Racers participating in the 16th Africa Eco Race Rally, which spans the route from Monaco to Dakar, reached Dakhla on Saturday afternoon — a brief stop before resuming their journey to Mauritania.
This sporting event, held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI, in partnership with Moroccan Sahara Rally Association, runs from December 28 to January 12 and features over 500 participants from 27 countries. Competitors include motorcyclists, car, truck, and SSV drivers as well as quad riders.
Spanning 6,000 km over 15 days, racers will traverse Morocco's deserts before reaching Dakar, their final destination at Lac Rose, where concluding competitions will take place.
Morocco's segment marks a milestone in the race, featuring a route that connects Tangier to Southern provinces of Morocco across five stages, namely Tangier to Tarda (Errachidia, 755 km), Tarda to Tagounite (Zagora, 357 km), Tagounite to Touizgui (Assa-Zag, 547 km), Touizgui to Laayoune (507 km), and Laayoune to Dakhla (500 km).
The rally’s general coordinator, Anthony Schlesser, told MAP that the Dakhla stop enables participants to take time to rest and prepare for the upcoming stages. He praised the warm reception he received in Dakhla, and noted that racers also expressed their admiration for the natural potential of the Southern provinces.
The competition takes the form of regularity races on courses featuring slightly sandy, rolling tracks, thus highlighting the endurance, reliability, and driving skills of the participants.
For safety reasons, every vehicle is equipped with a satellite tracking system that allows geolocation, and has a phone feature to call and receive calls from the race control centers.
Organizers say that this off-road rally is a true human adventure, as it immerses racers in a unique atmosphere, on new tracks that emphasize driving skills, set amidst unforgettable landscapes.
