2016 Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles - Team #180 USA
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Team 180 USA
New member
Here is the latest update from earlier this morning.
March 29th, 2016 (CORONA, CA) – In a battle of sheer will with neither challenger backing down, Team #180 American Chaos Nicole Pitell-Vaughan and Chrissie Beavis began today’s Leg just .13 km behind first place Team #179 Régine Zbinden and Ela Steiner. Describing the highly competitive 4×4 class as fierce would be an understatement at this point, as the rally approaches the final few days with three American teams sitting in top five positions.
Teams rose this morning to eight checkpoints, an ideal distance of 170 km and an estimated time of nine hours ahead of them. Straight lines, a notorious sand trap, hills, and rocky terrain throughout would test drivers’ skills, experience and endurance.
Rough Roads Ahead
Team American Chaos’ day started out less than positive after a solid performance yesterday. Rewind to day three, Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis drove through a crater and their truck slammed hard on something – they weren’t sure what. The next few days the vehicle was fine, up until this morning when the rear shock mount broke prior to reaching CP1. The damage forced the team to drive slow and methodically straight in first and second gear dependent on the leaf pack.
Later between CP 6 and CP 7, Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis came across American Team #107 Jo Hannah and Susanah Hoehn. “The air ride system in their Land Rover L4 had gone out and lowered all the way down, making it impossible for the vehicle to rise back up,” said Pitell-Vaughan, herself experienced in mechanics. Team American Chaos, in true “Gazelle Spirit,” stopped to attempt and fix the vehicle before heading on to their next CP after almost an hour.
The admirable move unfortunately spent daylight, and Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis did not arrive at the bivouac until after first place Team #179. With a longer day spent in the vehicle for Team American Chaos, the move may have cost precious minutes of evening rest before the second grueling Marathon Leg tomorrow.
Big Picture
With six official competition days behind the teams, vehicles are starting to show their wear and tear. Although this is not a race for speed, the rough rocky terrain and extreme conditions of the rally may begin to take their toll as the competition heads towards the finish. And teams need to be strategic moving and planning for solutions to save kilometers.
Case in point: In 2014, seasoned competitors Syndiely Wade and Florence Pham miscalculated a CP, leading them to a route over an extremely rocky area. They literally got out of the vehicle to physically move huge boulders, creating a route to drive through to shave off distance. Although they did not end up winning, it’s strategy like that which keep competitors in the game
It’s safe to say in true “Gazelle Rally” fashion, anything is possible in these final few days.
LIVE TRACKING
6 a.m. local time (10 p.m PST)
Rankings
Rankings from each Leg are not official until noon local time the next day on the official rally website:
www.rallyeaichadesgazelles.com
MEDIA INQUIRES
David Brumbley
media@chaosfab.com
951.737.9682
All Photos: Maïenga/Nicole Dreon
March 29th, 2016 (CORONA, CA) – In a battle of sheer will with neither challenger backing down, Team #180 American Chaos Nicole Pitell-Vaughan and Chrissie Beavis began today’s Leg just .13 km behind first place Team #179 Régine Zbinden and Ela Steiner. Describing the highly competitive 4×4 class as fierce would be an understatement at this point, as the rally approaches the final few days with three American teams sitting in top five positions.
Teams rose this morning to eight checkpoints, an ideal distance of 170 km and an estimated time of nine hours ahead of them. Straight lines, a notorious sand trap, hills, and rocky terrain throughout would test drivers’ skills, experience and endurance.
Rough Roads Ahead
Team American Chaos’ day started out less than positive after a solid performance yesterday. Rewind to day three, Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis drove through a crater and their truck slammed hard on something – they weren’t sure what. The next few days the vehicle was fine, up until this morning when the rear shock mount broke prior to reaching CP1. The damage forced the team to drive slow and methodically straight in first and second gear dependent on the leaf pack.
Later between CP 6 and CP 7, Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis came across American Team #107 Jo Hannah and Susanah Hoehn. “The air ride system in their Land Rover L4 had gone out and lowered all the way down, making it impossible for the vehicle to rise back up,” said Pitell-Vaughan, herself experienced in mechanics. Team American Chaos, in true “Gazelle Spirit,” stopped to attempt and fix the vehicle before heading on to their next CP after almost an hour.
The admirable move unfortunately spent daylight, and Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis did not arrive at the bivouac until after first place Team #179. With a longer day spent in the vehicle for Team American Chaos, the move may have cost precious minutes of evening rest before the second grueling Marathon Leg tomorrow.
