Albert and Nicolas, from Frontignan, are already ready to go back to the Iron Panda

Nicolas et Albert Sanfelix retourneront dans le désert marocain l'an prochain.

Having left Frontignan, Albert Sanfélix and Nicolas, his son, have just participated in their first rally-raid in a Panda and are already ready to go again next year.

They came back happy and exhausted. Albert Sanfelix and his son Nicolas have just returned to the good town of Frontignan after battling in the sands of southern Morocco as part of the Iron Panda, a charity rally-raid during which participants give toys to children.

An ocean of dunes to pass

"It went really well, confides Nicolas. We had a great time. It’was also a beautiful sharing between a father and his son". And to continue: "we saw exceptional landscapes and an ocean of dunes". That we had to move on. "There were days when we couldn't stop getting sandy. It was then necessary to take out the shovels and boards several times. I can tell you that we slept well in the evening. We didn't last long", he said with a smile.

A good seventh place

And without racing like crazy, the two Frontignanese managed to finish in seventh place "in the basic Panda 4X4 category, without a modified engine. There were 20 in this case". And everything except mechanical problems, except the pot which had to be held with a string before re-welding it in the evening at the bivouac, and a puncture.

Balloon goal next year

One thing is already certain: they will return there next year. "With other friends we will leave in four cars in total", announces the Frontignanais. With a very specific objective. Take as many deflated balloons as possible for the children. "It’s the universal toy, notes Nicolas. In the smallest village where we stopped, the children asked us for candy but also and above all for balloons. So we want to take as much as possible – we will set up a collection operation during the year – that we will inflate on site thanks to the compressors that we take on board to re-inflate the tires after the sand passages".

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