Amul – Hazar is new sport brand of Turkmenistan

“Desert race in Turkmenistan made a splash!” – this is one of several headlights of the news lines of big press agencies and international media, which informed about the finish of Amul – Hazar race and its results.

All news agencies noted that it was the initiative of the President of Turkmenistan to organize this race along the Silk Road, who personally took part in the races, having opened their first leg.

The fact that famous and titled racers from all over the world, who decided to compete in unknown landscape environment, took part in the first Amul – Hazar rally was interpreted by the journalists as a sign of great future of Turkmen desert race, which has been already entered to the calendar of international motor sport competitions.

Crews from more than 20 countries like Great Britain, France, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia and other took part in Amul – Hazar rally. Geographic coverage of the representatives of mass media – journalists and reporters of dozens of competent news agencies, international TV channels, sport network portals, which highlighted the competitions in Turkmenistan all over the world, was even bigger.

Video published on the website of RT TV channel (Russia Today) gathered millions of hits on the web. 1.2 million users put ‘likes’ only for the first day after publication.

The video contains the main moments of the racers, which have been started on the banks of Amudarya River by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov driving sport car No. 100, the final on the coast of Avaza coast, footages of the vehicles rallying through the Karakums, rest of the teams and technical work of support personnel, opening and closing parade of the participants.

After the announcement of the winners, the video is finished by the concussion that it was the host country, which is true winner as the rally was another important step in the formation of the image of Turkmenistan as hospitable country in the world arena, which is willing to cooperate with all interested partners.

Amul – Hazar 2018 rally was significant event in the world of motor races, the RT mentions in the publication following the video and broadcasted by other media. – New rally was impatiently awaited by the fans. The route of the race laid along the Great Silk Road across Karakum Desert.

The RT reporters also observed increased attention to safety and ecological issues in organization of the rally. “All teams were provided with environmental friendly fuel made in Turkmenistan in order to minimize the pollution of the desert”. It is worth reminding that relative Resolution has been signed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, having ordered Turkemnbashy Refinery Complex to provide A-95 gasoline and ECO 5 diesel fuel to transport and equipment of the participants and technical personnel of International rally.

The RT team is often guest in our country. Under the cooperation developing with the State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH), the film crew of this international channel with multimillion international auditory was preparing the report from the opening of Turkmenbashy International Seaport and video material about unique attraction of Turkmen land “The Glare of the Karakums”. This was the place where one of the camping sites of Amul – Hazar 2018 rally has been set up.

Separate story in the series of videos about each of five stages of races in Turkmen desert was dedicated to this place on Eurosport channel. The video about the final part of the rally, which has around 5 million views, was the most popular. Many of the reports in foreign mass media attracting the attention by the headlights like “The Show in the desert”, “From Amul Plain to Hazar, the desert of Turkmenistan always offers beautiful images”, were focused on the uniqueness of the project itself.

Number of mass media has also cited the impression of the participants of the competition who stated high organizational level of the races, which is mainly due to active support Turkmen leader.

Head of the State Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pays utmost attention to creation of necessary conditions on Turkmenistan for large sport competitions giving them the role of the events that unite the nations and cultures and able to improve peace and friendship in the region and on the planet.

Large-scale work is expanded in the country for formation of relative modern infrastructure. At the same time, targeted measures for assertion of the principles of healthy and active life style, involvement of Turkmen citizens especially young generation to regular physical exercises and sports are taken. In this context, the rally with the participation of the teams from many countries that were held with triumph in the country will not only support the improvement of sport prestige of the country but further popularization of various sports especially motor sport.

Many sport medias including those specialized in motor races have mentioned that Amul – Hazar 2018 was a qualification round for famous Africa Eco Race organized by Jean Louis Schlesser, who has also led organization team of Turkmen rally. This is good application for inclusion of the race in the list of the Dakar status international competitions.

Finally, grandiose project of International rally Amul – Hazar 2018 has been successfully accomplished. Hard but interesting off-road track was serious challenge for people and equipment.

The sand of Karakum Desert, dunes, plains, beauty of landscapes and strive to win inspired the participants of the raid, which became not only bright sport events but also significant input to development of international humanitarian cooperation, consolidation of friendship and understanding between the nations. Like in any other tournaments, this race had an atmosphere of competition, fight and high skills, however, in first, it was a triumph of sports uniting and consolidating by the idea of peace.

Moreover, this project had an important cultural mission giving great opportunity to introduce the heritage of our country, historical monuments, richness of national culture and traditions, which are carefully preserved and protected by Turkmen people and passed from generation to generation,

The participants of the rally have also felt the breath of new dynamic time and seen colossal and progressive changes in all regions of Turkmenistan together with fundamental social and economic reforms, introduction of scientific and technical achievements and industrial development with their own eyes.

It is natural that General Director of Africa Eco Race Jean Louis Schlesser named President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov as a true winner of the rally. For several months from the moment of proposal of this rally, the organizers received huge support from the Head of the State, owing to which we have achieved such great results, Schlesser said.

The race across the Karakums gave plenty of emotions and impressions including to millions of fans, spectators and readers abroad. However, the effect of successful realization of this big project will be felt in the future not only in the sphere of development of motor sport and sport movement in general but also in such areas as the formation of environmentally oriented economy, ‘green’ transport complex as well as in the tourism.

The track of the Silk Road raised great interest of numerous participants and guests of the race and many of them expressed the idea of coming back here again in order to see outstanding historical monuments of Turkmenistan. The next rally in 2019 will be the reason to come back t exotic Karakums.