Valter Pinna tells his story, shares his passions and talks about his new challenge in the Moroccan desert.

Some passions start almost as a game and, over the years, become a true part of one’s life. That is what happened to Valter Pinna, an Italian from Iglesias, in the province of Cagliari: from speleology to the first dirt roads of Sardinia, and eventually to rallies, roadbooks and adventures in the desert.

Despite having spent much of his life away from Sardinia, especially in North Africa, where he worked as a professional diver, Valter has never lost his connection with his homeland. Today, together with Anne-Claire, his life and business partner, he continues to pursue his great passion through Horizon Sardegna, an organisation specialising in adventure travel and off-road experiences.

Valter, how did it all begin?

My passion for off-roading began almost by chance, thanks to speleology. As a teenager, I became fascinated by stories about Sardinia’s caves, and at the age of sixteen I joined a caving group. To reach the caves, we had to drive along mountain tracks that were anything but easy. We had very limited financial resources and used whatever cars we could borrow: Fiat 500s, Renault 4s, Renault 6s and other vehicles. Those early explorations allowed me to discover a different side of Sardinia and, above all, made me fall in love with off-roading.

When did you enter the world of competitions?

At the beginning of the 1990s, I met Guido Zocchi (one of the founders of the Rally di Sardegna and a historic figure in the organisation of the rally-raid world), who gave me the opportunity to enter the world of racing. That was the beginning of my experience as a route planner and roadbook creator. I worked for the Rally di Sardegna, the Sardegna Rally Race and the Sardegna Legend. For many years, I also worked on the Rally of the Pharaons in Egypt, taking care of roadbook checks and corrections and personally creating the roadbook for the final edition in 2015. And then there were two rallies in Algeria.

And how did you end up taking part in the FenekRally, scheduled for September 2026?

Almost as a game! I met Dominique Salignat, a Frenchman who will be my driver in a Polaris RZR PRO XP, in 2021, when he took part in one of my SSV tours in Sardinia. During that trip, one of his friends had an accident and almost completely wrecked his vehicle. I was the guide, and Anne-Claire personally handled the recovery, driving the Land Rover and trailer right into the mountains. That experience gave him the chance to get to know the way we work, and over the years he stayed in touch with us.
This year he returned to Sardinia with a group of friends and, during a dinner, he told me that he would have to give up the FenekRally because, unfortunately, his navigator could not take part. I told him about my experience with roadbooks and, almost jokingly, said to him: “Why don’t we do it together?”

It’s your first time in Morocco. What are you expecting?

It’s completely new territory for me. I have never had a particularly competitive spirit, although I rode enduro for many years. I still don’t know what to expect, but I’m setting off with the desire to have fun, see new landscapes, meet people and learn something. And, of course, I hope I won’t get hurt and that I’ll make a good impression! I’m also curious to use the “Stella” device, which I have never tried before.

After all these years, do you still prefer the traditional roadbook?

Yes. Technology has made enormous strides: we have gone from IGM topographic maps to the first GPS devices, and today we have extremely precise instruments, satellite maps and software capable of even generating a roadbook automatically. But I still prefer the traditional method. For the Fenek, in fact, I chose a paper roadbook rather than a tablet.

This time, you won’t be the one driving…

Exactly. And perhaps that will be the strangest part! In Sardinia, I drive my own vehicle. At the FenekRally, I’ll instead be the passenger and navigator. I’m not afraid. In Egypt, I already had the opportunity to travel with drivers such as Jacky Ickx. So I’m fairly well trained for it…

What is your goal for the FenekRally?

To have a great experience. After so many years spent plotting routes and guiding others as they discover new territories, this time I want to try something different. I want to have fun, learn, meet new people and enjoy Morocco.