{"id":33314,"date":"2023-03-07T13:19:07","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T09:19:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/?post_type=articles&p=33314"},"modified":"2023-03-07T13:19:07","modified_gmt":"2023-03-07T09:19:07","slug":"rally-jameel-saudi-women-race-to-the-finish-line","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/articles\/rally-jameel-saudi-women-race-to-the-finish-line\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Women Race To The Finish Line For The Second Edition Of Rally Jameel"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Rally Jameel 2022 Winners, courtesy of Rally Jameel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nearly four years after a royal decree granted women the right to drive and obtain driving licenses in Saudi Arabia, Rally Jameel was established as the first navigation off-road rally for women in the Kingdom and the region. Now in its second iteration, the motor sporting event has received applications from more than 70 teams from around the world \u2013 double that of last year \u2013 underpinning the growing appetite for women-led initiatives in the Kingdom.<\/p>\n

Part of Saudi Vision 2030, the off-road Navigation Rally brings teams of two women using basic off-road cars and state of the art navigation equipment to compete through hidden Waypoints to collect points on a pre-defined route across the vast deserts of Saudi Arabia. The Rally is initiated by Abdul Latif Jameel Motors and Bakhashab Motorsports, sanctioned by the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and supported by the FIA, through their Women in Motorsport (WIMC) program.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Maha Al-Hamali, Courtesy of Rally Jameel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maha Al-Hamali, a Saudi national who worked in the private sector for years before participated in the Rally\u2019s 1st edition, had never participated in a rally before joining the team in last year\u2019s iteration. She went on to become the 3rd place winner and is now sponsored by Abdul Latif Jameel Motors.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy experience was a mixture of enthusiasm, love of adventure, preparation and many surprises due to my lack of experience,\u201d Al Hamali says. \u201cBut I discovered that dominance is illusory, and that sport does not require masculine characteristics.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Maha Al-Hamali, Courtesy of Rally Jameel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year, participants from more than 16 nationalities have applied to compete in what many participants describe as an adventure, set to take place from March 7th \u2013 11th. The women\u2019s only rally attracts participation from around the world, including the USA, the UK, Spain, Poland, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Italy, France, Syria, Oman, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, and Algeria. The list of countries participating cements the rally\u2019s international status.<\/p>\n

Swedish professional rally driver and second time participant in this year\u2019s edition, Annie Seel, came in 1st<\/sup> place in last year\u2019s edition, underpinning the Rally\u2019s international interest and growing appeal.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year I did not know what to expect as it was my first time participating in a rally that challenged my navigational and precision driving skills,\u201d says Seel, an experienced motorcyclist who has participated in rally\u2019s from all over the world. \u201cWinning was not easy even though I\u2019m an experienced rally driver, which is why I\u2019m back this year. I look forward to re-joining the rally\u2019s all-woman spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Maha Al-Hamali, Courtesy of Rally Jameel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year\u2019s route has been extended to 1,600 km, passing through some of the Kingdom\u2019s most diverse and breathtaking terrains. Starting in AlUla, Teams will drive through a striking course on their way to Hail, ending the three-day ride in AlQassim \u2013 a journey that traverses the Kingdom\u2019s untouched and barely discovered terrains.<\/p>\n

The rally has also created opportunities for emerging aficionados in motor sporting, including Dr. Fatima Banaz, a surgeon with two patents for surgical devices and a mother of two. \u201cI have multiple hobbies, but motorsports have been my passion since childhood and I always loved the speed and the challenge,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Dr Banaz adds that Rally Jameel has helped her create new connections and build a huge group of friends that share the same passion. Her participation also led to her being part of the medical team in the Dakar Rally. \u201cBeing in the hot spot as a driver has helped build my experience and confidence,\u201d she adds. \u201cI now aim to become a professional and create a track record of success to attract sponsors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Rally Jameel Participants, Courtesy of Rally Jameel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Rally has similarly opened doors for Al-Hamali, who is currently preparing to participate in the Qatar International Rally for the Middle East Championship by next March, which will be her first rally outside of Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Since the 2017 royal decree came into effect, many of the participants have iterated the smooth transition to driving in the Kingdom on a national scale. But a few challenges remain. \u201cI personally offer encouragement, advice, support and guidance through my simple experience to women participating in Rally Jameel, because we are still lacking the strong supportive role of women in Saudi Arabian motorsports, and I consider it my duty to encourage more women to participate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Banaz adds, \u201cWomen in motorsports is new to the Kingdom, but so far the current perception is one of great support. Personally, my parents, husband, and both my kids cheer for me and that\u2019s really all I need.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41814,"featured_media":33387,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[260,35,4025],"yoast_head":"\nSaudi Women Race To The Finish Line For Rally Jameel 2023<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rally Jameel received applications from more than 70 teams globally, underpinning the growing appetite for women-led initiatives in Saudi.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/articles\/rally-jameel-saudi-women-race-to-the-finish-line\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Saudi Women Race To The Finish Line For The Second Edition Of Rally Jameel\" \/>\n<meta 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