30.10. - 13.11.2010

The pretour for the „ElChott 2010“ has been outstandingly successful! A big “Thank You” to all participants!

With 4 rallye- and one supply vehicle we have checked and registered all planned tracks as well as the service-routes. Alltogether more than 4.500 Km documented in more than 2.000 roadbook-pictograms! I can only say: a big job and a lot of work, done by our team and monitored closely by several hundred interested live via the Explona-online-tracking.

Jörg Schumann

The pretour to the ElChott 2010

has begun with 5 ORGA teams. You can watch the tracks we are doing by the explona-tracking-system live on the Internet.-> Pretour-Tracking

Back from Tunisia.

Actually right now (end of March) I had planned to be back from Libya.

It had been my plan to accompany the Libya Rallyof the Belgian organizer Gert Duson with my truck as the second "Sweeper" together with Uwe Ziegler and his Kat, but things turned out completely different.

Scarcely three weeks before the departure of the ferry the Belgian called me and asked me if I could imagine to organize a replacement-event in Tunisia, of course "just in case".

This was a really short notice - but I could imagine to manage that.

After another week, that means 14 days before the start of the rally, we started to work on "Plan B", simultaneously with the preparations for the original Libya Rally. This meant among others selection of proven rally tracks (all from the "Erg Oriental" over the last three years), writing road-books, generate lists for gaining various permissions and last not least to integrate the participants of Wolfgang Pasettis "Libya Rally Raid" who wanted to offer his participants also the security of an "replacement event". To make things short: A huge workload and short nights!

10 days before the start of the rally "Plan B" went into the final stage: Apply for approvements with the Tunisian authorities for the complete event, for entering the northern part of the restricted area, drawing maps for each race- and transferstage and mail them, collect copies of all passports and vehicle licenses and present them to the authorities etc. etc. To bring things to a good end Jörg "Steini" Steinhäuser appeared just in time at the appropriate authorities like "Jack out of the box".

At the 5th of March the all national and international participants of the Libya Rally were informed that they had to be satisfied with a rally in Tunisia. Simultaneously Steini communicated the "green signal" for the event by the Tunisian authorities. "At the moment it is only by word, but don´t worry the stamped approval will follow."

So the "Emergency Schedule"  became first choice.

The event itself took course surprisingly well, despite the "shortened"  time for preparation. After in the beginning a few things had to be sorted out in the " mixed"  organization everyone worked successfully hand in hand. After overcoming some reservations the participants of both rallies drove a fair and very sportive competition and not only that the days stages were ranked together also the award-giving-ceremony was carried out together by both event managers.

Coming to the end we can for sure talk about a unique event, two rallies in one, on replacement tracks, in a different country than originally planned, this had not been there until now!

It has been a great joy for me to have been part of it and I´m also a little proud to have helped to make it works.

But now I may and I will turn againt to my own event.

Shortly after Eastern on the 10th of April we will start with 5 teams to our scout-tour for the " EL CHOTT 2010"

For 3.600 Km planned rally-tracks that means in scarcely 14 days (and nights): Driving tracks, draw signs, check coordinates, just roadbook-writing at its best. The last preparations are under way !!!!

Jörg Schumann

Adventure Class

The guidance of the tourism group has taken over Andreas Hentschel with his company Reisemagnet. Already for some years he organises adventure travelling to Libya, Namibia or Tunisia. We are glad to have him in our ORGA.

The presentation of the rally planning in 2010

on 16th of January on the postmeeting to the Erg Oriental in the Eisenacher Haus has found a big reminiscence.

In the time from the 11th to the 23rd of April the pretour will take place.

And all other details, up to the end of the pretour still temporary, to schedule and distance guidance are to be found here.

With a new Organizer, under a new Name into the new Season 2010

Jörg (Steini) Steinhäuser has retreated from the active rally-business - he says. Who knows him closer will not really believe him.

Correct is, that after 29 years he passed on the directors-chair of his rally „Erg Oriental“ to me, but will remain in the function of an advisor with our rally and the participants.

Together with him and the major part of the previous members of the organisation I will take care of the continuation of his legendary rally-tradition.

Even if a few things will change, as for example the name of the event – easily to be distinguished in the new logo- these changes happen in just this tradition. So to speak: Back to the roots.

Needless to say I also know –after all we also organize motorsport events since 12 years- that nowadays participants make different and higher demands to the organization and realization of a modern Sahara-Rally than in the early days of the „Chott-el-Jerid“ in the 80´s of the last century. But Steinis vision to practice motorsport with equal-minded friends, get to know the country and its people at the same time and always master small adventures by meeting your personal and technical limits in the desert, are my motivation as well.

In this spirit in 2010 with a mix of pists, fast sand-passages and the one or the other dune-crossing, we will organize an ambitious rally for experienced rally-drivers - but also newcomers and participants with non-upgraded vehicles will be able to reach the finish-line of each stage due to balanced track selection. And beyond that there will be a widespread offer for a guided tourist-group with visitation of landmarks and cultural places of interest, some „dune-driving“-lessons and of course plenty of rally-atmosphere in the common camps.

Top priority is for me, as it has been up to now for Jörg Steinhäuser as well, the safety of the participants. This is why the “El Chott 2010“  will be the first amateurrally where the satellite-operated tracking system developed by EXPLONA will be implemented for all vehicles of all classes. This system has been tested successfully during the “Erg Oriental 2009”.

More news here before long.

Up to then I´ll be more than happy to receive Your ideas, critics and proposals by e-mail.

Jörg Schumann