belgians, 4 Germans, 4 English, 6 Swiss, 1 Colombian, 2 Italians, 1 Portuguese, 1 Senegalese and 2 Ivorians left to face the desert through this 100% female rally. After the official departure, the crews met in Sète where the ferry to Nador was waiting for them. They then went to Rabat where the official start was made
How the race works
The Gazelles must complete a route with passage controls set up in a minimum number of kilometres and not in a minimum amount of time. Using only a compass, a ruler and a map, they plot their course and decide their route. The rally is therefore only "off-piste".
The classification is established according to the kilometres travelled, penalties for possible non-validated passage controls, calls for mechanical assistance...
After 10 days in the Moroccan desert, the 25th edition of the Gazelle Rally will end in Essaouira on April 4th
