Julie Kohlmann and Elodie Baudin pose for a photo on Julie's Land Rover Defender at their farewell party hosted at the Robin du Lac Concept Store on route d'Esch on 14 March Mike Zenari

Julie Kohlmann and Elodie Baudin pose for a photo on Julie's Land Rover Defender at their farewell party hosted at the Robin du Lac Concept Store on route d'Esch on 14 March Mike Zenari

The Rallye Aicha des Gazelles is a gruelling, nine-day race across the Moroccan desert using only a map, compass and latitude and longitude references. "That’s how you find the check points,” private banker and French national Julie Kohlmann said, adding: “You have to arrive at each station with the minimum number of kilometres possible.”

For Kohlmann this will be her fourth time entering, having competed in 2011, 2012, and in 2013, when she finished in fifth place.

“Last time, we decided to go for a good ranking and finished the day. But doing the least kilometres doesn’t necessarily mean doing it more quickly. It meant we got home late at the cost of a few hours’ sleep,” the 33-year-old explained.

This time, she will be driving with new teammate Elodie Baudin, a French national who Kohlmann met through friends in Lyon.

Photo: Mike Zenari. The Rallye Aicha des Gazelles is a gruelling, nine-day race across the Moroccan desert

“We both planned to compete with other teammates. We realised that outside of the rally we had a lot in common: the same way of working and reasoning. We’re also around the same age and at the same stage in our lives, we’ve similar ambitions in work and personal life,” Kohlmann said.

Communication is key

The pair will compete in Julie’s Land Rover Defender 110, which has been adapted by Land Rover Trier and decorated with the Luxembourg flag and art work by Luxembourg artist Claire-Lise Backes.

Although the two friends have taken annual leave from work to compete, the race itself will be no holiday, rising at 4am for breakfast each day and setting out at sunrise.

“It’s hard to drive in a straight line in the desert. Straight lines will get you there quicker but there are risks: dunes and cliffs, for example,” Kohlmann said.

All the more reason to have a good teammate as Kohlmann said: “Getting on and communication is 50% of the success of a race. If you don’t get on or don’t communicate enough or have difficulties speaking that could be very complicated.”

Supported by a mechanical team during the race, the pair will compete against over 150 other contenders as team 242, also known as the “Petroleuses” (petrol heads).

Click here to follow their progress during the race.