Overall look at the Rally

 

Overall look at the Rally
2017 Motorcycle Division Awards Shared by Korea, Japan and Mongolia

Rally Mongolia 2017 has returned to the holy grounds of Zoumod.
This is a truly strange and surprising place that makes you think you are seeing a mirage of a desert island far off in the ocean. Whatever route you take the course is never flat and smooth and the hot wind from the desert sucks up the strength from the rider’s bodies. Yet on the other hand, the amazing sights amidst the desolate landscape give a kind of spiritual lift that sharpens the five senses.

This is exactly the kind of experience that enhances your memories of Zoumod.

This marathon stage included 2 courses to Zoumod. The Etap 1 bivouac was a night of deep stillness without even a cough to break the silence. After reaching the goal the cars were placed in “parc ferme” or namely a closed park where no servicing of the vehicles was allowed until the next day. The rally vehicle mechanics set off from Ulaan Bataar heading out on the long drive to Zoumod.

This stage is the power focus of the first half of the rally. Taking overall first and second place by auto manufacturer for a while were the Can-Am Maverick X3 cars making their very first rally appearance. These machines have superb stability and running performance. They get a further boost from the 900cc turbo 3-cylinder Rotax engine that delivers 170 horsepower in a vehicle body weighing less than 700 kilograms (1543 pounds).
These two vehicles maintained their 1st and 2nd race positions up to the final stage of the rally, with the Toyota Tacoma team in hot pursuit. However, Toyota ultimately grabbing the 2nd and 3rd race positions which was an interesting turn of events.
People had a hunch that the rally competition from hereon would involve big changes in vehicle designs.

In the motorcycle division on the other hand, #7 Yoshio Ojima gave a great performance from the very start of the rally. However, after finally pulling away from 2nd place he was extending his ample lead when he crashed in the final stage. He got right back in the race but he and the machine lost their 30 minute margin while also dealing with the mental stress. The final victor was #19 Ryu Myung Gul showing overwhelming speed and world-class navigation skills. However, Mongolia’s top rider #1 Battur Baatar who was victorious last year and this year converted to the auto division, was delayed by mechanical trouble from the early stages of the rally. Yet he still did superbly, making it to the trophy stand as one of the winners from three countries.

The year 2017 saw a good response to the new directions tried by the SSER Organisation that also helped make us newly aware of how great Mongolia really is. Our overall view is that this is a truly epoch-making rally and we give it high ratings as a place for people to again gather and compete.

RM2017 Results

 

「MOTO表彰台を韓日蒙がシェアした2017」- 総評 – RM2017

2017のラリーモンゴリアは、聖地ゾーモットへ還って来た。

この地は誠に不思議なところで、まるで絶海の孤島にいるがごとき錯覚に陥るのだ。

どのルートを通ったとしても、そこまでの行程は平坦ではなく、砂漠の熱風が参加者の体力を奪い去る。反面に、その荒涼としただけの光景の中に不思議な精神的な神秘を感じ五感を研ぎ澄まされていることが分かる。

こうした経験こそ、このゾーモットへの思いを強くさせるのだろう。

そのゾーモットへは2行程をまとめたマラソンステージとして行った。エタップ1のビバークは、しわぶきひとつない静寂な夜だった。ゴールしたマシンはすぐさまパルクフェルメに入れられ翌朝まで手を触れることを禁止され、メカニックらはウランバートルをあとに長駆ゾーモットを目指していた。

このステージでラリーの前半の勢力図が決まった。総合1-2位はメーカーとしては初出場のCan-am maverick X3が飛び出した。マシンの安定性や走破性、さらには900cc+turbo-3気筒ロータックスエンジンは、700kgに満たないボディを170Hpで走らせた。

この2台が最終盤まで1-2を守り続け、TOYOTA Tacoma勢がこれを猛追し、最終局面ではなんとか2-3位をTOYOTAに獲られるという展開が興味深かった。

これからのこの競技のマシンの構成が大きく変わることを予感させた。

一方MOTOは、#7尾島嘉男が序盤から会心のレース展開。2位を引き離しながら余裕のリードを積み重ねたものの、最終盤にクラッシュ。すぐさま復帰したがメンタルのダメージが30分あったマージンごと失った。優勝は韓国チーム#19 RYU MYUNG GULに。圧倒的なスピードとナビゲーションはワールドレベル。ただし今回はモンゴルのトップライダーらがAUTOにコンバートしたり昨年優勝の#1 BATTUR BAATARが序盤からのマシントラブルなどで出遅れたこともありはしたものの、見事に3国で表彰台を分け合うこととなった。

