13th HA’IL NISSAN INTERNATIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY RALLY – January 13-18, 2018
For immediate release
Thursday, January 18th, 2018
ESSA AL-DOSSARI GUIDES HIS NISSAN NAVARA TO VICTORY IN HA’IL NISSAN RALLY
· Samai Talab Al-Shammeri in second; Al-Shegawi snatches T2 victory
HA’IL (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Arabia’s Essa Al-Dossari and Emirati navigator Ali Hassan Obaid lost some time on the final 168.57 selective section of the 13th Ha’il Nissan International Cross-Country Rally, but that failed to prevent them guiding the ED Racing Nissan Navara to outright victory by the margin of 8min 42sec.
Samai Talab Al-Shammeri and navigator Abdullah Mutar Al-Shammeri reduced Al-Dossari’s overnight lead by nearly seven minutes in a brave battle for supremacy across the tricky sandy trails and dunes of the An Nafud desert, but the Saudi duo had to settle for second position in their Nissan Patrol.
Al-Dossari said: “I am extremely happy. This is exactly the result and start I was looking for and I hope it will be the start of something big in the future. I would like to thank my team, ED Racing, and my co-driver and everyone who was part of this big achievement today.”
Ahmed Abdullah Al-Shuhail and Rasheed Al-Shammeri gave Nissan a 1-2-3 with the final place on the podium after setting the second quickest time in the final stage. The day’s stage win fell to the Toyota Land Cruiser of Saudi Salman Saad Al-Mshaan and Kuwaiti co-driver Nawaf Al-Onizi.
Muteb Saud Al-Qnoon finished fourth overall and the experienced Ahmed Al-Shegawi and his Russian navigator Alexei Kuzmich snatched the T2 win from under the nose of overnight leader Muneef Al-Salmani, who was driving a Nissan Saudi Arabia-backed Patrol – the King of All Terrains.
Talal Al-Thukair successfully defended his lead in the ATV category on a Can-Am from outright super special stage winner Saleh Abdullah Al-Saif. Al-Saif won the last stage, but Al-Thukair held on to take the category win by 4min 44sec.
The Ha’il Nissan International Cross-Country Rally was staged under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Aziz bin Sa’ad bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Ha’il, President of the Supreme Commission for Ha’il Development and the Head of the Supreme Commission of the Ha’il Rally.
13th Ha’il Nissan International Cross-Country Rally – positions after SS4 (unofficial – 13.25hrs):
1. Essa Al-Dossari (SAU)/Ali Hassan Obaid (ARE) Nissan Patrol 9hrs 27min 02sec
2. Samai Talab Al-Shammeri (SAU)/Abdullah Mutar Al-Shammei (SAU) Nissan 9hrs 35min 44sec
3. Ahmed Al-Shuhail (SAU)/Rasheed Al-Shammeri (SAU) Nissan Patrol 9hrs 39min 33sec
4. Muteb Saud Al-Qnoon (SAU)/Abdullah Al-Qnoon (SAU) Nissan 10hrs 09min 46sec
5. Ahmed Al-Shegawi (SAU)/Alexei Kuzmich (RUS) Nissan Patrol 10hrs 11min 27sec
5. Talal Al-Thukair (SAU)/Saleh Al-Shebanah (SAU) Can-Am 10hrs 11min 27sec
7. Muneef Al-Salmani (SAU)/Ali Al-Saiyari (SAU) Nissan Patrol 10hrs 13min 33sec
8. Saleh Abdullah Al-Saif (SAU)/Abdulsalem Al-Shammeri (SAU) Can-Am 10hrs 16min 11sec
9. Yousef Al-Suweidi (SAU)/Ziad Al-Harbi (SAU) Nissan Patrol 10hrs 17min 55sec
10. Khalid Al-Shammeri (SAU)/Hani Munif Al-Shammeri (SAU) Nissan 10hrs 19min 16sec
11. Khalid Nafeaa Al-Hamzani (SAU)/Fahad Al-Omar (SAU) Nissan 10hrs 43min 33sec
12. Faris Khalaf Al-Mashna (SAU)/Saud Nasser Al-Tamimi (SAU) Nissan 10hrs 48min 32sec
Ends