Published Feb 2009

Dakar 2009 - I survived!

I am back home after surviving a very tough Dakar, a little broken, battered and blue...but happy to be alive!
It was a new challenge to race this edition of the Dakar in South America. The terrain was different, the stages partly very, very technical - and most dangerous of all.. the fesh-fesh dust! Riding at high speeds with no visibility is the most scary thing I have done.

I was well prepared, and riding with excellent support from French Team Meca'System. My first experinece with the Meca'system team in Pharaon's Rally last October was a success, resulting in a 12th place. So I was very confident getting the best support during the race, and they had also prepared my KTM 525 with their rally kit.

So what could possibly go wrong? Everything you didn't think could happen!
As always the Dakar proves to be like no other race, adding all the drama and the "things-that-have-never-happened-before".
The start in Buenos Aires was absolutely unbelieveable, some 500.000 people along the streets and roads cheering us on!! I've never experienced something like this (don't think many people have).


My Dakar story
As always the Dakar is a big challenge - now different because of the change of continent. The new course crossing South America from coast to coast would reveal a beautiful scenery and a fantastic welcoming people - but also some real difficulties. Many competitors struggled from unexpected hardship, and already in the beginning of the race many were out due to unbelievable technical terrain and weather circumstances.

For me the rally started perfectly with a 41st place on the first stage, and I was happy getting into rythm. The only big problem was the endless dust wich made riding extremely dangerous when visibility was almost zero. I almost hit a rider that had crashed badly in front of me, but I could stop and warn the riders following me, and also help the injured rider who needed medical assistance. When I was back on track I was again eating my way through the dust. And the dusteating would continue throughout the whole race. More drama adding on like electrical and starter engine failure and suspension giving up.
 
Two days later on stage 5, it was my turn to barely survive a very bad crash, where I almost broke my neck. The front mudguard somehow got caught in the front wheel and jammed it into an immediate full stop, resulting in me flying over the handlebars crashing full speed on my face. When the dust cleared I wasn't sure I was still alive and in one piece. And could I even ride the bike?

I was lucky only to break my nose after totally wrecking my helmet, the whole chinpiece came off... And the bike was just about ridable after I spent an hour repairing it on the track. Ofcourse getting back in the saddle after that wasn't easy, riding with blood running down my face and bent handle bars. Because the mudguard, goggles and chingguard of my helmet were gone, all the dirt and dust hit my face when riding. But I still managed to continue what would turn out to be the toughest stage of the rally when rain and hail took us by surprise in the dunes!
 
Thanks to my fantastic team back up by Meca'System, I was able to continue the next day. The team boss and mechanics were waiting for me as I arrived after midnight, and immediately everybody jumped to the task of repairing my bike as I wandered off to the medic. My mechanic Laurent had to fix and rebuild the whole front end and handlebars etc.
Really also my "front end" needed some fixing. Not only my nose was broken, my wrist and shoulder (same as I hurt in October last year) was also hurt, so I didn't get much sleep that night.
But next morning the bike was ready to go, and I was determined to ride it to the end...

I was riding extra cautiously knowing how close I had been to breaking my neck. With this thought in the back of my mind, the strategy for the remaining stages was not to push hard and make steady progress.
The plan worked fine until we crossed the high altitudes of 4000 m coming back into Argentina. The bike was almost totally powerless as the carburettor malfunctioned at this high altitude. Ofcourse this stage was mostly soft dunes, riverbeds and some really steep "enduro type" mountain climbs. Because the lack of engine power I tried to find other ways up, but instead I backflipped the bike over me and pulled my shoulder again. Now my right shoulder was as powerless as the bike, and in pain. But I continued slowly, yet falling off the bike once in a while when the pain was overwhelming.

At one point I was lying on my knees on the dunes, crying of agony as a car team stopped. They called the helicopter as they thought I could not ride on, but when the helicopter arrived I couldn't see myself quitting. Instead I asked the doctor to tape my shoulder so I could continue - and many hours later (including a refuelling in a nearby village) I reached the bivouack after midnight. My team was worried but happy to see me as they had almost given up hope... Once again they did a fantastic job getting my bike ready. The two remaining stages were a pleasant cruise to the finish, and I was so happy I had not jumped on the helicopter there on the dunes.

