For immediate publication 2004.03.09	Magnificent double for Team Nissan France Dessoude on the trails of the " Oman Desert Express " Isabelle Patissier and Bernard Irissou claim their first win A new concept and new territories to conquer for the competitors taking part in the first edition of the " Oman Desert Express "… The organisers had predicted a difficult race, the outcome of which would remain uncertain until the end. As far as difficulties were concerned, all promises were kept, but the domination of the two Pathfinders entered by Team Nissan France Dessoude did not waiver from the first to the last kilometre. Under the benevolent eye of the "Wizard of St Lô", our two teams, Isabelle Patissier-Bernard Irissou and Jun Mitsuhashi-Thierry Delli-Zotti led this new-style ocean to ocean desert race from start to finish. A fine route, through magnificent scenery, varying between endless seas of sand and fast tracks along the Oman coast. Despite a breathtaking start to the race, with incredibly difficult sections to cross, the two Nissan Pathfinder vehicles pulled out a gap early on, and led from the start. It is not always easy to open the route, as with no track visible, they had to create their own trails for kilometre after kilometre. Undoubtedly, Thierry Delli-Zotti's experience in such an exercise, and the determination of our four crewmembers, allowed them to set a fast pace as the days went by, leaving their pursuers hundreds of kilometres behind them. This lead had to be carefully managed at all times, as none of the teams could guarantee that they would be spared any mechanical problems, which could, at any point, reduce their hard work to nothing. The 2000-km route, over six days, was completed as a real team effort. Only four teams were classified at the end (the others being considered not to have finished within the time limit). The third-placed driver, also with a Nissan, crossed the finish line the day after, over five hours behind the leaders. For Isabelle Patissier, this was a timely win, just a few weeks before the start of the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies, where she will be aiming for victory in the Production category. "I am particularly pleased with this victory, but I want to share it with Bernard, Thierry and Jun. We ran a real team race, which was the secret of our success. Some of our rivals, such as the teams from Oman and Dubai, had me a bit worried. They know the terrain very well, and are talented drivers. However, I think their pace was too fast at the start, and considering the difficulties encountered in the early days, they paid a heavy price for their haste. Seen from the inside, this week was a fascinating adventure. As everyone had to stop driving at 16:30, we set the bivouac up where we stopped. Some great moments … with plenty of fun. But those good moods and the comradeship were also always present when we were driving. We decided to drive together very early on, as it looked certain that it would be easier to get out of the numerous traps if there were two of us. We had to get out the towing ropes more than once to pull one or other of the cars. Driving together allowed us to gain time, but also to make the right navigational choices. Thierry gave us the benefit of his experience, which will also be profitable for the races to come. We learnt a lot thanks to him. The difference between this and a standard rally is that there is no road book, no way to anticipate or have warnings of major difficulties ahead. There are no trails to follow either, and when you are in the front, it makes things much more difficult. You also have to be aware of the mechanical side of things at all times. There is no assistance in the evenings, so you have to take care of the car. Concentration is very important, as you have to listen to the car, to your navigator, and to 'read' the road ahead. As far as driving is concerned, the experience was very beneficial, with no big mistakes. I think I have learnt a lot for the future… What joy! See you again in April for the Rally of Tunisia…" As for Bernard Irissou, on cloud nine, he was savouring this first win : " I am very happy… as Isabelle said, this was as much a sporting adventure as a human one. We shared some unforgettable moments. As far as the navigation is concerned, I have accumulated some incredible experience. It will be very useful for the next rallies. Many thanks, Thierry! " Jun Mitsuhashi also thoroughly enjoyed the event : " It was not like other rallies, and moreover, the trails were magnificent. It was an incredible training ground, and I definitely do not regret taking part. I also enjoyed sharing the experience with Thierry Delli Zotti. He really knows what he is talking about! It was great, and I really liked the concept. When is the next one? " As for Thierry Delli Zotti, the " professor " did not appear unhappy to have got to the end of this challenge: " The first days were terrible, and like everyone else, we had our share of problems. The most difficult thing was to be the 'openers' all the time. No tracks to follow, no landmarks, totally virgin tracks. The choices were not always easy, but the osmosis was perfect between me and Bernard. Moreover, the landscapes were magnificent, which makes everything easier. The route we took along the Oman coast was marvellous. As far as the organization was concerned, there were a few points which needed revising, but in general, everything went well." André Dessoude was there to support his troupes, and also appeared rather satisfied with the results : " I am very pleased to see both cars at the finish, but I am also very happy for Isabelle. I think it was a positive exercise for both teams. The principal behind this event is very interesting, even if some points need reviewing in the future. There were a lot of mechanical breakdowns, and I am happy that, on our side, we only had one puncture. I would like to mention the excellent job that Thierry did; without him, things would have been significantly more complicated." The next event for Team Nissan France Dessoude is the Rally of Tunisia, in early April, when the team will be entering three cars. Kenjiro Shinozuka will be driving a Pickup, Paul Belmondo will enter an X-Trail and, of course, Isabelle Patissier and Bernard Irissou will be behind the wheel of their Pathfinder. Classification Pos Drivers/Co-driver Nr Make Dist.(km) Time 1 Isabelle PATISSIER Bernard IRISSOU 102 NISSAN 1995 44h50 2 Jun MITSUHASHI Thierry DELLI-ZOTTI 104 NISSAN 1995 +00h02 3 Vanina ICKX Florence BOURGNON 101 NISSAN 1995 +05h10 4 Jean CLEMENT Hamoud AL JABRI 108 TOYOTA 1995 +05h26 NOT CLASSIFIED 5 Ahmed AL ZADJALI Maud AL ZADJALI 110 TOYOTA HT 6 Khalid SOOMAR Anwar ALI SOOMAR 105 TOYOTA HT 7 Jacques LAFFITE Pierre LANDEREAU 103 TOYOTA HT 8 Alexandre DEBANNE Patrick LARDEAU 107 TOYOTA HT 9 Saïd AL HAMELI Gilles CHAUVE 109 NISSAN HT Back to the previous