Moscow to Mongolia by Porsche
Laurance Yap
Special to the Star
My only knowledge of Siberia comes from Tom Clancy novels and, to be honest, it didn't sound like a place I'd ever want to visit.
But when the call came asking if I wanted to spend more than two weeks driving through in one of the world's longest, most grueling rallies, I jumped at the chance. Who wouldn't want to participate in such a big, crazy event? Especially from behind the wheel of a factory-prepared Porsche Cayenne?
Launched in 2003 and now organized by a group of German off-road enthusiasts, the Rallye Transsyberia covers more than 6,200 km of roads and off-road trails through Russia and Mongolia, skirting along the edge of the Gobi desert before ending in Ulaanbaatar.
Scoring is based on a combination of time-speed-distance stages, where the goal is to be exactly on time (we'll be penalized if we're early or late) as well as special stages where competitors will have to drive flat-out over off-road stretches from 45 to more than 200 km.
While the organizers bill it as the "last great adventure," we will
be backed up by a fair bit of technology. Each entrant receives a
standard GPS unit as part of the entry fee that was 1,700 euros, or about $2,500 (Canadian).
At the beginning of each day, the rally checkpoints are uploaded to the GPS units; then it’s our job to navigate to the GPS co-ordinates and pass them in the designated direction, making the Transsyberia as much a navigational challenge as it is a driving test. Once we leave the main highways in Russia, we'll be camping out.
A total of 50 cars - each with a driver and co-driver - will compete
in this year's rally.
In addition to the factory-backed Cayennes, Suzuki is fielding a team of Grand Vitaras, which should prove to be very competitive during the off-road stages thanks to their small size, great ground clearance and overall nimbleness. There are several entrants running Mercedes-Benz G- and M-class diesels and even a 1971 Porsche 911 "Safari" rally car with a jacked-up suspension and huge knobby tires.
The rally begins with a technical inspection in Red Square on August
2; Kelowna racer Kees Nierop and I will be 20th across the
starting line. Stay tuned!