So finally I arrived in Buenos Aires after 2 really hard weeks, finshed 76th general. Considering all the hardship I am very happy to have reached the finishline. But still a little bit disappointed, because I was dreaming of "the perfect race" and a good result.
This is the dream I always try to fulfill. Congratulations to winner Marc Coma and first lady Mirjam Pol.
My conclusion is that the Dakar has yet again proved to be the race where everything can - and will - happen. And this is the drama that makes the Dakar a race like no other!


THANKS
Thanks to all my sponsors and team helping me reaching the finish!
Meca'System - bike preparation & rally assistance
Elmborgs Dental - sponsor
Lindroths Maskin - sponsor
KTM - the best rally bike
Michelin Tyres - the toughest rally tyres
Alpine Stars - the coolest riding gear
X-lite helmets - thanks for saving my life!
Loctite - stuff to repair anything
ELF - oils and lubes
MotoAventures - always supporting
 
Special thanks to
ASO for organising a new Dakar, so we can still race.
The enthusiastic people of hosting countries Argentina and Chile
Stefano Levi who updated my web and filmed interviews almost every day
Doctors of the organisation for obvious reasons
VW team doctor for extra treatiment
All team mates and mechanics in Meca'System
All my friends & family at home
 
Also warm greetings to all my rally friends and fellow competitors who have helped me, given me fuel, cheered me on and just been good friends during the Dakar. Rally racing would be nothing without the wonderful spirit everybody brings and shares!
 
Big rally hugs!
 
Annie


Published 2009-01-01

Dakar 2009 Ready to start!
3 Jan - 18 Jan

The "new" Dakar has changed destination, we will now explore South America, a coast-to-coast challenge from Argentina to Chile and back again. Since the cancellation of dakar 2008, I have worked hard to be able to take the start again. And also thanks to my sponsors I am here in Buenos Aires.

This year I will again ride a KTM 525 ( partly my old from Dakar 2007) equipped with special rally kit from Meca'System. I will be one of the Team Meca'System riders and having a disignated mechanic Laurent who I share with another rider. This is the best set up I have been part of ever, and is the same as I was ridning with in Pharaons Rally october 2008 where I finsihed 12th overall.

You can follow me LIVE on the Dakar.com web during the rally. We are equipped with a GPS-tracking system "IriTrack" which will be showing my position LIVE on a map every stage. It will be activated from 3-18 jan. Look for the Follow Race LIVE on Dakar web...

Also you can read my ANNIE DAKAR BLOG(http://anniedakar.wordpress.com) where I will try and report everyday and post photos (or Stefano Levi who is filmphotographer here following the rally will post updates).

Or post a note in guestbook called the "Hang-Out" up in the menu.

Wish me good luck!!
/Annie


Published 2007-10-12

Dakar 2008 - here we go again!

Still on the finishline in Dakar 2007 I decided to do it all again. Mostly because I was disappointed finishing 94th overall due to major trouble with my fuel-pump.
With a working bike the aim is to finish top 40...

So this year I'm happy to announce
LOCTITE - Teroson - Pattex as my main sponsors. This is the perfect partner for me and the bike - every bolt on the bike will be secured with Loctite! Since Loctite is also a sponsor for the Dakar rally, they will have their own crew to assit me if needed at the rally from start to finish.

Also I have support from KTM and will ride a KTM 525 again, prepared with the MECA'system rally-kit. I will join the MECA'system assistance team for service during the rally.

I will use Alpine Stars riding equipment and X-lite helmets.

Also many friends and other suppliers will provide me with sponsorship and useful products and services...


Published 2007-09-05

VW Polo Cup at Nürburgring

What a fantastic weekend and experience in the Polo Cup at Nürburgring.
I am so happy and feel lucky to have been invited to the VW Motorsport team, and be a part of this whole event.
Also I was happily surprised when Marco from KTM came to Nürburgring with a brand new KTM 690 Rally bike for the "VW Dakar Showcase" in the pits, where Mark Miller and I posed for photographers.
The Polo Cup is racing on a very professional level.
For young talents, this is the ultimate school for future racing. The competition is hard, only 2,5 sec difference from top to bottom in the qualifying. I qualified 29th and last, but I feel that was a good first day on the track. Every lap I improved and cut the laptimes. Since the cars are identical, no driver has an advantage - it is only driving skills that matters!
The competition within the guest drivers was tough also. For example Mark Miller, the American Dakar driver who has also driven Nascar qualified 26th; German Sabine Schmitz "Queen of the Ring", winner of 24-h at Nürburgring and professional "Ring Taxi" driver since many years, qualified 21st.
I feel very proud to have competed among these racing stars, being the total novice I am. 5 weeks ago I had never really driven a race car, and only 3 weeks ago I got my racing licence. Then coming to an international race track as the legendary Nürburgring hosting Formula1 races, to drive my first ever race. This only happens in fairytales!
I came 26th in the race, but it was tough... already in the third corner a little Polo came flying in the air across the racetrack (the driver was ok, no injuries)! Some drivers cut the corners too much and the grass - leaving parts from the car behind...
So I backed off a little an thought maybe the VW team would be happier if I finished with an un-smashed car.
Thanks to everyone at VW Motorsport, the team, mechanics, instuctors and crew.
Also big thanks to VW racing director Kris Nissen who invited me and made an undreamt dream come true!
Back to reality.
Now my Dakar-prepping continues!