2017年、新しい展開を試みたSSER ORGANISATION は充分な手ごたえと、こうしたラリーの可能性、モンゴルの素晴らしさの再認識。人々が再び集うということの高い価値などを改めて知るエポックメイクな大会となったことを総評としたい。

ETAP-8 – ETAP8 Report – 20 AUG. 2017

最終日ETAP-8の写真がご覧頂けます。

レポートはしばらくお待ちください

ETAP-8

SSER-2017-RM2017-ETAP8-0820-OFFICIAL


RallyMongolia 2017 DAY REPORT :
スタート前 | ETAP-1 | ETAP-2 | ETAP-3 | ETAP-4 | ETAP-5 | ETAP-6 | ETAP-7 | ETAP-8 | 表彰式
 

RallyMongolia 2017 menu :
概要 | エントリーリスト | ルートインフォメーション | リザルト
 

RM2017は本日ウランバートルにゴールしました。

RALLYMONGOLIA2017は、本日、ウランバートルに到着しました、大きな事故などはなく、ゴールでは大きな歓喜の輪が広がりました。苛酷を極めた今大会、完走された皆さまに最大の賛辞を贈ります。


リザルトやその他情報は閉会式終了後に掲載予定です。ご声援頂いた皆様ありがとうございました。

ETAP-6 写真速報 – ETAP6 Report – 18 AUG. 2017

ETAP-6 の写真がご覧頂けます。

レポートはしばらくお待ちください

 

 

ETAP-6

SSER-2017-RM2017-ETAP6-0818-OFFICIAL

 

 


RallyMongolia 2017 DAY REPORT :
スタート前 | ETAP-1 | ETAP-2 | ETAP-3 | ETAP-4 | ETAP-5 | ETAP-6 | ETAP-7 | ETAP-8 | 表彰式
 

RallyMongolia 2017 menu :
概要 | エントリーリスト | ルートインフォメーション | リザルト
 

リザルト速報

ETAP-8までのリザルトを掲載しました
The results on the eighth day are posted.
.
リザルト – Results
=======================
http://www.sser.org/hpp/2017/rm2017/


RallyMongolia 2017 DAY REPORT :
スタート前 | ETAP-1 | ETAP-2 | ETAP-3 | ETAP-4 | ETAP-5 | ETAP-6 | ETAP-7 | ETAP-8 | 表彰式
 

RallyMongolia 2017 menu :
概要 | エントリーリスト | ルートインフォメーション | リザルト
 

#8 Fukuoka Crashes! – ETAP5 Report – 17 AUG. 2017

17 AUG. 2017 ZOUMOD⇒SAYHAN OVOO
L:74.38km S:258.42km L:1.25km S:186.09km L:19.45km TOTAL:539.59km

.

#8 Fukuoka Crashes!

Today the beautiful scenery along the vast winding panorama was enough to make all participants want to gasp in amazement.

Rider #8 Fukuoka fell near the SS-1 finish point and was transported by helicopter for emergency treatment. He sustained a pressure fracture of the lower spine. Fukuoka seemed healthy and in good spirits. On this day, rider #7 Ojima also fell just before the SS-2 goal with his bike getting heavily damage around the handlebars and gas tank but luckily he was not injured and somehow made it to the goal while still stubbornly maintaining his rally position ranking.

With the Can-Am pair still firmly protecting their first and second place positions, #109 in a TOYOTA TACOMA gradually came from behind to close the gap to 6 minutes. Final victory will be seen tomorrow beginning with a simultaneous group start and the final phase of the rally has been changed to the sand dunes which will prove the highlight of the rally.

Anyhow, the large number of vehicles retiring early from the rally makes it seem like some kind of survival race but surprisingly the automobile division was still intact with no retirees and no teams encountering any serious trouble. This rally also shows the extremely high skill level of the Mongolian group.

