Al Qassim Rally – Desert Racing in the Heart of Saudi
It’s not just the Dakar Rally that’s bringing off-road racing excitement to Saudi Arabia – The Qassim Rally that took place October 23-26 showcased everything that’s great about the Kingdom’s offroad racing scene: Local and international talent, spectacular scenery, and a safety-first culture that meant competitors and spectators alike could focus on the thrills, rather than the spills. Now in its 4th edition, the 600km+ 2024 race was no exception with 61 competitors from 13 different countries.
Al Qassim Province is the physical heart of Saudi Arabia, situated deep in the Kingdom’s geographical center. Here sand dunes shift around rocky outcrops, the uncertain ground challenging racers of every class, while the weather can quickly turn – as seen in the rain and cold winds that mixed things up on the second of the three days of racing this year. Yet, Qassim – both rally and region – also showcased the human element that makes racing here special. The warmth among competitors and spectators, and the tea freshly brewed over open fires that brought warmth back into the racers’ hands as they prepared to face the challenges ahead. The rally brought together seven vehicle classes, including 39 cars, 18 bikes, and six quads over three days of racing.
Motorbike Madness
In the first part of the motorbike category, Kuwaiti rider Abdullah Al-Shatti took the spotlight with a jaw-dropping performance, completing the intense 237-kilometer stage in just over 3 hours and 46 minutes. But UAE’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi secured an overall victory with a consistent performance, with the surprise of the day, South African newcomer, 19-year old Hanno Geyser, taking 2nd place.
SSV Skills on Display
Onto the second day, racing continued over a 384km stage that tested racers and machines to their limits. Amid the spirited racing, Saudi Moaaz Hariri in the SSV car category demonstrated some of the pitfalls of desert racing when a collapsing sand dune sent his vehicle cartwheeling. Fortunately, the only thing harmed were his chances of a stage victory.
Racing in the Rain!
The third and final day brought another challenge of desert racing – cold temperatures and torrential rain! Yet, after marshals completed a safety check, racing continued and, with home on the horizon, drivers knew they had to go “full gas.” In the Ultimate category, it was Saudi heroes Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Dania Akeel who took first and second place respectively, showing just why they’ve risen to the top of the Saudi race scene as they also tested their racing setups for the forthcoming Dakar rally.
Al Qassim rally was not just a mere race of motor vehicles, but yet another testament to Saudi Arabia’s growing attraction as a destination for major global sports. The Kingdom has recently hosted major events such as the Six Kings Slam bringing the biggest names in tennis together, the WTA Finals, and the Ring of Fire presenting Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk in boxing, among others.
Read the full results the Al Qassim Rally here and watch some of the action highlights too!