Big Picture
With six official competition days behind the teams, vehicles are starting to show their wear and tear. Although this is not a race for speed, the rough rocky terrain and extreme conditions of the rally may begin to take their toll as the competition heads towards the finish. And teams need to be strategic moving and planning for solutions to save kilometers.
Case in point: In 2014, seasoned competitors Syndiely Wade and Florence Pham miscalculated a CP, leading them to a route over an extremely rocky area. They literally got out of the vehicle to physically move huge boulders, creating a route to drive through to shave off distance. Although they did not end up winning, it’s strategy like that which keep competitors in the game
It’s safe to say in true “Gazelle Rally” fashion, anything is possible in these final few days.
LIVE TRACKING
6 a.m. local time (10 p.m PST)
Rankings
Rankings from each Leg are not official until noon local time the next day on the official rally website:
www.rallyeaichadesgazelles.com
MEDIA INQUIRES
David Brumbley
media@chaosfab.com
951.737.9682
All Photos: Maïenga/Nicole Dreon
Team 180 USA
New member
The girls are in second place (unofficially) after the final leg of the rally!
March 31st, 2016 (CORONA, CA) – The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles has officially lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest all female sporting events on the planet. In the stretch of final Leg 6, two teams battled it out for the lead. One of them was Team #180 American Chaos, Nicole Pitell-Vaughan and Chrissie Beavis.
The Final Countdown
“My racing has taught me that it’s not over until it’s over,” – Chrissie Beavis, 2013.
Team American Chaos began their morning back from a broken rear shock mount on Leg 5, where they had to drive in first and second gear only. It was sent to the mechanics that evening, but coupled with little sleep the night before, it’s safe to say they knew this final leg would be their ultimate test of endurance.
Leg 6 was a 235 km landscape mixed with small dunes, a huge dry lakebed, and the famed Chegaga dunes. Although not as spectacular as the Erg Chebbi dunes, they are nonetheless haunting and have a reputation amongst competitors.
Beavis remarked prior to Leg 6, “The Chegaga dunes can be tricky to navigate through if it’s a hazy or sand-stomy day. My fingers are crossed for good weather that day.”
Unfortunately, Beavis did not get her wish. The winds kicked up and made long distance navigation virtually impossible, with sandstorms in the dunes so bad that teams could barely see the horizon. Since this is a competition about reading terrain features, that lack of visibiliy meant teams had use every ounce of mental sharpness left in them.
Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis performed well the first day, nailing all of their checkpoints. Despite the weather, they seemingly breezed through a few expert X CPs early in the dunes.
Going into the second day of the Final Leg, the competition still could not be predicted. First place Team #179 Zbinden/Steiner, two air-traffic controllers, had neatly impeccable lines – setting a difficult path for even the experienced to beat. Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis began on point, yet as their route continued, took a few wider lines which ultimately affected their score.
“We gambled and went all in today, and we doubled down. The map lied where we thought we could save some kilometers and it made it more challenging because we were on a Marathon Leg,” said Pitell-Vaughan. “But the CRC/TOTAL CHAOS Tacoma performed flawlessly in the dunes .”
The team nailed all 11 checkpoints without any major issues and had a solid pace during the 2-day leg. And being prepared didn’t hurt. Team American Chaos’ well-prepped Toyota Tacoma was a crowd stand-out.
“We torture tested the TC +2” Race series LT kit for 1048 kilometers through the most brutal terrain imaginable. The King shocks worked flawless,” stated Pitell-Vaughan. “The TRD supercharger made navigating the dunes so easy and the Baja Designs LED Lights allowed us to find our way back to the bivouac at night.” All in a day’s work for the Morocco Taco.
Unlike previous Gazelle Rallys, no sudden plot twists in the top were presented in these final few days, which demonstrated the utter concentration that went into these teams’ performances.
History in the making
Team American Chaos’ provisional results show they’ll likely keep their second place standing. And if that’s the case, they’ll be packing some well-deserved bragging rights.
No American team has ever podium-finished the 4×4 class in the rally’shistory, but this 26th edition will change that (in 2011 Emily Miller was the first American competitor to podium, alongside teammate Armelle Medard of France). Team #180 officially placing second will not only make them one of the first American teams to podium in 4×4 class (American Team #107 Hooehn/Hoehn’s provisional results show third place) they’ll become the highest ranking American team ever in the class. Not bad, Chaos.
Pushing limits, tackling the highest dunes in Morocco, Macgyveringvehicles – just another day for Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis.
