A good tradition of the Baja Russia Northern Forest is the participation of the female racers. This year six crews that include eight women (drivers and/or co-drivers) will take part in the event, one of them will be completely female.
Of course, Russian fans will root for the local racers first of all. The highest starting number 204 has a crew including the Moscow co-driver Marina Danilova – she will assist the legendary Sergey Uspensky.
The three-time Champion of Russia in the classic rally is the most eminent Russian female racer from those who will start at the Baja Russia Northern Forest. Her sports career has been going on for twenty-two years – during this time Marina has worked with many fast Russian and foreign drivers: Evgeny Vertunov, Alexey Tserlyukevich, Irek Dautov, Alexey Ignatov, Igor Storchak, Patrik Flodin, Igor Bulantsev, Sergei Remennik, Roman Belyaev. The greatest success was achieved in a crew with Sergey Uspensky.
A female crew of driver Anastasia Nifontova and co-driver Ekaterina Zhadanova will start with the number 212. Last year Nifontova and Zhadanova finished the Baja Russia Northern Forest on the second place in the T3 standings of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, and this year they are going to compete for victory both in the world series and at the round of the Russian Championship.
This is the most eminent female crew of the Baja Russia Northern Forest. Both girls started their racing journey driving motorcycles. Anastasia Nifontova took part in the rounds of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, as well as in multi-day rally marathons Africa Eco Race, Silk Way Rally and Dakar. However, over time she decided to change the category and first moved to the production Toyota Land Cruiser 200 of the T2 standings, and then to the Can-Am Maverick X3 that brought the crew of Nifontova and Zhadanova the second place at the Baja Russia Northern Forest last year.
Another Russian racer Tatyana Sycheva will participate in the upcoming snow and ice baja in a crew with co-driver Alexander Alekseev. The Petersburgers will fight to score points in the T3 standings of the Russian Cross-Country Championship rounds. This is not the first Baja Russia Northern Forest for Sycheva, and she also took part in the Dakar and Silk Way Rally!
Polish racer Magdalena Zajac starts at the Russian snow and ice event with the co-driver Michal Ogorek for the second time. Last year during their debut start at the Baja Russia Northern Forest the Polish crew took an honorable third place in the T2 standings of the Russian Cross-Country Championship round. On February 13 at the finish of the race we will find out if they will be able to repeat their success or increase it.
Now let us talk about the female debutants of the 2022 Baja Russia Northern Forest! By an amazing coincidence, both racers, who will take part in the Russian event for the first time, come from the hot countries.
Dania Akeel from Saudi Arabia will start at the Baja Russia Northern Forest as part of the South Racing Can-Am team. The most experienced Laurent Lichtleuchter will act as her co-driver. Last year Akeel won the T3 category of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, and this year she made her debut in the Dakar. Now for the first time in her life she will have to try her hand at snow and ice at sub-zero temperatures!
Mashael Al-Obaidan – another female racer from Saudi Arabia is in a similar situation. But unlike her compatriot, the competitor of the 2022 Dakar rally has secured an ace – the Russian Alexey Kuzmich starts with her as a co-driver. His experience will serve well in the debut start of the female racer.
Spaniard Jaqueline Ricci will become the third debutant of the Baja Russia Northern Forest – she is the co-driver in the crew of her fellow countryman Miguel Angel Valero.
Spaniard Jaqueline Ricci will be another debutant of the Baja Russia Northern Forest – she will be the co-driver in the crew of her fellow countryman Miguel Angel Valero. The Spanish crew will compete in the T4 standings.
We wish good luck to all the racers and invite the fans to cheer for them with all your might – they need your support
