Second edition of Rally Jameel set to start in AlUla

JEDDAH: On Tuesday, March 7, the second edition of Rally Jameel will kick off with the tech inspection and registration at AlUla. 

Fifty teams will take part in the off-road rally in Saudi Arabia — the first all-women off-road navigation rally.

With a 1,600 km route that starts in AlUla and ends in Qassim via Hail, the rally is focused on testing navigation and skills on a route that varies between 300 to 500 km per day over the course of five days. The route will feature checkpoints and navigation through heritage sites, with exciting details to unfold.

The endurance competition is based on precision driving and navigating — not the fastest speed — using maps, compasses, roadbooks, and strategy.

This year, teams hail from 11 countries. Each team consists of a driver, navigator, and their vehicle, with no support crews allowed.

The rally is being held under the patronage of Princess Reema bint Bandar, the Kingdom’s ambassador to the US, and under the umbrella of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation with recognition from the FIA Women in Motorsport Committee.

A press conference held on Wednesday at Hussain Jameel Hall was attended by Munir Khoja, managing director of marketing communication at Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, Abdullah Bakhashab, organizer of Rally Jameel, and other event participants.

Khoja told Arab News that this year’s edition is going to be different in terms of distance and days.

“Our valued proposition at Abdul Latif Jameel is ‘Take on Tomorrow,’ which means tomorrow will not happen if you don’t begin,” Khoja said. “We prepared a platform for all women to begin and that’s what Rally Jameel achieved in its first edition, when we had new female drivers who had never before engaged in any