Pioneering lady takes the reins for Jordan Rally
Amman, Jordan: The Jordan Rally has appointed its first ever female clerk of the course who has made a habit out of chartering new waters for the Kingdom's women.
Randa Nabulsi will be in charge of Jordan's round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) from October 16-18, stepping up from the deputy clerk of the course position she impressively held when Jordan host the World Rally Championship (WRC) in April of this year.
It is another first for the popular stalwart having worked as a marshal on the first Jordan Rally back in 1981, and becoming the Kingdom's first female competitive driver during the same decade.
"A lot has changed since those early days," she fondly remembered. "The WRC has taken motorsport, not only in Jordan but in the region as a whole, to a new level and it is important that we display these new standards of organisation when we hold our Middle East event next month."
Jordan's promotion to the WRC was in recognition of holding the best regional event over the past three years and while obvious downsizing is expected for the October rally, fans bitten by the rally bug can expect another fiesta of motorsporting thrills and spills around the world class Dead Sea Valley tracks.
"The Rally HQ will again be located at the Dead Sea along with the media centre and the service park to continue the tradition of hosting a compact and centralised event," explained Nabulsi. "The routes are easy to access for spectators and it will give them another chance to see what was created for the WRC. It is going to be a real treat for both the competitors and spectators alike."
Nabulsi has been deputy clerk of the course for the past five years and has also served as a competitor relations officer. Her all round knowledge of the sport and the event in particular made her a natural choice for clerk of the course. She has already passed her first test with flying colours by producing all the relevant paperwork – including the Rally Guide and Supplementary Regulations – to the FIA well within the deadline.
The Jordan Rally MERC gets into gear with a glittering opening ceremony in Al Hussein Gardens in Amman on Thursday, October 14th, creating a spectator-friendly event in the heart of the city. The sporting side then moves to the Dead Sea for two days of non-stop high-octane action. The region's top stars, including Nasser Al Attiyah of Qatar, are expected to be joined in the field by the pick of the local heroes, many of whom will be familiar with the routes having competed in WRC event earlier this year.