Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2010 – 20th Anniversary Edition

WARNING: Competing in the Desert Challenge is addictive!

The rally celebrates 20 editions in 2010. Run every year since its “birth” in 1991, the rally has grown to become
a firm favourite with the cross country fraternity and is the only event that has maintained its Cross Country
FIA Cup & FIM Championship status without missing a single year.

The event will be based, once again, in Abu Dhabi, following the very successful change of base location for
the 2009 edition.

Entry fees remain as 2009 and are very reasonable and extremely good value. The only cost that the
competitor incurs above the entry fee, is accommodation before and after the event, transport of vehicle to
Abu Dhabi and air travel for the overseas competitor.

Once the rally has started, all accommodation, food and fuel costs are covered by the entry fee and, of
course, the traditional and legendary, post event Gala Dinner, for the Stars, under the stars!

The fixed location of the Bivouac at the base of the awesome Tal Morib (Hill of Terror) lends itself to very
simple assistance/service arrangements for the private entries and factory teams alike, and with all assistance
points accessible by good asphalt roads, 4WD assistance vehicles are not required.

The format of the event is designed to be user friendly, with the first leg starting on “easy” desert and
gradually increasing in difficulty to act as a refresher to the experienced and as an introduction for the first
timer. The remaining legs are full, open desert with all the varieties of terrain that make the event what it is, a
real challenge to man and machine. The fixed Bivouac, means that the competitor can miss a leg, due to
physical or mechanical problems, and not get left behind. Of course, there is a penalty for this, but importantly
for the amateur, you are not out of the rally.

The rally could not happen without the Medical, the Search & Rescue and the “legendary” Desert Challenge
Sweep Teams which combine resources and technology to ensure as safe an event as it is possible to conduct.
In cooperation with the TDCOMM staff, and utilising the Iritrack Satellite monitoring technology, which
incidentally was pioneered, since 2003, by the Desert Challenge, these teams respond to incidents to assist the
injured and exhausted competitor and assist in retrieving those who suffer problems during a leg, in an effort
to keep them running.

The event is also very family and fan friendly, with easy access to the route, the desert and the bivouac which
could be accessed by the very reasonable local taxis, if necessary!

The event has been invited to base itself at a new facility which is still under construction but which will service
every need of the organisation and the competitor, in a single location, while providing a variety of “amusing”
facilities to entertain those with time to spare!

Over twenty years, the Challenge has built a loyal, friendly and enthusiastic following. Don’t consider entering
unless you are prepared to come back to the UAE again, and again, because it is addictive. You have been
warned!!

John Spiller

Event Director