 

SSER-2017-RM2017-ETAP5-0817-OFFICIAL

“Short trip through the valley of dinosaurs” – ETAP4 Report – 16 AUG. 2017

16 AUG. 2017 ZOUMOD⇒ZOUMOD
Stage:119.94km     TOTAL:119.94km

“Short trip through the valley of dinosaurs”

The scheduled late night start was changed to 10 o’clock in morning making it a daylight stage. This was the first time we ever took this route with its fresh exciting feeling and full of surprises. The temperature had dropped a little making it a pleasant drive. We arrived at the valley entrance by driving along the CAP heading, we pass through this valley with green-colored rocks that do indeed look like a large group of dinosaurs have gathered. Running in the lead with an overall win almost within their grasp are #108 Saruulkhangai in his Can-Am and #109 Ganbaatar also in a Can-Am. These two running side by side in first and second place have taken the lead over top competitors in the division, keeping a tight grip on the rally and are also the center of attention here. They are followed by the TOYOTA Tacoma Baja machines in third and fourth place who are closing the time gap. In the motorcycle division #7 Ojima has so far secured top place with #19 from Korea following in second place. Ojima comments that “#19 is definitely much faster in speed so I have to win by navigation skill.”

Tomorrow will be the final part of long stretch, back at the rally bivouac tablecloths, wine glasses, and wine had been prepared and we enjoyed a brief dinner party.

SSER-2017-RM2017-ETAP4-0816-OFFICIAL

Passing Through Dinosaur Valley – ETAP-2 Report – 14 AUG, 2017

ETAP2 Report

Passing Through Dinosaur Valley

The toughest part of the first half of the rally taken on the second day of marathon ETAP-2 is a route cutting through the heart of the southern Gobi desert. This one day was a real ordeal with a hot wind blowing along desolate dry arroyos. In the motorcycle division, Ojima KTM did well in this ETAP ranking in first position at 5 hours 45 minutes 09 seconds and was also overall No. 1 in the motorcycle division. He was followed by Korea’s top rider # 19 Ryu Myung Gul on a KTM with only a 9 minutes gap in times. Next came, # 20 Choi Jung Geun on a KTM in third place with a 20 minute time gap followed by Mongolian competitors. This three-way Japanese, Korean and Mongolian battle is likely to prove very interesting!

Things are Heating up in the Automotive Division!

At the end of the second day, top position and first place in the automotive division was held by #108 Saruulkhangal / Khatanbaatar in their Can-Am 900cc turbo 2-seater buggy. Third place was also taken by # 107 in this same machine which is earning upper rally positions. Second place was taken by TOYOTA Tacoma showing the overwhelming superiority of Mongolian drivers in the auto division. However, the # 103 Nakano/Nakano pair in their TOYOTA Hi_Lux took seventh place, followed by the # 102 Matsuno / Tashiro pair in their SUBARU Forester ranking in 8th place, and then by the # 100 Sugawara / Takahashi pair in their HINO. This time around it was particularly remarkable that these top-ranked teams were all non-penalties showing perfect race management among many other competitors suffering target penalties with short liaison setup times. The # 8 Fukuoka HONDA that had a good start in Etap 1 suffered a big delay due to losing their check card and navigation mount problems but can be expected to make a good recovery.

Rider #5 Mami Idegawa on a KTM is grabbing a real feel for the rally taking 16th place in the motorcycle division and 25th place overall. Rider #18 Mikami on a KTM is fully enjoying the rally while taking pictures along the way!

Results:
http://www.sser.org/hpp/2017/rm2017/

 

SSER-2017-RM2017-ETAP2-0814-OFFICIAL

 

ETAP-1 Report – 13 AUG, 2017

ETAP-1 Report

The rally got off to a fine start from Ulaanbaatar with great weather!

However, there was a livestock disease outbreak in the SS1 area which made entry into that area impossible so SS1 had to be cancelled and everyone took the detour heading toward SS2. It was a discouraging start to the rally and what impact cancelling this section will have is impossible to guess right now. Our bivouac is a gel (portable nomad house also called yurt) camp relatively close the environmentally protected zone at Dalanzadgad.

