The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc is the only women-only off-road Rallye in the world. Created in 1990, this unique event brings women between the ages of 18 and 71 from more than 30 different countries together in the Moroccan desert. Since its inception, the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles has been creating a new vision of automobile competition: no speed and no GPS, just old fashioned navigation, completely off-road: a return to the roots of Adventure. The only requirement is determination.
The organization has officially landed in the USA. To celebrate, they hosted a fun launch party at Rotisserie Georgette in New York City for the 27th annual event. Attendees included guest of honor Mrs. Christine Lagarde (Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund), Abderrafie Zouiten (Director General of the Moroccan National Office of Tourism), Mardochée Devico (Président Directeur General des Conserves de Meknés), Dominique Serra (Founder of the Rallye Aïcha Des Gazelles Du Maroc), Margo Manhattan, Jean Shafiroff, Christine Cachot, Liza Bensimon, and so much more. The room was packed with eager partygoers who enjoyed Cocktails & Hors D’oeuvres. Guests were excited to learn about the world’s first all-women off-road rallye.
As the night went on, Dominique Serra took to the stage to thank guests for attending the event and for their interest in learning more about the 27th annual rallye. After a short video presentation, she welcomed rallye partners Lisa Bensimon (Conserves de Meknès) and Rita Zniber (Diana Holding foundation) onstage, who spoke about the women “Gazelles” and the challenge yet freedom and commitment it means for the women who enter this once-in-a-lifetime competition. Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde shared how she saw herself as the godmother of the “Gazelles” and her longstanding involvement with the rallye. She highlighted the rallye’s core value of empowering women and how the rallye stands for respect (for both the environment, the people and the country) as well as generosity (because it gives back more than it receives).
All Rallye participants, known as “Gazelles”, leave this adventure marked forever by the experience: they push their limits, have to face themselves, far from their sometimes difficult daily lives as women; there is also a strong element of sharing and mutual aid with their teammate as well as with the other “Gazelles”.
For more information, please visit: coeurdegazelles.org | Facebook: COEUR-DE-GAZELLES
Photos: Patrick McMullan / BFA
1 comment
[…] US Team 2018 of pioneering all-women rallye Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc—the first international off-road rally race of its kind exclusively for women—hosted an event […]
Comments are closed.