English version below
Texto y Fotos: Jota Alemán
Versión en inglés: Elvira Avilés
Tras un año de preparativos, la familia de este raid homenaje –a los clásicos y a las antiguas pruebas de motor- vuelve a crecer. En Organización, y en participantes. Algunos parecían saber ya en qué punto se encontraban exactamente. Tal es el caso de Pepe Dipe4x4, que formó parte de la edición inaugural; este año repite en un Santana bien distinto y trabajado: Un 119 preparado para la ocasión. Sin duda protagonizará más de una anécdota teniendo en cuenta su carácter enérgico. También los Rollet, con Romain, el galo ganador de la pasada edición. Con su 88 y junto a su padre, vuelve a disputar el Santana Trophy. También el 109 verde del convencidísimo Alejandro de Green&Gold, que junto a su mujer, formalizó su inscripción nada más acabar la edición anterior. Junto con algunos equipos más –cada uno con su proyecto personal- como el Overland Project o el primer Santana Ligero que participa en el raid -de José Miguel Cerro y Susan Careaga con el dorsal 13-, en esta edición otros dos equipos galos tendrán la tarea de defender la honra del aluminio ingles de los Series, frente a la ‘Santanería’ española, mayoría este año.
Emplazados en el desangelado marco que es hoy Santana Motor, todos escuchaban la palabra del linarense José María Villanueva ‘May’ sobre el pasado y el futuro de la marca –que pasa por un proyecto de recuperación de ese legado para los incondicionales aficionados de la firma-. Conscientes de la belleza que aporta la inmutable línea de estos clásicos, de robusta y fuerte imagen, los participantes se interesaban por el rival. Podría haber sido una salida más vistosa, más multitudinaria. No ha sido así. La nota de color alrededor de la fábrica –que parece haber pintado sus últimos años en gris-, la ponen participantes y monturas. Adolfo Avilés, patrón de este sueño vivo un año más, explicaba que “en esta edición la organización ha optado por dar el pistoletazo de salida desde la misma puerta. No se trataba de enseñar bellos lugares, eso llegará mañana. Se trata de dar importancia a nuestra propia esencia e historia, y de ser consecuentes con ella. Con la fábrica abierta o no”.
Emplazados en el desangelado marco que es hoy Santana Motor, todos escuchaban la palabra del linarense José María Villanueva ‘May’ sobre el pasado y el futuro de la marca –que pasa por un proyecto de recuperación de ese legado para los incondicionales aficionados de la firma-. Conscientes de la belleza que aporta la inmutable línea de estos clásicos, de robusta y fuerte imagen, los participantes se interesaban por el rival. Podría haber sido una salida más vistosa, más multitudinaria. No ha sido así. La nota de color alrededor de la fábrica –que parece haber pintado sus últimos años en gris-, la ponen participantes y monturas. Adolfo Avilés, patrón de este sueño vivo un año más, explicaba que “en esta edición la organización ha optado por dar el pistoletazo de salida desde la misma puerta. No se trataba de enseñar bellos lugares, eso llegará mañana. Se trata de dar importancia a nuestra propia esencia e historia, y de ser consecuentes con ella. Con la fábrica abierta o no”.
Asignados los dorsales, y superadas las verificaciones técnicas y administrativas, emprendían el viaje de la tercera edición de #LaGranAventura de Santana Trophy. Pronto pisarán el continente negro y atravesarán Marruecos hasta donde nace el Sáhara, en mecánicas con unos cuarenta años de vida –como media-.
Un año más, los Santana y Series con sus tripulantes a bordo desfilaban a través de las calles de la Linares que los vio nacer. Diez equipos tomaban finalmente la salida. Completar el trayecto por carretera hasta Algeciras es su objetivo del día. El ansia de dejar la civilización atrás todavía tendrá que aguardar un poco más en todos.
Mañana, estos abuelos mecánicos forjados en aluminio cruzarán el estrecho dando vida un año más este sueño que eleva la particular historia, legado y la esencia de estos duros, donde debería estar por derecho.
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Once again, old and new friends take their positions at the foot of the deceased factory in Linares, the official start line for the third edition of #TheGreatAdventure.