Results
http://www.sser.org/hpp/2017/rm2017/

SSER-2017-RM2017-ETAP1-OFFICIAL

 

SSER-2017-RM2017-13-08-ETAP1

FA coat RALLY MONGOLIA 2017 いよいよスタート

FA coat RALLY MONGOLIA 2017 いよいよスタートを迎えました。幾多の想いを集めて、今年も熱いラリーが展開されます。見どころいっぱいの今大会も、頑張ってお伝えして参ります。

SSER-2017-RM2017-02-08


RallyMongolia 2017 DAY REPORT :
スタート前 | ETAP-1 | ETAP-2 | ETAP-3 | ETAP-4 | ETAP-5 | ETAP-6 | ETAP-7 | ETAP-8 | 表彰式
 

RallyMongolia 2017 menu :
概要 | エントリーリスト | ルートインフォメーション | リザルト
 

Onward to Zoumod in the Southern Gobi Desert!

On hearing someone say, “I want to go to Zoumod again” I felt a pulse of excitement like a mild electric shock.
That’s right, when you think of Rally Mongolia, you think of Zoumod, the Mongolian oasis.
Amid ever changing situations, we find ourselves in areas like this that kept themselves safe from trouble by way of the isolation provided by harsh lands and long distances.
However the hospitality they offer rally participants has gotten totally better in every way.
Well now we want to take up the rally challenge one more time.
This will be a route crossing vast distances like those of a wide ocean.
Then, SSER has completely reorganized the route again to allow seriously challenging among other things, the mysterious dry lake widening to the west of Zoumod in the “Valley of Dinosaurs” which is full of strange shaped rock formations.
The climb along these tough roads will only end when find ourselves standing on the vast plains where the special gods reside.

 

■ETAP-1 13 AUG. 2017 ULAANBAATAR⇒DALANZADGAD
L:49.91km S:285.94km L:93.90km S:251.43km L:34.36km TOTAL:715.54km
THE BATTLE STARTS! MARATHON STAGE DAY1、RUNNING FULL-ON ALONG CAP180

On this day the route runs full-on to the south. After a grand start, the rally faces its first SS (Special Stage) from south of Ulaanbaatar. The high speed dirt road calls for a lot of care and focusing, trying to anticipate problems, we start trying out our machine and navigating with it. Just before CP-1 (check point 1) navigation got a little bit difficult but other than that was comparatively easy. Just the first day’s grid map (pace notes) had a hefty size that we had to deal with. The first half of the SS-2 is itself a high-speed dirt road but gradually there are a greater number of dried out riverbeds (dry arroyo or wadi) and sand, along a route full of mountains grassy plains, constantly changing terrain, and more sand. After a while things appear totally dry and there is a lot of sand everywhere and you start to really feel you are in the Gobi Desert. We keep driving along while watching out for unfamiliar dried out riverbeds. Navigation gets tougher just ahead of the CP. We refuel at the final town after finishing the SS. Finally we move to the bivouac along a paved road. We reach the goal while staying painfully aware of the remaining liason time and head straightaway for the Parc ferme or namely “closed park” where no one can touch the cars. The motorcycle division is careful to carry their grid maps (pace notes) along with them because if they don’t change them at places like the fueling stations along the liason then they won’t get another chance until after the rally starts the next day. If you have a removable map holder then swapping maps is no problem.

 

■ETAP-2 14 AUG. 2017  DALANZADGAD⇒ZOUMOD
L:66.89km S:220.63km L:7.38km S:244.04km TOTAL:538.94km
ONWARDS TO THE SACRED GROUND OF ZOUMOD!

The marathon stage covers a thousand kilometers in just 2 days! In other words you can get absolutely no vehicle service during that time. The support car movement routes such as used by mechanics are also restricted. We move along a new paved road to the SS start point. Right after the start of SS-1 we encounter tough going from a lot of trees and shrubbery but eventually reach a high-speed piste or trails. After passing through groups of small dunes we arrive at the town which is our finish point. Setting out on SS-2 we find the first half bumpy and cannot pick up the pace. In the middle part of the stage we focus on a dried out river section (dry arroyo or wadi) that lets us run at high speed. This dried out river has deep yet soft sand that accumulates from the tremendous rainfall that only comes once every several decades. Then to our surprise we run into a small forest. After that we encounter a dry lake. This is dinosaur valley full of fantastically shaped rocks and stones. Once we pass through the valley, we see Zoumod soaring upwards and glistening like gold against the sunset on our left.

