The Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), organizers of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, have announced a partnership with Thuraya to provide a number of its XT mobile satellite handsets and Thuraya IP terminals to facilitate communications and reduce response times in case of emergencies during the rally.
The Abu Dhabi Challenge, which is being held under the Patronage of His Highness Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative for Al Gharbia Region, and organized by the Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), has run every year since 1991 — 2010 is the 20th edition of this event. FIA Vice President and President of the ATCUAE, Mr. Mohammed ben Sulayem, said, “The five stages of the Challenge will feature demanding loop stages around Moreeb Hill, across somewhat challenging gatch tracks, winding desert trails and the region’s notorious towering sand dunes located in the Rub Al Khali, The Empty Quarter.
“Each stage has been divided by passage controls and route waypoints that are manned by experienced marshals and support crew who have always responded to emergencies in exemplary fashion in the past relying on the traditional radio communication system. This year, in a bold move, we have decided to forego the traditional radio system and instead adopt Thuraya’s advanced satellite telecommunications technology to enhance the quality and reliability of communications which is vital to a successful event, and will also sharply reduce the response time in case of emergency,” Sulayem added.
The five-day competitive section of the cross-country motor sport spectacular opens in Abu Dhabi on March 27. The desert section runs from March 28-April 1, 2010, and is open to competitors driving cars and trucks that comply with FIA T1, T2 and T4 technical regulations and motorcyclists and quads running under the auspices of the FIM.
Once again, the event will be the season-opening round of both the FIA Cross Country Rallies World Cup and the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship. The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has traditionally attracted a host of partners, and in 2010 these include Nissan, ADNOC, Al Ain Water, Crowne Plaza Yas Island, Explorer, FedEx, Tag Heuer and Thuraya.
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