“We had an amazing adventure filled with laughs,” stated Pitell-Vaughan. “And Team 179 were awesome competitors that kept us in the game. Thank you to CDV mechanics for repairing the busted rear shock mount. Thanks to Zakaria and Atraxion 4×4 for rescuing the Morocco Taco from container prison. And thank you to team TC for believing in us.”
Rankings
Official final rankings, including today’s, are expected Saturday, April 2nd on the official rally website:
Rallye Aïcha des gazelles
MEDIA INQUIRES
David Brumbley
media@chaosfab.com
951.737.9682
All Photos: Nicole Dreon/Maïenga
March 31st, 2016 (CORONA, CA) – The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles has officially lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest all female sporting events on the planet. In the stretch of final Leg 6, two teams battled it out for the lead. One of them was Team #180 American Chaos, Nicole Pitell-Vaughan and Chrissie Beavis.
The Final Countdown
“My racing has taught me that it’s not over until it’s over,” – Chrissie Beavis, 2013.
Team American Chaos began their morning back from a broken rear shock mount on Leg 5, where they had to drive in first and second gear only. It was sent to the mechanics that evening, but coupled with little sleep the night before, it’s safe to say they knew this final leg would be their ultimate test of endurance.
Leg 6 was a 235 km landscape mixed with small dunes, a huge dry lakebed, and the famed Chegaga dunes. Although not as spectacular as the Erg Chebbi dunes, they are nonetheless haunting and have a reputation amongst competitors.
Beavis remarked prior to Leg 6, “The Chegaga dunes can be tricky to navigate through if it’s a hazy or sand-stomy day. My fingers are crossed for good weather that day.”
Unfortunately, Beavis did not get her wish. The winds kicked up and made long distance navigation virtually impossible, with sandstorms in the dunes so bad that teams could barely see the horizon. Since this is a competition about reading terrain features, that lack of visibiliy meant teams had use every ounce of mental sharpness left in them.
Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis performed well the first day, nailing all of their checkpoints. Despite the weather, they seemingly breezed through a few expert X CPs early in the dunes.
Going into the second day of the Final Leg, the competition still could not be predicted. First place Team #179 Zbinden/Steiner, two air-traffic controllers, had neatly impeccable lines – setting a difficult path for even the experienced to beat. Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis began on point, yet as their route continued, took a few wider lines which ultimately affected their score.
“We gambled and went all in today, and we doubled down. The map lied where we thought we could save some kilometers and it made it more challenging because we were on a Marathon Leg,” said Pitell-Vaughan. “But the CRC/TOTAL CHAOS Tacoma performed flawlessly in the dunes .”
The team nailed all 11 checkpoints without any major issues and had a solid pace during the 2-day leg. And being prepared didn’t hurt. Team American Chaos’ well-prepped Toyota Tacoma was a crowd stand-out.
“We torture tested the TC +2” Race series LT kit for 1048 kilometers through the most brutal terrain imaginable. The King shocks worked flawless,” stated Pitell-Vaughan. “The TRD supercharger made navigating the dunes so easy and the Baja Designs LED Lights allowed us to find our way back to the bivouac at night.” All in a day’s work for the Morocco Taco.
Unlike previous Gazelle Rallys, no sudden plot twists in the top were presented in these final few days, which demonstrated the utter concentration that went into these teams’ performances.
History in the making
Team American Chaos’ provisional results show they’ll likely keep their second place standing. And if that’s the case, they’ll be packing some well-deserved bragging rights.
No American team has ever podium-finished the 4×4 class in the rally’shistory, but this 26th edition will change that (in 2011 Emily Miller was the first American competitor to podium, alongside teammate Armelle Medard of France). Team #180 officially placing second will not only make them one of the first American teams to podium in 4×4 class (American Team #107 Hooehn/Hoehn’s provisional results show third place) they’ll become the highest ranking American team ever in the class. Not bad, Chaos.
Pushing limits, tackling the highest dunes in Morocco, Macgyveringvehicles – just another day for Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis.
“We had an amazing adventure filled with laughs,” stated Pitell-Vaughan. “And Team 179 were awesome competitors that kept us in the game. Thank you to CDV mechanics for repairing the busted rear shock mount. Thanks to Zakaria and Atraxion 4×4 for rescuing the Morocco Taco from container prison. And thank you to team TC for believing in us.”