■ETAP-3 15 AUG. 2017 ZOUMOD⇒ZOUMOD
L:75.67km S:212.29km L:0.31km S:151.31km L:75.76km TOTAL:515.34km
RUNNING AROUND ZOUMOD PART I

This liason is a course section from Zoumod to Shinjinst. But this liason is special in that you really enjoy the scenery! We refuel at Shinjinst and start SS-1 outside the town. We pass through a narrow mountain road and reach the CP at the edge of a dried out marsh. After finally leaving a bumpy road surface, we see a mysterious lake on our left and just beyond is the SS finish point.
We refuel at that town and immediately start SS-2. The road surface has many cracks so we have to drive carefully. Passing through a dried out riverbed and then a small village, a gate comes into view. Then we reach the finish point at Shinjinst. We refuel and return by the liason route to Zoumod. The route is a loop but consists of two SS so care is needed to avoid problems.

 

■ETAP-4 16 AUG. 2017  ZOUMOD⇒ZOUMOD
S:119.94km TOTAL:119.94km
GOING TO MEET THE MONSTER!

The rally starts at night on August 16 with the clock hands point straight up to 12 o’clock. This is the so-called full-on night stage. This is a unique experience one can only savor along with a mysterious feeling only found deep in the Gobi Desert at night.
* This is basically a loop route leaving Zoumod and heading west, runs counterclockwise, and after going through dinosaur valley and returns to Zoumod
We start heading out with Zoumod to the west. There is no afterglow from the late sun already in the western sky. The moon will come out a little while later. Going through the unmanned earth at midnight is like traveling through space and time. The Grand Canyon appears on our left hand side. If you don’t stay right on the piste there is also the risk of dropping down a cliff. On the right you can see the symbolic triangular mountain. The moon is in the south sky around 1 am. It is a waning moon. The place to be careful is where you have to make really sharp turns along the high speed piste. We then went down the plateau and proceeded through a dried out riverbed. This dried out riverbed gradually widens and once we lose track of the course we have to aim for SSER OVOO while driving with the GPS. From there we keep driving by GPS until sure we have merged with the piste. After proceeding along the piste we reach the entrance of dinosaur valley. Once we cross the valley we can see the light from the bivouac far off in the distance.

 

■ETAP-5 17 AUG. 2017 ZOUMOD⇒SAYHAN OVOO
L:74.38km S:258.42km L:1.25km S:186.09km L:19.45km TOTAL:539.59km
REFRESHING GREENERY AND SOVIET TYRANNY

We head out to Shinjinst out along the now familiar route and after refueling start the SS. We move ahead in this area which has many ground cracks and dried out rivers while watching the square shaped mountains and finally reach the town. Navigation is a bit difficult here. We move ahead along the dried out river without going through town and reach the CP. Then we finally come out on the main piste and from here proceed straight along it. There are many dried out riverbeds and ground cracks along the route. The town can be seen far off in the distance and we finish SS-1. The SS-2 has plenty of deep refreshing greenery and the route is now pleasant and easy bringing a smile of relief to our faces. We finish the SS just in front of a town, cross the river there and refuel. It is not far now to the bivouac. On a mountain to the west of there are the remains of a Buddhist temple (Lamasery) destroyed by Soviet oppression that also reveals the sorrows of the Eurasian continent.

 

■ETAP-6 18 AUG. 2017  SAYHAN OVOO⇒BAYANGOBI
L:24.31km S:226.83km L:2.01km S:223.20km L:24.37km TOTAL:500.72km
GREAT FEELING AND MAGNIFICENT WEATHER WITH A SIMULTANEOUS GROUP START (MASS START) IN THE GOBI DESERT!

