THE AFRICA ECO RACE BACK STAGE

 

THE AFRICA ECO RAID

You are an off-road passionate and you have always dreamed of going to Dakar driving your own vehicle. Then the AFRICA ECO RAID is for you !
Whatever level, you will be immersed in the unique atmosphere of the great African rallies and you will discover three countries : Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal on off-road tracks. By benefiting of the safety and logistical organization set up for the race, you will be supervised and guided to improve yourself with navigating in the desert and the crossing of the dunes, while driving at your own pace without having a chronometer.
You will also be able to applaud competitors racing at defined crossing points, while savoring the beauty of the scenery that only Africa can offer.
Note that it is possible to participate in the AFRICA ECO RAID on four wheels but also on your motorbike or your quad, without having a high end preparation of your vehicles and especially without having to subscribe to a sporting license.

THE TV PRODUCTION TEAM

The AFRICA ECO RACE has its own TV production team, made up of cameramen, editors, sound engineers, production manager, directors and multilingual journalists. Helicopters and 4x4s are there for aerial and on field shooting.

• On each stage, cameramen record and journalists observe the race throughout the day. Each day, at the end of stage, interviews with competitors are done. Back at the bivouac, in the “production” truck, the editors put together and release all the different programs.
• In total, approximately 10 hours of daily footage is edited and sent by satellite directly from each bivouac.
• “Ready-to-air” programs sent to contracted TV channels, commented in different languages with journalists present on field.
• A short "News Access" program of about 3 minutes, available on an FTP server with a script in French and English.
• A video clip and a video summary posted on africarace-live.com, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
• The possibility for each participant to order an end-to-end film or to edit their own footage.
• A summary of 52 minutes edited and widely distributed at the end of the event.

More than 2,000 hours of programs through our official broadcasters are transmitted, 95 hoursof programs brought by competitors on channels dedicated to information and sport in their countries.

 

     

BIVOUACS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

As the AFRICA ECO RACE is a “nomadic” rally using only an organizational structure carried only by the road, it is not necessary to set the bivouacs near airports and therefore cities. From then on, it is easy to obtain authorizations for local providers to install traditional bivouacs in quiet, safe places and most often in the heart of rather nice landscapes.

 

QUALITY RESTORATION IN THE DESERT

Eating well is important and it is even more true in the desert when many efforts are made and the days are particularly long.
This is why the restoration part of the AFRICA ECO RACE is entrusted to a French company which transports in its refrigerated trucks the food for 13 days of race. Local products are not to be outdone such as the fruits, bread and water among others, come from local shops.
In total, nearly 20,000 breakfasts and dinners are served, while 10,000 rations are distributed for lunch. Without forgetting the traditional giant barbecue during the rest day, with nice grilled beef and potatoes cooked in the embers.

    

THE "MALLE MOTO" TRUCK

Since always on the rallies, some motorcycles or quads riders, have one goal : to reach the finish without assistance, without mechanics, simply a trunk containing equipment.
For this challenge, the AFRICA ECO RACE is setting a MALLE MOTO truck to carry, for each of them, 2 trunks, 1 tent and 2 wheels. This truck is also equipped with electricity, light, air, water and various consumable supplies facilitating the maintenance of the machines. Thus, every day, the riders find their stuff as soon as they arrive at the bivouac before starting to work on their machines. In general, quick links based on solidarity, mutual aid, comfort and friendship are created between the riders in MALLE MOTO.
A MALLE MOTO Trophy is awarded to the winner of the category, at Lac Rose in Dakar.

         

THE ESSENTIAL TIRE ASSISTANCE

AFRICA ECO RACE also supplies tires during the race. Composed of a professional team, the tire assistance will provide the participants in tires and will make the necessary assemblies as well for the cars as the motorbikes or quads.

SOLIDARITY ACTIONS

For many competitors, this rally is also an opportunity to get to know the people. As a result, more and more of them, each year, carry precious treasures such as school supplies, clothes and toys that they distribute throughout their journey.
What could be more beautiful than sharing, see the look and smiles of the people.

         

THE ECO SPIRIT OF THE RACE

As of the second edition, the event was named AFRICA ECO RACE and a new category "Experimental" was born. For example, since 2012, competitors have entered this category reserved for "green" vehicles.
This was the case of pilots whose bikes were equipped with photovoltaïc solar panels such as André LENOBLE. Others, like Willy JOBARD, rode on hybrid machines running with water or also running on Bioethanol. Finally, in 2017, Arnaud JACQUART, was the first driver in the history of the off-road rallies to ride with a 100% electric machine.
Cars and trucks are no exception as well. Example with a car, the OSCAR EO, built by the Latvian “Team Latvia”, was the first electrically powered vehicle to arrive in Dakar. But efforts are also made on the side of the trucks like the Team KAMAZ which uses a hybrid truck running with natural gas.

 

THE ECO SPIRIT OF THE ORGANIZATION

AFRICA ECO RACE clearly shows its determination to give sustainable development a real dimension by integrating it into the daily organization of the race through different ways of approaching and having an eco-responsible behavior, with an emphasis on individual awareness and the environment.
The African economy is benefitting of the rally by using local service providers for setting up and cleaning of bivouacs, the waste that can be incinerated on site, recovered oils, garbage bags are sent to the closest waste treatment center.
Similarly, the route is defined in close collaboration with the authorities of the countries crossed in order to avoid protected areas such as national parks.
A number of vehicles in the organization are equipped with photovoltaïc solar panels in order to use the energy stored throughout the day to carry accomplish their missions (chrono at the finish, on-line rankings or simple power supply of the vehicle).

THE ORGANIZATION IN ECO MODE

In 2010, Mauritania decided to plant nearly 400 000 shrubs in the years to come in order to fight against the sea taking over the land and to fix the sand dunes which tend go towards on the capital, Nouakchott. The AFRICA ECO RACE is still participating in this action and in 2017 trees will still be offered by the rally in order to intensify reforestation efforts.