CAIRO: Ten days in Egypt, seven days racing, the Pharaons International Cross Country Rally 2006was a highly successful event across the board. Four hundred and fifty people, as opposed to the 390 that attended last year, set out on a grueling 3,000 kilometer run through the Sahara Desert. The race began under the watchful gaze of the Sphinx in Giza on Oct. 3, with an initial competitors list consisting of 102 teams, 73 motorbikes, 22 cars, and 7 trucks, all with the intention to celebrate a world title on the podium upon their return a week later. Positions shifted along the way, in different categories, but the energy and passion were always at maximum gear. There were many thrills and spills, and even highly experienced desert racers made mistakes and had accidents. Jackie Icks, JVD organizer, with numerous 24hr Le Mans, Formula 1 and 2 and Paris-Dakar victories behind him, elegantly said at his prize-giving speech on the eve of his departure, on Oct. 9: We have lived an exceptional 9th edition with great winners, but also three world titles have been awarded here...I can only regret once more the unfair decision of the FIA to arbitrarily exclude the 2008 edition from the World Cup...we are the most important event in terms of number of participants after the Dakar...passion for this discipline...competitors who honor us by coming back every year are more numerous...we decided to pursue our way. Starting from next year, with a 10th edition we will reserve some nice surprises. This rally represents the third African stage of the FIA World Cup and FIM Off-Road World Championship. It is the only rally offering, after strict technical scrutiny and registration, the indescribable landscape of the Egyptian desert as their oyster. Two and four wheelers range from passionate amateurs and raiders to professional champions. Race organizers were respectful of the Ministry of the Environment's concerns and agreed to create and include a special stage to avoid passage through the protected area of the White Desert. Throughout the rally Icks has stressed the importance of respect to the people of Egypt and their countryside. The Spanish Catalan, Marc Coma, who was riding his brand new 660KTM and won the World Championship Trophy, with a victory in Dakar 2006 behind him, said after he won, Egypt is. to me, the most beautiful event of the calendar, closest to the Dakar... I had the chance to exercise my navigation skills. Sergey Schmakov, the Russian in his purple hawk, Buggy ZIL, was quoted each day as saying his team would be the victors on the final podium despite facing many technical problems along the way, and his prediction came true as he exclaimed, We have won here.... the FIA World Cup. It has been a beautiful rally, I promise that I will be back! Schmakov will have to wait a few weeks before official confirmation of his World Cup title. The FIA is now reconsidering the article that includes the requirement that any contender for the World Cup participate in a minimum of four races on four different continents. Paolo Nobre, the Brazilian in BMW X5 who was runner up and first in his category, commented at the finish, My first participation here in Egypt... the road book was perfect and the specials beautiful and technically varying. Perfect as preparation for the Dakar. Christian Lavieille, Nissan Pathfinder, laureate in his category of production cars, clinched the world title ahead of the Mercedes Besson. In the trucks category the final trophy went to Giacomo Vismara, IVECO. The support teams, as usual, were indispensable even though all the mechanics on the Egyptian teams were fasting for Ramadan. Travco was appointed the role of organizing the catering in bivouacs at all seven stages, with Bahareya as the hub. Iftar and sohour were extra meals provided this year and the standard of service was excellent. On the track, participants offered help to each other despite having to run against the clock. The only Egyptian team to arrive at the finish was that of Abdel Hamid Abou Youssef and Ramsis Nosshi, after losing their third gear in the last 20 kilometers of the race. They came in 13th overall. This team has been preparing for the rally since last year s race and received a well-deserved trophy. They were always there to help the other Egyptian teams along the track. One Egyptian team of note was that of the veteran Azzam El-Faruqi and Ahmed El-Sirgany, who were compelled to withdraw from the race during the final two stages after their car flipped over in the fifth stage on the way to Siwa. We are disappointed, but this is the law of racing, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose! Few Egyptian teams participate due to lack of sponsors and lack of funds. This, however, does not seem to deter those who are passionate about the sport from funding themselves privately. Coverage by JVD was encouraging this year, and the humor of the film shown each evening after the briefing was stupendous. May the spirit of the Pharaons Rally 2006 be an inspiration for future rallies.