Rankings
Official final rankings, including today’s, are expected Saturday, April 2nd on the official rally website:
Rallye Aïcha des gazelles
MEDIA INQUIRES
David Brumbley
media@chaosfab.com
951.737.9682
All Photos: Nicole Dreon/Maïenga
Team 180 USA
New member
Team American Chaos Officially Makes History as Highest Ranking American Team Ever in 4x4 Class
April 4th, 2016 (CORONA, CA) – This past weekend, Team #180 American Chaos became the highest-ranking American team ever in the 4×4 class of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles’ 26 year history.
With a beachside parade on Friday and prize ceremony the following day in the coastal town of Essaouira, Morocco, Nicole Pitell-Vaughan and Chrissie Beavis’ ranking of second place was officially confirmed.
In the hunt for the win since day one, the team fought crucially hard for the top spot. Beginning in first place of their 4×4 class, Team American Chaos slipped into second after Leg 3’s performance, where a scratch ranking of three ultimately shifted their overall ranking to two. Refusing to give up, they battled out the following competition days with consistency in both driving and navigation despite overcoming a broken rear shock mount, blinding windstorms, and a loss of daylight while assisting another U.S. team. A strong performance kept them in the top two throughout, but unfortunately wasn’t enough to clinch the coveted top spot.
Team #179 Régine Zbinden and Ela Steiner of Switzerland were a tough act to beat, with impeccably smooth, straight lines putting them in a prime position. In this ultimate moving chess game where competitors faced difficult decisions of strategy, Team American Chaos provided a nail-biting finish for not only their rivals, but also fans of the team and the rally. They finished just 1.82 km (1.13 miles) behind first place.
“It was the kind of thing where we just did everything that we could,” said professional navigator Beavis. “We had excellent competition and it made it really fun and really challenging.”
The rally is a brutal test of skill and endurance, pushing competitors’ limits both physically and mentally. And Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis wouldn’t have it any other way. From crossing the famed Erg Chebbi dunes to the grandiose cliffs of M’daouer to rock crawling the Moroccan desert, these two brought their A-game and are proud to break a record for the United States.
“I would like to thank CRC and TOTAL CHAOS for their support as well as all of our other program sponsors. And thank you Morocco for welcoming the rally,” stated Pitell-Vaughan. “The game was so close and intense for nine straight days. Mental fatigue was a factor on day nine. It was an amazing experience. I look forward to returning to the States and beginning preparation to compete in the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno race in August.”
MEDIA INQUIRES
David Brumbley
media@chaosfab.com
951.737.9682
All Photos: Nicole Dreon/Maïenga
April 4th, 2016 (CORONA, CA) – This past weekend, Team #180 American Chaos became the highest-ranking American team ever in the 4×4 class of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles’ 26 year history.
With a beachside parade on Friday and prize ceremony the following day in the coastal town of Essaouira, Morocco, Nicole Pitell-Vaughan and Chrissie Beavis’ ranking of second place was officially confirmed.
In the hunt for the win since day one, the team fought crucially hard for the top spot. Beginning in first place of their 4×4 class, Team American Chaos slipped into second after Leg 3’s performance, where a scratch ranking of three ultimately shifted their overall ranking to two. Refusing to give up, they battled out the following competition days with consistency in both driving and navigation despite overcoming a broken rear shock mount, blinding windstorms, and a loss of daylight while assisting another U.S. team. A strong performance kept them in the top two throughout, but unfortunately wasn’t enough to clinch the coveted top spot.
Team #179 Régine Zbinden and Ela Steiner of Switzerland were a tough act to beat, with impeccably smooth, straight lines putting them in a prime position. In this ultimate moving chess game where competitors faced difficult decisions of strategy, Team American Chaos provided a nail-biting finish for not only their rivals, but also fans of the team and the rally. They finished just 1.82 km (1.13 miles) behind first place.
“It was the kind of thing where we just did everything that we could,” said professional navigator Beavis. “We had excellent competition and it made it really fun and really challenging.”
The rally is a brutal test of skill and endurance, pushing competitors’ limits both physically and mentally. And Pitell-Vaughan and Beavis wouldn’t have it any other way. From crossing the famed Erg Chebbi dunes to the grandiose cliffs of M’daouer to rock crawling the Moroccan desert, these two brought their A-game and are proud to break a record for the United States.
“I would like to thank CRC and TOTAL CHAOS for their support as well as all of our other program sponsors. And thank you Morocco for welcoming the rally,” stated Pitell-Vaughan. “The game was so close and intense for nine straight days. Mental fatigue was a factor on day nine. It was an amazing experience. I look forward to returning to the States and beginning preparation to compete in the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno race in August.”
MEDIA INQUIRES
David Brumbley
media@chaosfab.com
951.737.9682
All Photos: Nicole Dreon/Maïenga
Team 180 USA
New member
I have a quick note from Nicole and a few more pictures to post.
