country rallying world switches from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and the Rub Al-Khali Monday as the UAE Desert Challenge begins with a cluster of world titles at stake over the next five days. After the exciting Sunday afternoon super special stage which gave spectators a ringside view of the action at Jebel Ali, the event, sponsored by Nakheel and Nissan Middle East, starts officially from the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi at 9.30 A.M. Ahead for the 115 prototype cars, modified 4WD vehicles, trucks, bikes and quads assembled from around the world lies five days of dramatic desert driving in the penultimate round of both the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies and the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship. Spain's Marc Coma, bidding for a hat trick of Desert Challenge bikes victories, will be the first of 75 riders to be flagged away from the start by Mohammed Bin Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE and the rally creator. Coma will be followed by French star Cyril Despres, his KTM teammate and four-time winner in the UAE who again poses the biggest threat to the Spaniard, and UAE-based British rider James West who will be aiming to build on his fourth place last year. With the cars following the bikes away, top-seeded Nasser Al-Attiyah, Qatar's reigning FIA Middle East Rally champion, will be the first of 40 drivers to leave the starting ramp. He sets off in his new BMW X3 in pursuit of the World Cup crown, and is also aiming to become the first Arab winner of the event since fellow Qatari Saeed Al-Hajri in 1993. For the last five years, as a result of Nissan's sponsorship of the event, Nissan Patrols have been used over several months of preparations to carve the Desert Challenge route out of the Empty Quarter. This time the official car for the event will deliver the World Cup production class drivers' champion, as Kazakhstan's current leader, Artur Ardavichus, and Russian Andrey Ivanov, who trails him by just four points, face a UAE showdown to decide the title. While new regulations this year exclude Coma, Despres and other KTM works riders from the World Championship, five FIM world titles will be decided by developments over the next five days. Two of those titles seem certain to go to Poland, as Marek Dabrowski is in line for the over 450cc production class crown, compatriot Jacek Czachor should clinch the 450cc production title, while another Polish rider, Jakub Przygonski, tries to make up a four-point gap on Italian Oscar Polli in the over 450cc Rally Sport battle. After the ceremonial start beside the Emirates Palace, the first competitive section, the 281-km Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority Special Stage 1, gets under way at 10.35 A.M. behind the UAE Air Force base at Mafraq, delivering the first competitor to the finish at Moreeb Hill, the rally's desert bivouac base for the next four nights, just over three hours later. Over the following three days the rally breaks out into the Empty Quarter, a region characterized by towering dunes presenting competitors with navigational dilemmas as they seek the fastest route while attempting to avoid the most treacherous obstacles. Early morning starts bring the 296-km Nakheel Special Stage 2 on Tuesday, the 340-km Nissan Special Stage 3 on Wednesday and Thursday's 314-km ADNOC Special Stage 4. The final leg on Friday sees the 118-km Hertz Special Stage 5 leading to the 166-km Emarat Special Stage 6 ahead of the 4.30 P.M. finish at Dubai International Marne Club. Taking place under the patronage of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Desert Challenge is also sponsored by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, ADNOC, Emarat, Hertz UAE, Oasis Water, Inmarsat, Arasca Medical Equipment, Mashreq Bank, Messina Line, Tag Heuer, FedEx, Dubai International Marine Club and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina, the official hotel. __
