The young woman started riding quad bikes with her father as a child, and the hobby became a passion for traveling and competing. \u201cMy dad gave me a quad as a gift when I was a kid, and I grew up exploring the world of buggies, dirt bikes, and motorcycles from a young age,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n While studying in the United States for her master\u2019s degree, Al-Obaidan would take a Volkswagen van and travel for months at a time. \u201cI would visit hot springs, waterfalls or go scuba diving. That\u2019s how I discovered myself and started to take dirt bike courses, which became a hobby, and received my motorcycle license,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n When she returned to Saudi Arabia and found out the Dakar Rally was taking place in her country, she called the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and asked if she could get a license to compete. \u201cI kept pushing, and finally HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal called me personally to say I was ready to race, and I took part in the Dakar Experience in 2019, where I did a single stage,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n For Al-Obaidan, family support has helped her get this far. \u201cMy parents have always supported me. They are always in touch with me while I am competing,\u201d she revealed.<\/p>\n In preparation for the 2022 Dakar this January, Al-Obaidan said she loves adventure and nature, and the Dakar combines it all with speed, technical skills, and a powerful engine.<\/p>\n \u201cI was in Dubai a couple of weeks ago testing with South Racing for four or five days in the dunes of the Empty Quarter. Also, I\u2019ve been training in the desert in Saudi with a personal trainer, wearing my suit and helmet and focusing on building my stamina with a focus on my mental strength,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Last March, Al-Obaidan won the T3 class on the Cross Country Baja World Cup tour held in Saudi Arabia. \u201cAt the beginning, I wasn\u2019t sure what people would say, but all I\u2019m getting is love and support. One thing that really touched me is a former teacher in high school got in touch with me out of the blue. She told me something she\u2019d never shared with anyone before. She said she had always loved rallying and followed it in newspapers. It was a dream for her to compete in rallying, and she said how happy she was that I was living out her dream,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n With enough budget for an international event, last August, Al-Obaidan competed in the Baja Espa\u00f1a Arag\u00f3n rally in Northern Spain, known as the \u201cMini Dakar.\u201d \u00a0Riding her Can-Am Maverick alongside Emirati co-driver Ali Mirza in a two-day race, Al-Obaidan, the first Saudi woman to compete in a stage at the European Baja, came seventh.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Baja Espana Aragon was the hardest round. The terrain was completely new, the dust was something else, and we had to stop a couple of times because I couldn\u2019t see my co-pilot anymore. There were big rocks, water splashing, no windshield, and at one point, I lost four-wheel drive. But I finished really strong against competitors who have been doing this sport for more than 15 years,\u201d she declared.<\/p>\n She stated that the relationship with her co-driver is of utmost importance. \u201cWe spend hours together and you need a synergy. The first thing I do before starting an event is that I tell my co-pilot, \u2018I trust you,\u2019 so whatever they say, I will follow,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n On the changes in Saudi society, Al-Obaidan said she noted the country is becoming more open. \u201cIt\u2019s opening in Saudi Arabia, yes, there are a lot of things we still need to change and provide, but it\u2019s amazing. We are paving the way, and we are understanding the journey to tell other females how to join us,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n The driver aims to finish the 2022 Dakar Rally and compete in next year’s Baja. \u201cI want to race more and more. When you do that, you understand yourself and where you stand. At this stage, I\u2019m sticking with the T3 class but moving forward; I\u2019d like to race in the T1. I still have a lot to learn, but I am excited about the future,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/pilota-saudi-300x178.jpg\")
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