12 January 2015 | 11:41

Kazakhstan's crews successfully complete stage 9 of Africa Eco Race-2015

Off-road vehicle of Kanat Shagirov and Alexander Moroz. Photo courtesy of the official website,

The ninth stage of the Africa Eco Race-2015 has finished on January 8, in Akjoujt, Mauritania, Tengrinews reports citing Vesti.kz.

The ninth stage of the Africa Eco Race-2015 has finished on January 8, in Akjoujt, Mauritania, Tengrinews reports citing Vesti.kz.

The participants had to drive 390 km from Azougui to Akjoujt in Mauritania, of which 366 km were special sections. This stage was sandy and rocky all across the White Valley. The competitors also had to overcome a huge erg completely off-road.

Route layout graph. Photo courtesy of the official website.

The winning time of the stage belonged to the French crew representing Bugg Afrique team - Jean Antoine Sabatier and Jean-luc Rojat (#201, BUGGA ONE). It took 4 hours for the French racers to cover the distance.

Thanks to this, the French crew got the first line in the overall standings as well as among cars in T1 group (significantly modified all-terrain vehicles).

The crew of Kanat Shagirov and Alexander Moroz (#215, Toyota Hilux Overdrive) representing Mobilex Racing Team showed the best result among Kazakhstan’s crews. Their time was 4 hours 45 minutes and 24 seconds. As a result, the Kazakh crew came fourth at the ninth stage in its T1 group and sixth in the overall (summed up time after nine stages).

Kazakhstan’s crew from Off Road Kazakhstan team – Andrey Cherednikov and Dmitriy Tsyro (#218, Hummer H3) finished the stage fifth in its T1 group and ninth in the overall rankings with 4 hours 46 minutes and 53 seconds.

Yuriy Sazonov and Arslan Sakhimov (#216, Hummer H3) from Mobilex Racing Team were seventh in T1 group according to the results of the ninth stage and still maintained their fifth position in the general standings. The crew's time was 4 hours 48 minutes and 54 seconds.

The only Kazakhstan’s crew in T2 group (all-terrain vehicles with small difference from production models) Marat Abykayev and Andrey Chipenko (#217, Nissan Patrol) from Off Road Kazakhstan team came third among T2 cars in the ninth stage. They covered the distance in 6 hours 11 munites and 31 seconds. This enabled the Kazakh crew to rise to the 15th line in the overall standings (previously they held the 18th position).

As for bikers, the only biker representing Kazakhstan Vadim Pritulyak (#104, KTM 500) from Mobilex Racing Team drove 5 hours 8 minutes and 5 seconds, thus finishing the stage second in his +450 group and getting the 8th line in the overall standings.

The participants had another three stages to overcome before the rally marathon end on January 11 at Lake Retba in Dakar (Senegal).

Off-road vehicle of Kanat Shagirov and Alexander Moroz. Photo courtesy of the official website.

Off-road vehicle of Yuriy Sazonov and Arslan Sakhimov. Photo courtesy of the official website.

Photo courtesy of the official website.

By Assel Satubaldina

race news Kazakhstan Kazakh competition Africa