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Providing a temporary home for almost 600 people amidst some of the most spectacular yet wild desert terrain in the world is no easy task, but that is exactly what the organisers and partners of this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge have done in the UAE’s Western Region.
The desert base, or bivouac as it is known, is located near to the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara and for five days will be home to the teams competing in the race, the media covering it, and the organisers who have made it possible. It contains a fully-functioning restaurant, a state-of-the-art media centre with wi-fi internet access, numerous temporary office cabins, a highly-capable medical centre, dozens of tents and toilet and shower facilities - it is a mini-city amidst the rolling dunes of Liwa.
Since March, the dedicated members of the rally organisers, the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), have worked tirelessly to coordinate the elements required for one of the world’s largest rallying events to function. They have supervised the building of the bivouac from scratch, and are now charged with the day-to-day running of the site, ensuring that all of its residents are provided with everything required for a comfortable stay.
“We need to run everything about this place,” said an ATCUAE representative. “If anything goes wrong, say, if any generator stops, then everything fails; if there’s a problem with the water mains, then everything fails. It’s a tough job.”
The Ruler’s Representative Court of the Western Region has played a massive role in the support and coordination of this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, as has the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), which owns the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara. TDIC has given the rally its full backing by providing the area in which the bivouac is based. The five-star hotel is providing mains water for use in the bivouac, and has members of its engineering staff on-site to ensure that the supply remains constant. The luxury resort is also providing the use of its Cultural Centre, where the restaurant is based, and a Bedouin-style Arabic tent to be enjoyed by residents.
The UAE Army has been extremely valuable in the running of the bivouac, providing portacabins and military tents for participants to sleep in, as well as cranes and trucks. Officers are on hand to help the organisers with any other requirements.
The support of the Abu Dhabi Police has been invaluable, with the Service providing ambulances, civil defence vehicles and patrol cars to ensure that the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge runs to the highest safety standards possible.
The local government departments - Al Gharbia Municipality - has played a key role in putting together this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Keen to showcase the area’s stunning scenery to the rest of the world, it has been extremely accommodating in helping to set up the bivouac.
Also indispensible has been the help of ADNOC, which has provided and delivered all of the diesel fuel required for the camp’s electricity generators. The oil firm has made the race itself possible by providing fuel tankers for competitors and support cars.
Last but not least, helping the event run in a clean and healthy manner, the support of Abu Dhabi Waste Management has been essential in ensuring that all of the waste generated as a result of hosting almost 600 people is disposed of correctly.
“For this kind of rally, people need food, they need comfortable accommodation and they need showers,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Vice-president of the FIA and president of ATCUAE. “And this is what we have provided, thanks to all of the parties involved.”
The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is one of the world’s top cross-country rallies and continually attracts some of the most famous rally drivers and riders from across the globe. It continues until April 7, and this year a landmark partnership with Eurosport TV will see daily global broadcasts of all the action.
The event is organised by the ATCUAE under the title sponsorship of ADTA, and is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region. It is backed by a high-profile line-up of sponsors and supporters that includes Al Gharbia, ADNOC, Rotana - Yas Island, Al Ain Water, TAG Heuer, Explorer and Nissan – the all-terrain Nissan Patrol, dubbed ‘The Hero of All Terrain’, is the official vehicle of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
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