With heavy rain and hot weather, this edition of the FenekRally in southern Morocco
was one of the most challenging ever. That’s how the rally-raid went, which
also two Italian drivers participated.
The dunes of Erg Chebbi are infinite, one of the two erg (groups of dunes formed by sand carried by the wind) of the Moroccan Sahara (the other is the Chigaga erg near M’Hamid El Ghizlane), up to 150 meters high. Here, in this strip of desert land, took place the 2024 edition of FenekRally, motor racing based on roadbook navigation, organized by the Spaniard Lluis Rosa. A challenge that has put to the test the crews, professionals and amateurs, in terms of driving and orientation but also in physical endurance, mental strength and, last but not least, experience. The official start of the Fenek was due to the bureaucratic formalities and technical checks on vehicles at the auberge-bivouac La Belle Etoile in Merzouga, the event’s logistic base for its entire duration (5 to 13 October). On the starting line were deployed 55 vehicles (11 motorcycles, 12 cars, 10 SSV T3, 17 SSV T4, 1 truck and 4 registered in the category Overland) protagonists of a suggestive route that was around 1300 km (including 893 special tests) in the vicinity of the villages of Merzouga, Ouzina, Ramlia, Rissani and Erfoud.
Edition 2024: prologue and five stages “in a ring”
After having covered the 35 km special test (+ 14 transfer) of the prologue -a first taste of fast tracks and technical sections useful to get familiar with the race terrain-, waiting for the participants was a first stage, with 180 km special on track, who immediately made clear what would await them in the following days: a hard and demanding challenge. The rally-raid then continued with a second stage of 250 km to be driven on dirt, off-road at CAP and dunes and a third (230 km special test) that began to mark the difference between the most experienced crews and others. The fourth race, just under 200 km, was characterized by some mechanical failures to the vehicles in the race, changing the provisional classification, while the fifth stage, 100% dune, was among the most fought in absolute.
Lluis Rosa, the organiser
“We are very happy with the level of satisfaction of the participants in all categories: motorcycles, SSV, cars and trucks had what they expected and even a little more, due to the heavy rains that preceded the race and made the track even more challenging -comments Lluis Rosa- In all stages, navigation was crucial to reach the finish line first and maintain a good position in the standings. Obviously, driver and vehicle were equally important as well as the mechanical assistance at the bivouac: the rally-raids are a mix of many elements that must be combined together in the best possible way”. How was this edition of FenekRally? “Challenging since the prologue because of the different terrain and the heat but also the rains that have literally transformed the traditional landscape of the desert. The difference was made by the dunes, especially in the last stage that saw them as 100% protagonists. Fatigue and mechanical failure have then shuffled the cards, changing in some cases the fate of the race. For next year we will try to do our best to improve roadbook and safety in order to adapt them to the expectations of the participants who, we hope, are even more numerous. It was a great emotion to see the drivers at the finish line rejoicing for the victory, perhaps unexpected, but also for having simply cut the finish. A big thanks to all the participants, staff and sponsors (DEMCO, Metal Lube, SDT Brakes, Euro4x4parts, Gi-Rental, Gi4by4, PRT Offroad 4×4 and GPF Racing Products) without whom we could not have organized the event. We are all waiting for the 2025 edition!”.
Winners of all categories
After a fierce challenge, not without difficulties related to the terrain conditions (due to the rains before the race) that surprised the crews, the FenekRally crowned its winners. Among the 4×4 cars, the best time went to the Spaniards Marcos Martinez Castro and Gerard Ribas Montemayor, on Nissan Patrol, at the finish in 21h54’06”: authors of a nice test, the drivers of the AST360 Motorsport team preceded the Mitsubishi Montero V6 of the Team Homologaciones 4×4 and the Toyota Land Cruiser of the French Jonchère/Rouvre (Altitude Racing). The gold medal among the SSV T3 went to Michel Salvatore, sailed by Peter Serra, on CAN-AM, ahead of the GPR24 of Kersbergen/Goegebeur and the French of the Team Fesh-Fesh, Loic Frebourg and Aurelien Mina. Also in the SSV category, but among the T4, the crew of The Buggy Xperience took first place on the podium, just a few minutes ahead of the French team Valusek/Breniere (Les Vosgiens du Desert). To complete the podium: Romain Ferry and Sandy Bayex, on a Yamaha YXZ. For the Overland (category without chronometer but always with roadbook) to win were the Spaniards of the Kun Fu Panda, protagonists on board their unstoppable Panda 4×4 of a unique adventure. The title of champion in the motorcycle category was won by the Frenchman Tom Deest, on the Fantic XEF 450 Rally. Gold medal, finally, also for the truck Iveco driven by Helena T.Tibau: although the only one in the race, he was the author of a good test.
Ranking FenekRally 2024
CAR 4×4
1 #212 Marcos Martinez Castro/Gerard Ribas Montemayor (Spain) –Nissan Patrol- 21h54’06”
2 #204 Jose Guerra/Bernat Casals Torradeflot (Spain) – Mitsubishi Montero V6- 22h44’00”
3 #203 Alexandre Jonchère/Fabien Rouvre (France) –Toyota Land Cruiser- 26h16’04”
SSV T3
1 #304 Michel Salvatore/Peter Serra (France) -CAN-AM- 17h58’20”
2 #308 Daniel Kersbergen/Michiel Goegebeur (Netherlands) -GPR24- 19h39’03”
3 #301 Loic Frebourg/Aurelien Mina (France) -CAN-AM- 19h53’23”
SSV T4
1 #416 Jose Silverio Hoz Limon/Francisco J. Ferreira Segura (Spain) –Polaris RZR PRO XP Ultimate- 19h56’29”
2 #407 Yohan Valusek/Delphine Breniere (France) –Yamaha YXZ- 20h03’02”
3 #406 Romain Ferry/Sandy Bayex (France) –Yamaha YXZ- 21h20’10”
OVERLAND
1 #602 Mariano de Quadros/Javier Gimeno (Spain) –Panda 4×4- 573 punti
2 #603 David Ortiz de Loza/Miguel Angel Ortiz Moreno (Spain) –Mitsubishi Montero V6- 448 punti
TRUCK
1#501 Helena T.Tibau/Jaqueline Ricci/Rebeca Aramburu (Spain) –Iveco Powerstar– 29h27’48”
BIKE
1 #106 Tom Deest (France) – Fantic XEF 450 Rally– 22h29’15”
2 #113 Geoffroy Lamacier (France) – KTM EXC-F 450 – 25h02’24”
3 #105 Frédéric Miramont (France) – KTM EXC-F 450 – 25h14’09”
