Grandiose project initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov International rally Amul Hazar 2018, is successfully finished.Welcoming ceremony of the participants of this legendary race was held in Avaza National tourist zone.
Amul Hazar 2018 desert race, which route run along historical Silk Route, became the largest off-road race in Asia by its scale and importance.Grandiose sport competition united professionals and amateurs of one of the most captivating sports from France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, Great Britain and other countries. 15 teams represented Turkmenistan in different categories.
According to the specialists, the members of young Turkmen team demonstrated good results and claimed confidently to gain the victory.Having started the race on the banks of Amudarya River in the ancient settlement of Amul, brave sportsmen drove more than 1.5 thousand kilometres across the country from east to west, having covered complicated parts on the space of the Karakums.
Today, they drove 203 km of the fifth leg of eco rally raid.Finally, the participants of the competitions came to the finish line.Harry Hunt (Great Britain) was the leader of this leg.
Nani Roma (Spain) was the second while Mathew Serradori was the third to cross the finish arch.Nani Roma became the first in the overall rating, followed by Mroslav Zapletal and Sergey Vyzaovich (Belarus) on the third place.
Two Turkmen crews were the third in their categories: Hojaguly Annamammedov and Gaygusyz Akmyradov (No. 100 MINI T11.2) and Guvanch Hommadov and Rejep Annaberdiyev (No. 104 TOYOTA T22.2).
Award ceremony of winners of the rally took place on the square in front of the flagpole of Balkan Velayat where special podium was built.Master of the ceremony was announcing the names of the racers, their team and countries.
Prize winners in each category took their places on the pedestal of honour and received cherished trophies with Amul Hazar 2018 sign, lift it above their heads demonstrating to the visitors.
After the ceremony, they were taking pictures surrounding by their teammates and giving interviews to the representatives of mass media.The crews drove on the podium in their vehicles flying their flags and greeting the public.
Some of the motors were impressive indeed one can find it only at similar competitions.They underwent serious test of construction solutions between the start and finish, there were breakdowns and flips but this is sports.
Everybody tried to move up in the tournament table but only the best reached the finish.However, all teams took part in the final parade and every team member received memorable gift and souvenirs.
Powerful heavy trucks stopped near the podium.Celebration music was accompanied by roar of the engines, applauses and congratulations, joyful exclamations.The name of the race, Amul Hazar, highlights connecting role of our country for entire region of the Silk Road.
The distance of the rally consisted of five special parts with overall length of more than 1,500 kilometres.Spectators enjoyed filigree driving technique of the pilots.Interesting but hard off-road track was serious challenge for both motors and people.
The sand of Karakum Desert, dunes, plains, beauty of landscapes and strive to win inspired the participants of the raid, which became not only bright sport events but also significant input to development of international humanitarian cooperation, consolidation of friendship and understanding between the nations.
Like in any other tournaments, this race had an atmosphere of competition, fight and high skills, however, in first, it was a triumph of sports uniting and consolidating by the idea of peace.
Celebration events were continued in the evening in the fountain park of Avaza National tourist zone.President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who also arrived there, has been met by the Speaker of the Mejlis, deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers, heads of military and law enforcement agencies of Turkmenistan.
The Head of the State went to special place.Everything was ready for the beginning of the ceremony.Big stage lit decorated in sport vehicle design was lit up with bright beams of soffits.
Big central circle depicts the steering wheel with Turkmenistan’ sign inside and the silhouette of racing car with No.100 and image of Vepaly the alabay on the side.
This was the vehicle, that the Head of the State drove opening the race competition.Other cars of Turkmenistan national team can be seen under the sign and on both side of the steering wheel in the circles drawn in the shape of wheels.
Lower panel of the stage is represented by the monitor displaying the sea and the background of the circles is represented by animated symbols of Amul Hazar 2018 raid.
Master of ceremony addressed the President of Turkmenistan asking to make a speech.Welcoming the participants, the Head of the State noted that this year is held in the country under slogan “Turkmenistan the Heart of the Great Silk Road” and marked in the country with big events and holidays.
Cycling and field and track races have started along the Silk Road from ancient Amul to Hazar in the beginning of the year and International rally Amul Hazar 2018 has started few days ago.
These events in the year under slogan “Turkmenistan the Heart of the Great Silk Road” have very deep meaning and historical importance.It serves as visual example of revival of this ancient caravan route, which unites the countries and people, in new format, the Leader of the Nation highlighted.
Sportsmen participating in this competition drove through all attractions of Turkmen desert starting from Amul and arrive in the Caspian coast.Today, the results of cycling, field and track and vehicle races have been summed up.
People say that Turkmens have holidays one after another.The award ceremonies of the winners of Türkmeniň Altyn asyry contest took place, number of cultural and art personnel were conferred with honoured titles, the President of Turkmenistan continued.
The culture is closely connected with our history.It united people from ancient time, the Head of the State said and congratulated art and cultural masters, who were awarded with prizes and honoured titles, having wished them new success.
