Third stage. Speeds grow.

At the last briefing of 2014 it was declared that there are will be a lot of changes at a tomorrow's stage. Before CP1 there will be very difficult dunes, then there will be a lake, it is necessary to choose very attentively a movement trajectory as it is possible to stick in such a way that it will be very difficult to get out. After the lake the difficult high speed route with the mixed surface: sand, stones, rocks.

With such parting word crews started the first day of the New Year. Expectations were serious, but careful: after all as you will begin the year, so you will spend it, it is necessary to risk in such case wisely.

After a long liaison the meeting on the finish line of SS was animate. After an exchange of short phrases all moved to the bivouac where it was already possible to talk to crews. 

The crew 404, Anatoly Tanin: "60 percent of today's routes were very different stones: from small, growing from the ground to the real good rocks. We had a lot of high speed sections. At the beginning sands were calm, then higher and higher. In one place we could not pass the dune on the first try, but from the second approach we could do it. We caught up Tomecek somewhere on the two-hundredth kilometer, it is necessary to tell that he has a very good pace. By the way, he behaved very correctly, immediately responded to the signal and gave way. There was too much dust, no visibility. Elisabete Jacinto was unlucky, she lost enough time. We did not be at a stop, the speed was steady, reliable. We liked to move in such way, let's see what would happen next."

 Sergey Kupriyanov, pilot of the crew 404: "Generally, there were a lot of cars in the dunes. The special stage is good, interesting, dunes are higher and there was more sand, a lot of high-speed sections, almost all track we were within the line of sight from Anton. Anatoly helps me a lot to keep the right pace. Concerning navigation we had a few difficult moments, but we coped well with them. The sky, clouds, greens, heights which are all in flowers were very beautiful today. Probably due to the December floods. Everything was good, only at the end there was some confusion on how Anton increased the speed in the last kilometers to the finish line." 

Almaz Khisamiev, the crew 401: "It was very hard stage, not too many sands, but in process of the movement they became more and more viscous, we felt that the engine goes harder. We didn't waste time for navigation. There were a lot of stones, we even damaged right back wheel, now I think that by miracle we reached the finish line without changing a wheel. There were moments which forced to remember experience of the first Dakar in the crew of Ilgizar (Ilgizar Mardeev, the legendary pilot of the fast assistance car). I was wondering how the car with such speed can move on stones, each of which can easily break a wheel. Ilgizar smiled: "That's how!" Neck aches a little bit, jolting affects, but anyway we endured, we had no choice".

 Anton Shibalov, the crew 401: "There weren’t such sands when we participated last time; we had to make serious efforts to overcome them. Jacinto lost a lot of time there; several times she did attempts to pass before she got stuck. Tomecek passed quickly, he has a wide experience, he copes well with sand. These are really insidious places where you can find many adventures. Stones were very serious, we had to cross a lot of river beds. Long SS are very good for us, there is time to maneuver. I remember last race, it was much quieter, we had another task, now responsibility adds difficulties. Today all were tired, although we had longer special stages before. It’s Ok, we will get used". 

Experience of the first days gives to all participants the chance to feel their pace. Speeds significantly grow, there are more and more sand, distances are compensated by a variety of surfaces and landscapes. The first quarter of a way is passed. The success of our guys rejoices us: at the third stage Anton is the second in general classification, Sergey – on third position, Kazakhs show good results, Anastasia Nifontova the fifth today, Anton Grigorov stable and optimistic. The first day of New Year was successful, let the whole year won't be worse.

stage results

overall standings