We move to the start point and set off on a mass group start. We head southwards lined up side by side while trying not to get lost in the sand and dust. We try to keep ourselves calm without getting too grim. After a while the course turns to the left, runs along the side of the Grand Canyon and proceeds through an area of nomads having many wells and gels (portable nomad houses called yurts). Moving ahead at high speed we finish SS-1. The SS – 2 route has even deeper greenery and many nomads. Far off in the distance, the sand dunes come into view and the sand gets thicker on the road surface. The scenery where the river, greenery and dunes can all be seen at once is superb. Once we are through the dunes the SS ends. It goes through the front of the bivouac and heads for GS. Surprisingly we pass by in front of the bivouac and head for GS. After refueling there then return to the bivouac.

 

■ETAP-7 19 AUG. 2017 BAYANGOBI⇒HARHORIN
S:256.70km L:96.64km S:157.77km L:39.59km TOTAL:550.70km
CAPITAL OF A WORLD EMPIRE IN THE CENTER OF EURASIA

Even without a history book, just about everybody knows that this area was once the center of the world. The Mongol empire ruled the world with its matchless and overwhelming military power and their descendants while constantly changing, were a definite presence up to the end of the 19th century. We start off the next leg of the rally with this thought in mind. Leaving the bivouac we start out on the SS and almost immediately reach the dunes. Passing through the area with beautiful rivers, greenery and sand, we proceed along the main piste by a mountain route, and head down southwards to an area the rally has never before entered. This is also a mountain which we cross and then drive along the side of a small lake. A big lake next comes into view, and we finish just in front of a small town. We move out on the liaison along the paved road towards SS-2. We again hit a dirt road, start the SS and head for the mountains again. After passing through a number of mountains we cross beautiful grasslands and reach the banks of a huge lake. Crossing a concrete bridge, we finally get through a dirt road that is difficult to drive along, move ahead while skirting the edge of a town, cross over a hill and finally finish the SS-2. There we find the “Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape” which is now a world heritage. You think “Wow” to yourself, knowing that this is definitely the place where the capital of the world was first created.

 

■ETAP-8 20 AUG. 2017 HARHORIN⇒ULAANBAATAR
L:51.93km S:140.32km L:214.94km P:25.88km TOTAL:433.07km
TRIUMPHAL RETURN WITH OUR BACKS TO THE SETTING SUN!

This rally with SS of 3000 kilometers and a 1000 kilometer liaison or namely a constant battle of 4000 kilometers is finally reaching its end as we head towards Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator) from Harhorin. The paved road from Harhorin to the SS start point leads to the final SS. Each of us feels countless thoughts running through one’s mind such as the tiny time difference with other racers and awaits the countdown to start the final race. We head out on an easy-to-drive piste and proceed along a great prairie with beautiful mountains around us. A stony mountain appears ahead and we enter the forest. The road surface is sandy. We go through the forest, cross a river, climb up a mountain of sand and find a mysterious rocky mountain. On the left is a mountain that makes you thinks you are seeing a pyramid. We climb the next steep mountain and reach the CP. The scenery with its aerial views reminds one of ‘Laputa: Castle in the Sky’. We can see the road extending below as we drive. We keep descending the mountain while cautiously taking the tight downward turns. As we drive along the prairie, a paved road appear above the tips of the grass, marking the end of the entire SS. This is a long journey but just a tiny bright spot in the long span of Eurasian history. I think this journey somehow makes you sense some type of mysterious “eternal” link through space and time.

FA-coat Rally Mongolia 2017 – English

rm2017-hphead-1-eng

FA-coat Rally Mongolia 2017
BROAD-RANGING MAGNIFICENT MEMORIES

Onward to Zoumod in the Southern Gobi
On hearing someone say, “I want to go to Zoumod again” I felt a pulse of excitement like a mild electric shock.
That’s right, when you think of Rally Mongolia, you think of Zoumod, the Mongolian oasis.
Amid ever changing situations, we find ourselves in areas like this that kept themselves safe from trouble by way of a harsh land and long distances.
However the hospitality they offer rally participants has gotten totally better in every way.
Well now we want to take up the rally challenge one more time.
This will be a route like crossing the open ocean.
Then, SSER has completely reorganized the route again to allow seriously challenging among other things, the mysterious dry lake widening to the west of Zoumod in the “Valley of Dinosaurs” which is full of strange shaped rock formations.
The climb along these tough roads will only end when find ourselves standing on the vast plains where the special gods reside.

 

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