France-Based Susan Alemann off to Drive the Sahara

New Zealander Susan Alemann and Briton Helen Tait Wright, both in their fifties, are competing in an all-women off-road car rally taking place in the Sahara Desert, Morocco, English-language French news site, The Connexion reports.

The Deux-Sèvres-based pair will drive a 4X4 Land Rover a total distance of 7100km from France to Morocco, where they will then compete in the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles. They departed Nice for the African continent on 18 September.

The race proper will take place over six stages and last nine days, between September 22 and 30. They will traverse around 1500km of the Sahara Desert, and will have only a compass and a map from the 1950s to complete the race.

Alemann, a consultant,  is the first person from New Zealand to compete in the race, which she said was a motivating factor for participating.

Tait Wright told The Connexion: “I’ve done it before so I know it’s not going to be easy.”

Original article by The Connexion, September 18, 2021.