Jordan all set to host new round of FIM Baja World Cup
Aqaba, 18 March 2021: The Ceremonial start of the second round of the FIM Bajas World Cup takes place at 9.30 pm IST today in Jordan with 559 competitive kilometres in a total route of 859km.
Jordan is located on the eastern bank of the Jordan River and is rich in monuments, temples, tombs and archaeological sites, including the famous Nabataean capital of Petra in the south of the country and in close proximity to the Baja’s base in Aqaba on the Red Sea.
Mohammed Al-Balooshi.
Fifteen motorcycles and five quads will be at the start of the Jordan Baja, which will be held in the nearby deserts of Wadi Rum.
Mohammed Al-Balooshi was third at the Dubai International Baja last month and was the winner of the 2019 Jordan Baja. The Emirati starts as the top seed on a Husqvarna.
He will have to defend his title against the Jordanian riders Abdullah Abu Aisheh (KTM), Zaid Jaber (KTM) and Tal’at Al-Shishane (KTM) and the likes of Portugal’s Paulo Oliveira (Husqvarna) and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Al-Muaikil.
Two female riders are also present and loyal to the FIM Bajas World Cup – Aishwarya Pissay (Husqvarna) and Sarah Khuraibet (Yamaha).
Aleksandr Maksimov in action in Qatar on a quad.
Five Saudi quad riders, all on Yamahas, complete the list of participants – namely Hani Al-Noumesi, Haitham Al-Tuwayjiri, Sultan Al-Masoud, Faisal Al-Suwayh and Abdulmajeed Al-Khulaifi, a multiple winner of the Hail Rally.
The Jordan Baja will take place under strict Covid-19 protocols and begins with the ceremonial start in Aqaba on Thursday, March 18th at 19.00hrs.
Competitors will then tackle two different selective sections of 210.72km and 112.99km on Friday, March 19th and an additional 236.06km through the desert north of Aqaba on Saturday, March 20th.
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Programme
Tuesday, March 16th, 2021
•08:00 – 18:00: Service Park Open for Logistics Operations ONLY
Wednesday, March 17th, 2021
•08:00 – 18:00: COVID-19 Protocol Start, NO ACCESS to event without Negative test result (48 hours validity) in the Service Park entrance, in Remote Service Zone entrance.
•08:00: Service Pak Operational
•16:45: Competitors Briefing – Service Park (briefing notes will be posted on Sportity)
Thursday, March 18th, 2021
•09:00 – 13:00: Administrative Checks – Rally HQ
•09:30 – 14:00: Technical Checks/Sealing/Marking at Scrutineering venue
•15:00: First Jury Meeting – Rally HQ
•19:00: Jordan Baja Ceremonial Start – Aqaba City
Friday, March 19th, 2021
•06:15: Issue Road book LEG 1/Sections 1 & 2 – Rally HQ Rally
•07:00: Start of LEG 1 – Aqaba Service Park
•18:07: Finish LEG 1
•19:30: Publication of the Start List for LEG 2
Saturday, March 20th, 2021
•06:45: Issue Road book LEG 2/Sections 3 – Rally HQ Rally
•07:30: Start of LEG 2 – Aqaba Service Park
•12:45: Finish of LEG 2