Published 2006-05-24

Prepping for Dakar 2007
Half-year update

I started my Dakar-prep this winter, riding winter enduro in the snow almost every weekend, very difficult in deep snow ruts falling over in the soft snow...
But some races I made quite ok results, as long as I could remain standing when riding - my back didn't like sitting down getting beaten with rough terrain.
Adding on physio training all sorts to be as fit as can be for the Dakar. I am still too small and too light, but I intend to be as strong as can be, being little me!
The big challenge still is finding the money - I need like 50000 Euro, and I've managed to get only 3000 Euro to this date.
What I try to do is making events and speaches for companies to earn my way.
Also now introducing my "Dakar Piggy Bank"...

Broken back
Finding sponsors is not the only problem. Iv'e had pain in my back for a long time, and after snowboarding a couple of days up north in Sweden, I could almost not walk. My back was examined, and the verdict is I've got 3 bad disks in my lumbar region, which now stops me from riding any enduro at all. This was a big setback for my preparation. I had actually been offered a place in the Swedish Ladies ISDE team for Nov 2006 in NZ. Very disappointing not to be able to make it.

Super Moto premiere
But there is always something else to do, like Super Moto! So now I am also the "Super Moto Princess". After just a few practicedays I entered my first Super Moto race. Despite racing with a flat front tyre I managed to finish top 20 in the Rookie class. The Super Moto bikes are so much fun, just playoing around... wheelies!

Fun evenets
Also I've done some promotional events. I won the "Super Star Mini-cross" indoor fun-race at the yearly Motorbike showin Feb. I was racing against two of the top Swedish MX-girls who have raced mini-cross before, first time for me.
First qualification I didn't dare jump the little double wooden jump, so I didn't get the finals directly. In the second qualification I forced myself to take on the double. In the finals I holeshotted the start, blocked the others in the first corner and came out leading. No-one could catch me - and I won by half a lap!!

On the same event I was invited to pillion on Brazilian AC Farias' wheelie stunt show! How cool is that?? I was standing behind him on the bike as he was making wheelie piruettes, no hands!!

In mid Feb I tried Minimoto (mini roadracing) on the big Stockholm Motorsportgames indoor show. I was the only girl, and my goal was to put on a good show. The other guys were top roadracing pilots or almost born on these little bikes. We had some crasches and good laughs, and I got my azz kicked!

This spring I was signed up for a "non-smoking" campaign in schools with other top athletes! It is a goodwill campaign to prevent kids from starting to smoke, showing you can be cool not smoking.

All the best //Annie


Published 2005-12-22

My season 2005

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
& NEW YEAR !

And for those starting the Dakar 2006 -
GOOD LUCK and ride/drive safe all the way to the finish!

Now at the end of the season I look back and think of my high-lights 2005:
- Pampas Rally Argentina-Chile: sea+mountains+desert = FANTASTIC !
- My "Adventure Woman of the Year" title
- Finishing top 11-14 almost every day in ORPI Maroc Rally
... and ofcourse all the wonderful people I've met on rallies and motorbike-tours!!

But there were also some low-lights:
- My mountain-bike-accident, the bloodiest crash I've ever had. I'm happy I didn't need a face-transplant after this.
- The non-start in the Dakar 2006, there were no places left... very disappointing.

