Fri 27 April 2012

2nd Round World Championship Rally: Sealine Rally Qatar

Now, less than 3 weeks after the finish of the first round of the World Championship Rally in Abu Dhabi, the second round has finished in Qatar. The Sealine rally is organised in Qatar, 1 of the 7 United Arab Emirates. Last year, this event was a 2 day Baja. This year the organization wanted to have a real World Championship Rally and upgraded the existing Baja to a 5-day event, with more miles and that gave them this year the ‘rally’ status.

Juan Carlos Salvatierra crossed, for the 2nd time in a short timeline the Atlantic Ocean, from Bolivia to the United Arab Emirates. His choice to return for the second round of the World Championship appears to be a good one. Juan Carlos rode an excellent and very steady rally. He became respectively 13th, 16th, 14th, 15th and 16th which eventually gave him a 12th position in the final classification. The riders in front of him were all top 10 Dakar riders, with an addition of 2 local heroes. Juan Carlos was able to follow the pace and finished every day behind the current Dakar topriders.

The only stain is his strong performance was a small slide on day 2, where he injured his arm. Forgetting that one mistake, he rode an almost perfect rally. Juan Carlos rode his own trusted Honda CRF450 Dakar X. The same bike he used in Dakar and during the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Earlier this year he finished the Dakar as best amateur, 2 weeks ago he finished the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and now he finished the Sealine rally in Qatar. This is not worth only a compliment to the motorbike, but also to Juan Carlos who can get the most out of his motorcycle, but who is also aware of the fact that his motorcycle is the tool/object who has to bring him to the finish.

Again there was a very strong list of entries and particularly because of that it was a great pity that our own ‘local hero’ Sam Sunderland could not ride in Qatar because of his foot injury.

Now Team Bel-Ray Super B Honda runs the complete World Championship Rally, time flies by. But in the mean while Dakar 2013 is already knocking at the door.

This past week the A.S.O. announced the 2013 route and in another 3 weeks the registering for the 34th edition of the Dakar rally will opened.

But before we will start there; ‘first things first’ we will participate in the 3th round of the World Championship Rally in Sardegna at the end of June.

So we have a very busy, but exciting program. All with the eyes/focus on Dakar 2013.

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