Ladies of the Dakar rally
Nothing much ladylike when it comes to the most grueling off road rally, at least not until the finishing party...
But as always the women competing in the rally do really bring yet another dimension to the audience. One might think there are few competitors in the motorcycle category and a walk in the park to Spanish Laia Sanz to win again, but not. As always remember: the Dakar is the Dakar. And it hardly even got started. In any case, best wishes of luck to the female contestants of the rally!
Motorcycles
# 45 Laia Sanz (Eulalia Sanz Pla-Gilbert)
Winner of the 2011 Dakar Ladies Trophy and eleven time trial champion Laia Sanz from Spain is back to do her thing - to finish this daring rally and bring home yet another trophy.
Nationality: Spanish
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 1 (2011)
Number of completions: 1 (2011)
Finishing rate: 100%
Riding: CRF 450 X Honda
# 78 Rosa Romero Font
Yes, she is back! Started in the Dakar 2006 on a Yamaha, but withdrew on the fifth stage. Is the mother of three.
Nationality: Spanish
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 1
Number of completions: 0
Finishing rate: 0%
Riding: KTM 450
Note: married to Dakar rider Nani Roma for fifteen years. Guess how they met? During a rally ofcourse.
Quads
# 259 Camelia Liparoti
Journalist and photographer Camelia Liparoti starts her fourth Dakar. Finishing last year with a tenth position.
Nationality: Italian (but living in France)
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 3 (2009, 2010, 2011)
Number of completions: 2 (2010, 2011)
Finishing rate: 66%
Driving: YFM 700 R Yamaha
Cars
Driver
# 320 Isabelle Patissier
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 10 (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Number of completions: 5 (2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011)
Finishing rate: 50%
Nationality: French
Driving: Buggy Dessoude
Note: Two timer world champion in climbing. Co-driver: Thierry Delli-Zotti
# 411 Stefanie Manns
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 0
Number of completions: 0
Finishing rate: 0%
Nationality: German
Driving: Pro Dakar Enduro McRae
Note: Has a backround on circuits and is said to be fast, started in the Silk way rally, but was out on the first stage. Co-driver: Pieter Van Kruijsdijk
Co-driver car category
# 337 Eugenie Decré
Nationality: Swiss
Co-driver of Gert Huzink
Car: Racing Lancer MP10
# 358 Christina Favre
Nationality: French
Co-driver of: Frederic Favre
Car: Landcruiser 105 HZJ Toyota
#461 Adriana Andreani
Nationality: Argentinean
Co-driver of: José Antonio Blangino
Car: Buggy Polaris
Co-driver truck category
#522 Fina Roman
Nationality: Spanish
Co-driver of Jordan Juvanteny
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 10
Note: started her career out in the Schlesser team in the assistance vehicle and married to racer Jose Maria Servia.
Truck: TGA 26480 MAN
#564 Eleonora Dal Pra
Nationality: Italian
Co-driver of: Giulio Verzeletti
Truck: Unimog 400 Mercedes
Who are them gals missing out?
Them lovely ladies that throughout the years have been hauling some ass in the dunes and also made that extra dimension to the rally will be very much missed. But certainly not forgotten, just to mention a few:
Annie Seel (SWE) - Rally princess who has an impressive and inspiring track record when it comes to rally raiding or riding - 20 starts and 20 finishes.
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 5 (2002, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Number of completions: 5
Finishing rate: 100%
Note: Won the Dakar Ladies Trophy in 2010. And will be seen in the dunes next year in four wheels.
Mirjam Pol (NLD) - a great enduro rider that has spent a fare share of her time on the bike.
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 5 (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Number of completions: 4
Finishing rate:
Note: Won the Dakar Ladies Trophy in 2009.
Tamsin Jones (GBR) - a natural born fighter, she just wouldn´t cave in, though she hardly slept anything debuting in the rally 2010.
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 1 (2010)
Number of completions: 1
Finishing rate: 100%
Note: Should immediately sign up for a new start in the Team Desert Rose.
Tina Meier (DEU)
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 3 (2009, 2010, 2011)
Number of completions: 1 (2010)
Finishing rate: 33%
Note: Tina was forced out of the rally last year after passing the Andés, coming back to Argentina, due to illness.
Silvia Gianetti (ITA)
Beautiful Silvia. Looked as if she was about to start earlier in this year. But not.
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 2 (2010, 2011)
Number of completions: 2 (2010, 2011)
Finishing rate: 100%
Jenny Morgan (UK)
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 1 (2011)
Number of completions: 0
Finishing rate: 0%
Note: Jenny Morgan was unfortunate last year and broke her leg on the fourth stage in Argentina. And on her site she says she is aiming for the 2013 Dakar instead.
Ludivine Puy (FRA)
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 3 (2005, 2006, 2007)
Number of completions: 2 (2005, 2007)
Finishing rate: 66%
Maria Sandell (SWE)
Number of starts in the Dakar rally: 2 (2001, 2002)
Number of completions: 1 (2002)
Finishing rate: 50%
Note: First Swedish female to finish the Dakar rally on motorcycle.
Hi Marie, thanks for a fantastic blog!!
ReplyDeleteJust a quick note: Laia is #45 this year.
She was #44 last year, in the 2011 Dakar.
Keep the awesome updates coming!!!
Daver :)
Thank you so much, just updated it!
ReplyDeleteAnd what happened with our favorite from past Africa years - Ludivine Puy? Is she riding or not any more?
ReplyDeleteUpdating! At your service:-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Marie, did she commented any chances to be on Dakar again? Or perhaps Andrea Mayer?
ReplyDeleteFriends mentioned few more ladies at Dakar 2012:
ReplyDeleteStefanie Manns (411 rider)
Christina Favre (358 navigator)
Adriana Andreani (461 navigator)
Eleonora Dal Pra (564 navigator)
On website of team Pro Dakar is mentioned, that Stefanie Manns is one of eleven women participating in race.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for contributing!!!
ReplyDeleteThomas, I was not in contact with her, just visited her site, and there is a link if you click her name.
Don´t know if you know that Andrea switched from motorbike to the heavy machinery; trucks and was back last year competing. I met her many years ago in the Dubai rally, and then me and Maria Sandell (who also has to go on the list) visited her in Hamburg where she was in the BMW showroom.
Dome, will try to find the correct info and add it. Really great with your input, am very thankful. As you probably know there is not easy to find the girls without knowing their names, and rarely or never does the dakar.com provide you with the specifics on this matter...
Thanks Marie, I know... :)
ReplyDelete;-)
ReplyDelete