Our sovereign state is recognized in the world as the country of health and inspiration, we do pay great attention to the improvement of health of the citizens, introduction of healthy life style principles, development of sports, the Head of the State highlighted.
The development od sports is one of priority directions of our state policy.Healthy life gives inexhaustible sources of energy, power and inspiration to people.International sport prestige of the country is growing steadily.
At present tme, neutral Turkmenistan is known as sport state.The winners of rally raid, cycling and field and track races from Amul to Hazar became known today.
Having demonstrated their skills, they finished this way with victory.President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov congratulated the participants and winners of the competitions along the Silk Road across Karakum Desert and finished in Avaza National tourist zone, having wished great sport success to everyone.
After, the floor was given to Jean Louis Schlesser, the General Director of Africa Eco Race, who noted the beauty of Avaza at first and cordial hospitality in Turkmenistan, in general.
Wonderful sceneries, unique nature, interesting camping sites along the route, all of these is the demonstration of great culture, Schlesser said.He also expressed the gratitude to the Head of the State and Turkmenistan team, which was represented by greatest number of the sportsmen and competing in four categories, having won the prizes.
The President of Turkmenistan is known in the world with his outstanding personal input to the sport development.In particular, Turkmen leader has played significant role in promotion of motorsport on the planet, the guest said, having noted that the Head of the State provided huge support in high-level organization of this rally. “ We will see you at new events and rallys in Turkmenistan next year!”, - Jean Louis Schlesser wished.
Finally, the moment came and the award ceremony of International rally Amul Hazar 2018, the grandiose sport competition, which write new page in the history of this sport, has begun.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Director of Africa Eco Race rally Jean Louis Schlesser were invited to the stage.Together, they presented the winners of the competitions with special prizes sets of memorable coins Amul Hazar 2018 and gift sets of national Turkmen dress.
The winners in their categories received traditional sheep fur coats and white fur headdress.These are gold winners Spanish Nani Roma and Aleks Haro who were the best driving their MINI, Belarusian MAZ team pilot Sergey Vyazovich, co-pilot Pavel Garanin and engineer Andrey Zhigulin, Kazakhstan crew of NISSAN Kirill Chernenkpv and Alexey Mun, French crews Thierry Pitavi and Gillies Colombes, Ivan Pierre and Veronica Dart.
Those who were the second received red robes (don) and dark hur hats (telpek).Miroslav Zapletal and Marek Sikory from Czech Republic, Russian KAMAZ team of Ayrat Mardeyev, Dmitry Svistunov and Ahmet Gilyautdinov, British pilot Harry Hunt with his co-pilot Wouter Rosegaar were the silver winners of the race.
As it was mentioned above, two Turkmen crew won the third place.These are poilot Hojaguly Annamammedov, the driver of transport facility of the Office of the President of Turkmenistan, the sportsman of the Motorsport of the Minister of Interior of Turkmenistan and co-pilot Gaygysyz Akmyradov, the officer of transport department of the Defence Ministry of Turkmenistan as well as pilot Guvanch Hommadov, the sportsman of the Motorsport Centre of the Ministry of Interior of Turkmenistan and co-pilot Rejepniyaz Annaberdiyev.
Other KAMAZ representatives Dmitry Sotnikov, Ruslan Ahmadeyev and Ilgiz Ahmetzyanov, French racers Jean Claude Rufie Jerome Bosch, Dutch Gert Jan van der Valk and Branco Da Langa were among he bronze winners.
Receiving awards from Head of the State Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the participants of the rally expressed sincere gratitude for the opportunity to come to beautiful Turkmenistan and take part in unprecedented rally race that has historical significance in revival of the Silk Road, which survived through the centuries and heads to the future.
Every participant put on the presented dress and took a picture for the memory.After, Jean Louis Schlesser expressed the gratitude to the Head of Turkmenistan on behalf of his organization and personally for the support and participation in the rally, for excellent gifts to the winners, which would be good memories about Turkmenistan.
He named President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov as true winner of the rally.For several months since the proposal on the rally was given, the organizers received huge support from the Head of the State, owing to which we achieved great results, Schlesser said.
Today, we sums up these competitions in Avaza and it is great honour for us to sate the success, he said presenting award to the Leader of the Nation as to the real winner of the rally.
The ceremony was followed by celebration concert with the participation of Turkmen and foreign popular artists, dance and folk ensembles of our country.The public gave applauses to Turkish singer Hadisa Achikgyoz, Russian Igor Sarukhanov and Anjelika Sultanova, vocal and instrumental ensembles Alabina from France and Morandi from Romania.
After the concert, the President of Turkmenistan said warm goodbye to the participants of the ceremony dedicated to the completion of International rally Amul Hazar 2018 and left the place of event.
Big firework, which lit up the sky above Avaza coast with colourful lights, was an excellent epilogue of the event.