|
The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is recognised as being one of the world’s toughest and most prestigious cross-country rallies and with over 130 entrants this year, and hundreds more support staff, marshals and officials involved over the five days of competitive action, making it happen is no small undertaking. Yet none of it would be possible without the input of the people who run Race Control, ensuring that the rally passes as smoothly as possible.
This small group of eight people works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that competitors can complete the race as safely as possible, coordinating every car, bike, quad, truck and helicopter out on the dunes of the stunning Western Region desert. “This is the nerve centre of the whole operation,” explains Ronan Morgan, Clerk of the Course. “We make the decisions about how the race runs.”
Race Control’s main responsibility is to track every competitor, monitoring exactly where they are and exactly when they have a problem. They do this by way of a tracking device fitted to every participating vehicle, which is monitored by a number of computers back at race control. If a racer experiences an emergency, he or she can push a red button to raise the alarm.
To guarantee a rapid response, two people - the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief of Search and Rescue - are dedicated to coordinating three helicopters. They receive medical reports from competitors and officials, and then prioritise the use of resources to ensure that racers can be confident of a speedy rescue if required. The Desert Challenge Search and Rescue team is recognised as being the best in the business, with an average response time of just 15 minutes, and has been commended by competitors and governing bodies, the FIA and the FIM, alike.
Given that the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is regarded as one of the most demanding rallies anywhere in the world, the importance of this service cannot be underestimated. “If you talk to many of the drivers, they’ll tell you that this is a tougher rally than the Dakar,” said Morgan. “It’s the nature of the desert terrain.”
Along with coordinating the helicopters, Race Control manages the three sweep teams that patrol the stages each day, either rushing to an emergency to provide medical assistance or picking up competitors with mechanical issues. These teams plan well in advance, and know exactly what their role is each day months before the rally.
It is also Race Control’s job to ensure that every competitor makes it back to the bivouac desert base before daylight fades. In the dark, the Search and Rescue teams’ work is made incredibly difficult - even with the help of GPS tracking, response times would increase significantly. So as dusk approaches, it is up to Morgan to decide if and when racers should be pulled out of the desert.
Of course, Race Control’s other main function is to determine the competitors’ times and results. Through a combination of using GPS tracking and having officials stationed at regular checkpoints, times are recorded and verified. The timekeepers also allocate penalties to those who fail to adhere to the rules of the rally, for example racers who exceed the maximum time allowed to complete a stage. Once all times are confirmed for the day, the results from each stage are calculated and published.
Morgan stated that this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has been run extremely smoothly, but he also said that, before the days of computers, mobile phones and satellite tracking, undertaking such a demanding rally was much more dangerous. Competitors would have basic transponders installed onto their vehicles, which could be activated in the event of an emergency. However the signal would go to rally headquarters in France, from where officials would have to contact the on-site Race Control with details about the racers’ location, making response times longer. There would also be a lot more manpower involved, with at least five helicopters scouting the stages for stragglers and problems. Morgan stresses that today, the entire operation is much more efficient and, therefore, much safer.
|
New
Review
Abu Dhabi International Airport - 41°F
