The first Moroccan stage of the seventh edition of the Africa Eco Race perfectly tested the entire starting field. The PROMET/EXCALIBUR team of Tomáš Tomeček was able to win second place in the truck category and fifth place in the overall classification. Despite the relatively short kilometer length, with the stage from Nador to Jorf El Hamam measuring "just" 117 km, the stage featured a number of technically challenging sections. The warning of the sports director of the competition and the legend of long-distance competitions, René Metge , that navigation will play a key role was also confirmed.
Morocco welcomed the racing field with sunny blue skies. The impression of warmth was spoiled only by the stronger wind. After completing the necessary formalities associated with entering the country, which had already begun during the cruise, motorcycles, followed by cars, and finally trucks set off for the first connecting stage in the territory of Morocco. After sixty-six kilometers, the starting line regrouped. The trucks were the last to set off on the special stage track at two-minute intervals, and the 100% Tomečkova Tatra was the first to set off on the track.
" Láďa and I agreed on a strategy in advance and we tried to stick to it, " Tomáš Tomeček describes the course of the first stage. " On a stage as short as today's, you can gain a few minutes by driving on the edge, but you can also lose everything, and we certainly didn't want to admit that. The race will most likely be decided in the challenging dune fields of Mauritania, so we definitely didn't want to get carried away."
What did the stage look like through the eyes of navigator Ladislav Lála ? " For me, it was quite an adrenaline-filled ride, and at times we flipped through the pages of the itinerary like a magazine. Some items were separated by only a hundred meters. The accumulation of such navigation tricks in combination with quite dynamic driving presents an ideal opportunity to make a mistake. After fourteen kilometers, we drove around a car stuck in a ditch, near which a helicopter had already landed. Unfortunately, one of the biggest favorites in the category of cars here ended his performance in the competition prematurely. "
Tomáš Tomeček continues to describe the moments of the stage that stuck in his memory the most: " Relatively soon, the first Kamaz caught up with us, so I sportily let it go in front of us. There was a smiling communication over the intercom, but Láďa and I agreed that we would go at our own pace. I tried to save the Tatra, because we still have the whole race ahead of us. I am satisfied with the result, however, this is still only the first stage."
By the way, Tatrovek goes to the Africa Eco Race five times. In addition to Tomeček's special and assistance, there are also two balai ("broom") trucks that drive behind the race and help the equipment and crews in an emergency, and then one more assistance truck.
The second stage leading from Jorf El Hamam to Tagounite promises over 377 sharp kilometers and, according to the competition directorate, competitors can look forward not only to beautiful terrains, but also to the first dunes and, of course, other navigation tricks.
Source: Tomáš Tomeček
