In Qatar's desert, a trailblazing woman breaks into the all-male world of off-road driving

In Qatar's desert, a trailblazing woman breaks into the all-male world of off-road driving | AFP

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Off-roading in the Qatar desert has long been an all-male domain. For years it has attracted many adrenaline junkies, 4x4 enthusiasts and expats in search of adventure. But now a trailblazing woman is changing the face of the sport. Marcelle Visser who quickly rose through the ranks of the Qatari off-roading community is now helping to make the desert safer and encouraging many other women to also get in the driver's seat.
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Qatar’s sand dunes attract many adrenaline junkies. They come here to do extreme off-roading on the sand dunes. This is what is known as dune bashing. But the desert also attracts many expats looking for adventure. Most of them men. That was until Marcelle showed up. Marcelle is from South Africa. She has lived in Qatar for six years, but only discovered off-roading a year ago.
In Qatar, gender separation in social settings remains very common in most circles. Men and women gather separately for prayers and most celebrations. Historically, the desert has been a man’s domain and so has off-roading.
But Marcelle was happy to prove them wrong. Marcelle’s passion for the desert quickly turned into a more serious pursuit Thanks to Khaled who had big plans for her.
"The minute I saw how Marcelle is passionate about off-roading in general I decided to focus with her. It was a plan to make her a marshal."
In the off-roading world, marshals are group leaders. Marshals are in charge of a convoy’s safety.
They are also there to assist drivers when in difficulty. More than 4,300 accidents were reported in the last 5 years in Qatar’s busiest off-roading area. (Source: Ministry of Interior)
To ensure safety, clubs such as the Dune Riders host regular workshops for newcomers.
To become a marshal, Marcelle had to learn how to handle these tricky situations. To get there, Marcelle had to train hard. Marcelle’s toughest obstacle has not been behind the wheel.
To be accepted as Qatar’s first female marshal, Marcelle had to prove herself.
Following Marcelle’s example, more women have now switched to the driver’s seat.
And with more women discovering off-roading,
The reputation of the once all-male domain is slowly changing.
And while Marcelle is bringing changes in the sport, the desert has also changed her.
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