But I'm a "bounce-back-girl", and what didn't kill me in 2005 just made me tougher for 2006.
So I will try and train even harder, ride more and prepare for the Dakar 2007!
I just hope I can keep from injuring myself during next season...
But it is not easy with my track-record ;o)

I want to thank eveyone that has helped me this year:
Moto Aventures - John & Su, as always for bike, prep and using your equipment
Finanzas & Negocios Chile - Luis Eguiguren and friends, for all the help in Pampas Rally
Honda Chile - Chaleco, Temo, Fenya, everyone... for great team & back up in Pampas Rally
Volvo Chile - Andres de Carcer for sponsoring me in Pampas Rally
Touringbutiken - riding equipment
Tenson - team wear clothes
Öhlins - suspension
Team KTM & Repsol - Jordi+Marco+Eric, for your help in the rallies
My family
And all of you nice people I've met during the year!

:o) and warm hugs! /Annie


Published 2005-05-30

ORPI MAROC RALLY 2005

24-29 May 2005, Agadir

This was my best rally performance ever - and yet my biggest disappointment. I was happy with my riding and the Moto Aventures prepped KTM 450, finishing 11-14th every day. But on day 3 my GPS was re-programmed during he stage, and the officials didn't succed in putting in the GPS-point to Check Point 4, and instead told me to go follow the track and GPS to the finish. When I realised I had missed CP4, I turned back and got it, but exceeded max time and got a 3 hour penality. So instead of being 10-12 overall I dropped back big time. I was VERY disappointed about the big "f-ck up". It would have been much nicer to finish 10-12 general of all bikes, instead of 21... but I know these things happen, even if it is not your own fault.

Thanx:
- Moto Aventures, John & Su for bike, prepping, transports, everything.
- Touringbutiken & Alpine Stars
- Tenson, team clothes
- Marco at KTM service, for helping hands
- KTM Repsol team, Jordi Arcarons & Eric, also great help when needed.

I was racing one of Moto Aventures' KTM 450 in Team Moto Aventures.
John prepped the bike at their base in Morocco, and every time I talked to him it is "pissing him off" - this means he is mounting and doing the electric wiring for all the navigation equipment .
My only concern was fuel range, cause I didnt have the extra rear fuel tank, I could be short on fuel on some stages. So the strategy was to ride smooth and save fuel...


Published 2005-05-17

WOMAN ADVENTURER OF THE YEAR

I was voted "Woman Adventurer of the year" by Stockholm Outdoor Weekend, an organisation arranging different sports events in multisports. I received the prize after I had finished running a 10,4 km terrain competition with obstacles and stuff - very fun. It was like an "enduro-run".


Published 2005-03-21

PATAGONIA-ATACAMA RALLY 2005

A FANTASTIC RALLY THROUGH ARGENTINA AND CHILE

I finished, 22nd (1st woman) despite engine problems

So again I finished a World Cup rally, and again it was spiced with drama before finally getting to the finish line.
And if there wasn't an "if", I could maybe have been top 15, but there always seem to occur some troubles in long races. That's the beauty, challenge and thrill in Cross Country Rallies - to master the ifs and buts...

Read full report & pictures.

THANKS to all FANTASTIC people I've met:
- Luis Eguiguren, my super friend, for everything, bike, backup, organisation, support etc. Invaluable!
- Temo (my mechanic) & Fenya, Honda's mechanics that had a rough week fixing our bikes
- Thomas Eguiguren, for letting me use your spare engine
- Chaleco Lopéz, my Honda team mate, fantastic rider & friend!
- Andres de Carcer, of Volvo Chile who sponsored me, friend, also drove in the rally
- Jaime Prohens, fantastic rider & friend, thanks for foam grips. I'll bring new ones for you next year.
- Eric Nevels, of the Chilean Race organisation, the man that did the job, always there with a postive attitude
- Bettina, Team VW medic, thanks for taping my hand so I could ride (thanks Jutta Kleinschmidt for lending her)
- all the race officials that have creating a fantastic spirit, been helpul, happy and cheered me on
- all the teams and participants for joining the fantastic spirit, hope to see U soon

BIG THANKS to my SPONSORS:
FINANZAS & NEGOCIOS Corredores de Bolsa - CHILE (www.fyn.cl)
VOLVO CHILE
HONDA CHILE
Touringbutiken

Cross-Country Rallies World Championship 2005 - 450
General standing after first round

1 DE GAVARDO Carlo, CHL, KTM, 25 points
2 CZACHOR Jacek, POL, KTM, 22 points
3 TIXADOR Gilles, FRA, KTM, 20 points
4 HAMARD Stephane, FRA, KTM, 18 points
5 RIOS Maximiliano, CHL, KTM, 16 points
6 SEEL Annie, SWE, HONDA, 15 points