After a year of preparation, the family that conforms the raid –homage to the classics and the former motor raids- once again grows, both the Organization and the number of participants. Some of the latter seem confident in their knowledge of the surroundings. Such is the case of PepeDipe 4x4, who was part of the inaugural edition, and who participates with a Santana 119 especially prepared for the occasion. His energetic character will surely make him star in more than one anecdote. RomainRollet, the French winner of last year’s edition, will also be repeating the experience in his 88, accompanied by his father. And the owner of Green&Gold, Alejandro, his wife, and their green 109, formalized their registration to this year’s raid as soon as they got home from last year’s edition. As for the rest of the teams, they each have their own personal project, like the Overland Project or the first Santana Ligero taking part in the race –number 13, owned by José Miguel Cerro and Susan Coreaga-, and the other two French teams, who will have to defend the honour of the outnumbered Series against the Santanas.
Located at the now soulless setting that is Santana Motor factory, everyone listened while José María Villanueva ‘May’ told the story of the past and the future of the brand -which at the moment depends on a recovery project of this legacy by the firm’s unconditional fans-. Conscious of the beauty of the unchangeable design of these firm and robust classics, every team showed interest in their competitors’ cars. There could have been a larger, flashier start line, but this year the vehicles themselves gave the note of colour in an otherwise grey location. Adolfo Avilés, once again chief of the adventure, explained the reasons behind it: “This edition, the Organization has decided on starting the race from the very door. It is not about beautiful settings, thosewill come tomorrow; it is about giving importance to our own essence and history, about being consequent about it. With an open factory, or a closed one.”
Once the numbers have been assigned, and the administrative and technical inspections are taken care of, the teams begin the journey for the Santana Trophy #TheGreatAdventure. They will soon arrive at the black continent to cross Morocco to where the Sahara is born, in machines that are, on average, 40 years old.
Once again, the Santana and Series and their crewmembers, a total of ten teams, drove on the streets of Linares, the town where they were born. Completing the route to Algeciras is the day’s goal, but the yearning of leaving behind civilization will have to wait for a while yet.
Tomorrow, these aluminium forged grandfather machines will cross the Strait of Gibraltar, to once more take part in this adventure that elevates their particular history, legacy and essence to its rightful place.
PROLOGUE STAGE. LINARES – ALGECIRAS.
OFFICIAL START LINE: ANOTHER YEAR
Once again, old and new friends take their positions at the foot of the deceased factory in Linares, the official start line for the third edition of #TheGreatAdventure.
After a year of preparation, the family that conforms the raid –homage to the classics and the former motor raids- once again grows, both the Organization and the number of participants. Some of the latter seem confident in their knowledge of the surroundings. Such is the case of PepeDipe 4x4, who was part of the inaugural edition, and who participates with a Santana 119 especially prepared for the occasion. His energetic character will surely make him star in more than one anecdote. RomainRollet, the French winner of last year’s edition, will also be repeating the experience in his 88, accompanied by his father. And the owner of Green&Gold, Alejandro, his wife, and their green 109, formalized their registration to this year’s raid as soon as they got home from last year’s edition. As for the rest of the teams, they each have their own personal project, like the Overland Project or the first Santana Ligero taking part in the race –number 13, owned by José Miguel Cerro and Susan Coreaga-, and the other two French teams, who will have to defend the honour of the outnumbered Series against the Santanas.
Located at the now soulless setting that is Santana Motor factory, everyone listened while José María Villanueva ‘May’ told the story of the past and the future of the brand -which at the moment depends on a recovery project of this legacy by the firm’s unconditional fans-. Conscious of the beauty of the unchangeable design of these firm and robust classics, every team showed interest in their competitors’ cars. There could have been a larger, flashier start line, but this year the vehicles themselves gave the note of colour in an otherwise grey location. Adolfo Avilés, once again chief of the adventure, explained the reasons behind it: “This edition, the Organization has decided on starting the race from the very door. It is not about beautiful settings, thosewill come tomorrow; it is about giving importance to our own essence and history, about being consequent about it. With an open factory, or a closed one.”
Once the numbers have been assigned, and the administrative and technical inspections are taken care of, the teams begin the journey for the Santana Trophy #TheGreatAdventure. They will soon arrive at the black continent to cross Morocco to where the Sahara is born, in machines that are, on average, 40 years old.
Once again, the Santana and Series and their crewmembers, a total of ten teams, drove on the streets of Linares, the town where they were born. Completing the route to Algeciras is the day’s goal, but the yearning of leaving behind civilization will have to wait for a while yet.
Tomorrow, these aluminium forged grandfather machines will cross the Strait of Gibraltar, to once more take part in this adventure that elevates their particular history, legacy and essence to its rightful place.