"On behalf of Team #180, Chrissie Beavis and I want to thank you for following our 2016 Rallye Aiicha de Gazelles adventure online! We hope it inspired a few of you to push yourselves past your comfort zone. This 9 day event in Africa is a test of physical strength, mental focus & mechanical durability. If you let it win for even a second and get distracted, you’re out of the game! Driving straight over rocks gets really old – really fast. It destroys our equipment. At times we moved mountains of rocks to maintain our heading. Driving the dunes is where the Morocco Taco shined though, and we gave the media crews a great show. Driving 9 days straight and over 1048 KM through the Sahara to earn a 2nd place finish was no easy feat. It was great to get the fan mail during the journey and we proudly accept this podium for the great Red, White & Blue. GO USA!!
For those of you that may be up for a similar type of women’s adventure and off road challenge here in the United States, check out more info on an event this Fall 2016 @ http://www.rebellerally.com/
— The Rebelle Rally is a 7 day adventure/expedition/navigation rally raid for women covering 2,000 kilometers of street legal trails across the Southwest deserts of California & Nevada that are rich with early American pioneer history.
— It is not a race for speed. It is a competition based on driving and navigation skills. Navigate to multiple hidden checkpoints via supplied headings and conclude the day at a mobile base camp. You will be using only maps, a compass, and a supplied road book. Sleep under the stars during the entire adventure.
— No GPS is allowed. Zero electronic devices are permitted. Disconnect from the daily grind for 7 full days.
— No personal support crews. Keeping your equipment together is part of the challenge. Mechanics are on site every night. It is a confidence test for team mates. It is sure to be an unforgettable off road adventure!
— Race vehicles are not permitted. This rally is designed for street legal vehicles that are daily or expedition rigs you would use on the weekend with the family. It will test a drivers' skill to drive smart and smooth - not fast. And will test the navigators role to prove they know their exact location on a map, can problem solve under fatigue, and I am sure will test the team's communication skills too - that is just part of the game spending 7 days in a tight office space. LOL
THANK YOU again for being an extended part of our off road adventure! Now go out and embark on your next off road trip. Or check out this really cool event planned for October 2016 in Nevada & California. " Sincerely, Nicole Pitell-Vaughan
"On behalf of Team #180, Chrissie Beavis and I want to thank you for following our 2016 Rallye Aiicha de Gazelles adventure online! We hope it inspired a few of you to push yourselves past your comfort zone. This 9 day event in Africa is a test of physical strength, mental focus & mechanical durability. If you let it win for even a second and get distracted, you’re out of the game! Driving straight over rocks gets really old – really fast. It destroys our equipment. At times we moved mountains of rocks to maintain our heading. Driving the dunes is where the Morocco Taco shined though, and we gave the media crews a great show. Driving 9 days straight and over 1048 KM through the Sahara to earn a 2nd place finish was no easy feat. It was great to get the fan mail during the journey and we proudly accept this podium for the great Red, White & Blue. GO USA!!
For those of you that may be up for a similar type of women’s adventure and off road challenge here in the United States, check out more info on an event this Fall 2016 @ http://www.rebellerally.com/
— The Rebelle Rally is a 7 day adventure/expedition/navigation rally raid for women covering 2,000 kilometers of street legal trails across the Southwest deserts of California & Nevada that are rich with early American pioneer history.
— It is not a race for speed. It is a competition based on driving and navigation skills. Navigate to multiple hidden checkpoints via supplied headings and conclude the day at a mobile base camp. You will be using only maps, a compass, and a supplied road book. Sleep under the stars during the entire adventure.
— No GPS is allowed. Zero electronic devices are permitted. Disconnect from the daily grind for 7 full days.
— No personal support crews. Keeping your equipment together is part of the challenge. Mechanics are on site every night. It is a confidence test for team mates. It is sure to be an unforgettable off road adventure!
— Race vehicles are not permitted. This rally is designed for street legal vehicles that are daily or expedition rigs you would use on the weekend with the family. It will test a drivers' skill to drive smart and smooth - not fast. And will test the navigators role to prove they know their exact location on a map, can problem solve under fatigue, and I am sure will test the team's communication skills too - that is just part of the game spending 7 days in a tight office space. LOL
THANK YOU again for being an extended part of our off road adventure! Now go out and embark on your next off road trip. Or check out this really cool event planned for October 2016 in Nevada & California. " Sincerely, Nicole Pitell-Vaughan