Silk Way Rally Stage 1

The 2011 Silk Way rally kicks off in Moscow on Saturday, in an event that will see the participation of 140 crews from 25 countries and is due to wrap up in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on July 16. The Voice of Russia will keep a watchful eye on the event, with its special reports due to be available to VOR listeners in the next seven days.

Many have already likened the Silk Way rally, which is being held for the third time, to the Dakar race in terms of ever-increasing popularity ratings. The routes of the first two Silk Way rallies passed through the cities of Kazan, Ashgabat, St.Petersburg and Sochi.

This year, a record number of participants are taking part in the event, including prizewinners of the Dakar rally. In a truck category, the main competition is tipped to be between Russia’s KAMAZ team and their rivals from TATRA, MAN, GINAF and DE ROOJ.

Due on Moscow’s Red Square later on Saturday, the opening ceremony will see a freestyle motor rally and a concert with the participation of Bolshoi Theater soloists.

Semen Yakubov is head of the Silky Way project.

“135 crews from 25 countries are taking part in the 2011 Silk Way rally, which attracts scores of journalists from many countries, who will see for themselves how Russia is preparing for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Yakubov says. The rally will be something of a test for us ahead of the Sochi Games, he adds, citing an array of high-tech achievement that he says will be used during the rally.”

Sunday will see the start of the rally’s first stage at a field in the Tula region, where the Battle of Kulikovo took place on September 3, 1380, in an event that added significantly to the overthrow of the Tatar yoke in then-Kievan Rus.

Organizers say that the rally’s program will help participants to better understand Russia’s geography, history and culture – something that is specifically thumbed up by pilot Gilles Picard of France.

A Dakar rally veteran, Picard was at the helm of those tasked with implementing reconnaissance of the Moscow-Sochi route earlier this year. At the time, his crew covered a whopping 35,000 kilometers in a bid to pave the way for the Silk Way rally’s current 3,950-km route.

The route is full of dangerous sections, Picard said, citing mountains, sands, swamps and forests, which are not uncommon across Russia. Separately, he praised the organization of the 2011 Silk Way rally, which, along with traditional Russian hospitality, is almost certain to contribute to the event’s success.

In rainy conditions, Loprais did well in the Silk Way Rally’s first stage, apart from a navigation fault after having taken the wrong track during 8 km. He drove back and overtook most of his rivals.

1st Stage Moscow – Lipetsk, Special 261 km, the total order