Transanatolia Rally is ready: 84 Vehicles

© DR

Abant Lake – For the first time in a history of nine years, the Transanatolia Rally will start from an altitude of 1300 m. Specifically in Abant Golu, in the northwest of Anatolia in the province of Bolu, in Turkey, where the Transanatolia Sport Organization has established the headquarters of the rally that has opened today with the traditional preliminary scrutineering. Over eighty crews passed the checkpoints set up by the organization and the local Federations.

Cars,motorcycles, trucks and ATV, were finally ready to pass through the technical checks, which ended in the early afternoon.
At 3 o’clock p.m. the briefing was the first official act for all competitors – 84 at the start this year– to get to know and discover the tracks of this year’s race, which is set up as one of the most difficult organized to date.

At 5 p.m. all the vehicles will leave Abant Lake to reach the city of Bolu for the official ceremony of departure of the rally.

From 6,30 p.m.all motorbikes, cars, trucks and SidebySide will climb the podium for a greeting and a presentation, before returning to the hotel and preparing for the start of the first stage, tomorrow morning.

« I have always thought that Turkey is a country full of wonderful places to visit and discover – says one of the organizers, Burak Büyükpınar – and that’s why I joined in 2012 Orhan Celen in organizing this competition. Our mission is to make as many people as possible discover our culture, nature and history through the Rally. »

Again…history. Also this year history makes the background to the tracks of this rally raid, that for the first time is introduced to the FIA (Federation International Automobile), since the organization has asked to run for the FIA World Cup in Cross Country. Every year the FIA World Cup involves different countries all over the world. An Observer was sent here by the International Federation to view the race and write a report at the end. If the impression will be positive, the Transanatolia Rally could officially become part of the FIA world cup calendar.

The history of the country as we said, is a vital part of the rally this year over and over again, for example with the passage on Mount Nemrut, or with the arrival of stage six to Mardin, but above all with the finish line that will bring the entire caravan of the rally raid to Gobeklitepe, the cradle of civilization, where everything began 12 thousand
years ago.

A total of 2300 kilometres to be covered with 18 special tests scattered over seven stages and, obviously, seven race days.

The first stage, tomorrow,will start from Abant Lake direct to Haymana: 378 kms long, with 3 special stages. First and second of those special stages follow forest roads among the beautiful forest and mountain views. Last special stage has a different character. It will pass through endless grain fields just to the finish line of Haymana.

Elisabetta Caracciolo,

PUBLICITÉ