Moroccan test is passed

The organizers reduced today's SS by twenty kilometers: because of the abundance of water the final kilometers have become so viscous that caused serious and quite reasonable doubts about their practicability. Two Russian crews -the crew of Sergey Kupriyanov and the crew of Anton Grigorov took congratulations - they became winners at today's stage.

Distance to the bivouac in Dakhla for assistance is almost 800 kilometers today and a little bit less for the participants. The farther to the south of Morocco, the police control is tougher. At first we did not even notice the posts, now we were stopped several times a day and twice seriously our documents and even numbers of entry visa were checked. Moving along the ocean, we enjoy the views: on the one hand boundless stony desert, on the other - the mirror-like surface, which merges with the sky. But, unfortunately, it did not last long – there is a wind which kicked up sand, dust and the sky turns to gray, horizon is indeterminable, proximity to the ocean is determined only by the line on the GPS screen. White light has turned into a gray haze. From time to time there are badly distinguishable cars ahead, and on the road there are sandy seines. Very long passage. But everybody moves to the most southern city of Morocco in a good mood.

 We managed to meet our crews after the finish in a place where our route coincides with the liaison of sports cars. We can’t meet sportsmen at the finish – by regulations it is forbidden for assistance to be in a zone of start and the finish, usually we are waiting them at the point of coincidence of routes, sometimes this allows to see from far away the finish, but from a distance this spectacle doesn't become less exciting.

Sergey Kupriyanov, the crew 404: "We do not expect to be first. We drove well, the track allowed that: from the start there were one hundred kilometers of open straight road. I was only surprised that jeeps did not overtake us; there were all conditions to do that. These places are famous with stories related to the apparent simplicity: that someone on the unexpected cliff performed tumbles, or instead of the usual puddle got to the solonchak. So we were careful. Special stage was fast, but short."

 Almaz Khisamiyev, the crew 401: "For the people who know it is enough to say that the tire pressure does not fall below 6 atmospheres. Directly and quickly. There was an episode when because of caution we bypassed on the right a place which seemed damp, viscous. We followed strictly the legend although from time to time there was a temptation to straighten a trajectory, but we remembered very well preventions from the briefing. We oriented well, jeeps which lost a route repeatedly found a right direction thanks to us."

 Anton Grigorov, the crew 212: "The victory at a stage was a surprise for us. How did it happen? Navigator is good, car is good, that's the result. Several times Anton Shibalov's traces helped us to choose the direction. There were absolutely incredible places! We were driving between hummocks, bushes and gullies. At the maximum speed! Very fascinating!"

 It was a successful day for Russians today. It is good when the stage before rest day passes successfully, we are easy in our mind and it is easier to work.

 stage results

overall standings