Abdullah Bakhashab checks out the route of Rally Jeddah, which runs from April 30 to May 2, in one of the Land Rovers supplied by MYN Motors. Right: Yazeed al-Rajhi, who won the inaugural Rally Jeddah in 2014.
Agencies/Jeddah
Officials in Saudi Arabia have announced Rally Jeddah 2015, a three-day cross-country rally for cars, motorcycles and quads, that will run across the scenic and challenging western Saudi deserts from April 30-May 2.
The event is being supported by Mohamed Yousef Naghy Motors (MYN Motors)-Land Rover, is sanctioned by the FIA and runs under the patronage of Prince Mishaal bin Majid bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Governor of Jeddah and head of Rally Jeddah’s higher organising committee.
The event was the brainchild of former WRC and MERC driver Abdullah Bakhashab and is being organised with the full support of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation (SAMF).
Rally Jeddah 2015 falls nicely into the cross-country calendar between the Sealine Cross-Country Rally in Qatar and the Egyptian Pharoahs Rally and officials are keen to attract international competitors shipping their equipment from Qatar to Egypt via Saudi Arabia.
The Qatar round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies finishes on April 24 and documentation for Rally Jeddah gets underway on April 29. Scrutineering and the ceremonial start and prologue stage take place on April 30 and this will be followed by two days of action through the stunning Saudi deserts on May 1 and May 2.
This leaves ample time to arrange shipping of cars and equipment across the Red Sea into Egypt for scrutineering and documentation at the Pharoahs Rally on May 10.
Jeddah organisers are offering an attractive package of $10,000 to a limited number of top European entrants on a first come, first served basis and $1,000 to GCC competitors.
Officials have worked hard to devise a challenging route to test competitors of every level.
A wide variety of terrain is on offer, from sandy piste, dunes, rocky tracks, wadis and twisty trails through mountains over black volcanic rock.
The event is being organised with the support of the higher committee of Rally Jeddah, which incorporates the General Presidency of Youth Welfare, Jeddah Municipality, the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiques in the Mecca region and a branch of the Saudi Red Crescent in Mecca.
Support has also been received from Jeddah police and traffic departments and civil defence administration.
