TRANSMAROCAINE 2012 - 7th edition

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From Asseghmou to Toufghine

Anne-Marie Dunhill / 16.03.2011

Last night at the bivouac, the race director was tense. Having had to neutralize a section, the weather forecast for today (Tuesday) was menacing with heavy snow predicated above 1,500 m and the race route was traced to go above 2,300 m. He said that the responsibility for the safety of 120 people was a heavy one. He had to take into consideration not only the racers but also the logistics as the three trucks transporting gear had to travel by road over the high mountain passes. The organizing team was briefed on Plan B, C and D and the bivouac went to sleep.

This morning the sun rose to a clear blue sky and with a collective sigh of relief the organizers were able to stick to plan A. Racers took off higher into the mountains on MTB for a stage of 18,1 km. Several landslides had transported mud and rocks onto the road, and constant vigilance was de rigeur. At the end of the section they did a quick transition to a mountain trail in orientation which took them 24 km through the snow.

Part of the organization stopped in a Berber village called Agouddim perched high in the mountains and distributed 50 pairs of Salomon shoes that the employers of one of the teams had provided. The villagers invited us to tea and fresh almonds as teams ran through the village looking for CPs. Each check point on the race is worth a certain time allotment and missed checkpoints incur a time penalty as well.
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