ORGANIZATION AND SAFETY
THE EVENT ORGANIZER : MAÏENGA
Maïenga is an international sports event management agency founded in 1990.
Now counting 25 employees, Maïenga’s purpose is to create and support unique, innovative projects. To that end, our team puts the utmost respect, responsibility and quality into its work.
Building on its proven experience with the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, Maïenga now applies its savoir-faire to its other major events: the Bab el Raid, a challenge-based rally for 2WD vehicles, the GAM, ), a rally for men’s and mixed teams based on the concept of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc, and the latest addition: the Trek’in Gazelles whose 1st edition took place in November 2021.
Our priority has always been to ensure the sécurité of everyone involved, participants and organizers alike, as well as to respect the local populations of our host country. We firmly believe that quality is more important than quantity. For that reason, our events will not become huge mass-produced rally raids. We prefer to remain the best rather than the biggest.
Visit our website : maienga.com
EVENT ORGANIZATION
The ceremonial start takes place in France after the technical and administrative verifications. The teams then meet up with non-European teams in Morocco, host country from the very beginning.
The competition begins following a mandatory general briefing.
In Morocco
The Organizer provides support for the participants in every aspect of the competition: competition management, safety officials, race marshals, rankings officials, 4×4 drivers, photographers, cameramen, film editors, producers, writers, webmasters, translators, photo indexers, mechanical engineers, mechanics, fuel attendants, cooks, wait staff, workers…
• 500 m² dining tent, 3 media tents, 1 Gazelles clinic, 1 lounge area, 3 restroom trailers…
• 12,000 meals served, 26,000 bottles of water, 70,000 litres of fuel, 20 tonnes of waste incinerated, 50 tonnes of equipment
• 1 ferry and 4 flights chartered for the event
• 1 travelling post office is set up to allow the Gazelles to communicate with the outside world (more than 25,000 emails processed during each edition).Bivouac and logistics
The Rallye relies on an impressive logistical organization!
The bivouac (base camp) is a real nomad village in true Moroccan style, moving along with the Rallye. It is home to some 700 people, coming to life on the day of the prologue and never sleeping. It meets three objectives:
• To provide a peaceful haven for competitors where they can rest and recuperate,
• To provide journalists with the best working conditions,
• To provide organizers (staff) with the technical means to accomplish their mission.Clean bivouac
The Rallye respects the areas it travels through by picking up, sorting and incinerating all the waste produced by the caravan, taking care to leave a “clean bivouac” behind.
Sport and Safety
Competition management and safety are two essential aspects of the Rallye. To that end, the Organizer devotes considerable human and technical resources to meeting well-defined quality and safety standards.
Competition management
A management team (Sports Director, race marshals, assistance mechanics…) operates around the clock. Cutting-edge technological resources are used to keep the event running smoothly.
Communications and telecommunications
Extensive satellite and radio resources are dedicated to ensuring the Rallye’s communication needs both internally and with the rest of the world (50 radios, 8 VHF relays, 40 satellite telephones).
The mechanics area
A team of mechanics with considerable technical resources at their disposal ensure the daily servicing and repair of all vehicles. 2 tank trucks deliver fuel to the bivouac.
SAFETY
The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc has been using a satellite security system (Iritrack) since 2001.
This system makes it possible for the Organizer to follow all teams live by satellite 24 hours a day and to ensure optimal safety during the competition.
- This system has been tried and tested on rallies for many years,
- It has proven to be solid and reliable for information transmission,
- Teams are able to send medical and mechanical alerts, which are received by the Organizer,
- Teams can contact the Organizer directly.
With all of Iritrack’s technical capabilities, the Organizer is able to guarantee the safety of all teams.
As technology has its limits, the organization provides a backup system to be used in the event of malfunction. Each team is also given a second device : a SARSAT distress beacon, used in aviation, the navy and sporting events all over the world.
In addition, 360 organizers on location assure the comfort and security of the participants throughout the Rallye.
SHARED MECHANICAL ASSISTANCE
40 mechanics are on location to check and repair the Gazelles’ vehicles.
Mechanical assistance is shared by all teams, both out on the course during competition legs and in the evening at the bivouac. This is one of the unique features of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles. No other assistance team is authorized.
During the legs of the competition, in the event of a mechanical problem, any team may call for mechanical assistance, which will respond as quickly as possible. This assistance will cost the team in penalty points.
Every evening during the competition, a “bivouac mechanics workshop” takes charge of the vehicles. The team, along with the person in charge of the workshop, checks the vehicle for any necessary maintenance or repairs. No penalty points are applied for mechanical intervention at the bivouac.
L’assistance mécanique est incluse dans les droits d’inscription.
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L’assistance mécanique est incluse dans les droits d’inscription.
REAL-TIME TEAM TRACKING
Creative and unique, the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc was the first to offer Internet users the opportunity to follow the team of their choice live, thanks to the satellite positioning system installed in each vehicle.
Families, friends, fans and sponsors can experience the competition in real time by following the teams as they move across an interactive map. The rankings are posted on line every evening, keeping them up to date on how their favourite teams are doing.
This ability to follow the competition live is also a powerful tool for companies, allowing them to unite their employees around a dynamic project.
In addition, the organisation provides a space at the bivouac where teams can receive messages of encouragement from their families, partners and friends !