Published 2005-02-27

Cross Country Rally Champion Womens Cup 450 -2004

I am now officially a CHAMPION. The International Motorcycle Federation sent me a gold medal and big diploma with the text CHAMPION CROSS COUNTRY RALLIES WOMEN'S CUP 450 -2004. It's the finest recognition I've ever received.
This has been my best rally season by far. And I'm very happy I could finish 4 rallies with good results, despite my knee injury in Feb and entering every rally on a very short notice, on borrowed bikes etc.
I'm most proud of my 10th place last day in Rallye d'Orient-Turkey, and my 22nd overall and ladies win in the Dubai Rally on the big KTM660.
But also proud of being the first woman to IRONMAN the Vegas-to-Reno in Nevada.

BIG THANX to everyone that has been a part of my success this year:
Moto Aventures (John & Su), Touringbutiken (Göran), Mike Kay & family (USA), Mike Laenger (USA), Barnums Pro & family(USA), ESP Racing (USA), Olle Ohlsson and Joakim Hultqvist. And all the nice people I've met at races!
Products from Lindstrands, Öhlins, EMX.


Published 2003-09-28

Womens altitude Mt Everest record with motorcycle!

Mt Everest North face
5305 m reached on August 17-2003

When I entered the legendary Dakar rally, I called it the "Mount Everest of Motorsports".
Then I had no thoughts of really going to the real thing. But now I was invited to this offroad motorbike adventure expedition - an offer I could not resist.

Typical in the morning of the climb attempt 17 aug, it was shit weather - snow, fog, rain and really cold. Really terrible. But there was no choise, today we had to do it. We had a meeting in the morning, and I felt the others were not really keen on going. But I had decided to go, no matter what. So I put on double fleeces, rain jacket and went for it. Henning, Christina and Ajs also came so we were 4 bikes leaving BC, and Krishna with 2 tibetan guides walking. The river was easy and we soon reached the rocky climb. There I had problems with my bike, so we had to take off the airfilter so it could breathe. It helped a little, but I felt the bike was much too heavy and tired. And also the suspension was bad and the bike got caught on rocks all the time. But I paddled further slowly, stopping often to rest and drink.
It took 3 hours to get a few km forward and 100 m up.
At 5290 we thought that was it, ahead of us were big rocks and boulders and no obvious track, and an ultra ligt trials bike was needed instad of my 20 year old and heavy offroader. But I struggled like a Yak and managed to reach 5305 m, unbelievable!
Then I had to go all the way back... I was really exhausted and my head was aching because of the strain in the thin air, but when I glimpsed the BC again I felt just so happy for being the first woman on a motorbike reaching 5305 m on Mt Everest north side!

Read more [ Everest expedition ] [ Everest diary ]


Published 2002-12-01

Annie and Team Barnums finished
8 th in Baja1000!

The Baja1000 of 2002 was a tough race filled with trouble, but we finished 8th in the Pro-class, 43rd overall. Everyone in the Team Barnums Pro: Rob Barnum, Mike Kay and Mike Elias put in fantastic rides, specially Rob who also managed to trasch a cactus and Mike Kay who struggled in the dark. Also I'm proud of finally finishing a rally without a crash. The strategy was to stay on the bike - in my previus rallies I've crashed and fractured something every time. But we had troubles, beginning when the start was delayed because of waterflooding in Ensenada, and then having to race without night headlights or fresh tyres because the back-up vehicle was unable to catch up. So we raced on without the lights or tyres.

Big t hanx to my team mates Mike Kay (who invited me to Baja), and Rob Barnum at Barnums Pro, and Mike Elias. Further thanx to Denise Barnum & family for hospitality, Robert Allen for organisation, Steve, Martin and Greg for service/back-up.
More thanx to my sponsors Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Touringbutiken, Catapult Motorsportsgroup, Suzuki, Barnums Pro, Spider Grips and Happy Industries, and to all nice people I've met during the Baja1000...
Thanx also to Tim Morton (team 306x) who let me ride in his lights in the dark.

Check out some Baja pics and comments on the race. Most is in Swedish, but some is in English, read more about Baja1000...


Published 2002-11-10

Dakar-veteran Annie Seel
can't resist the new challenge:

Tecate SCORE
Baja 1000 Rally

"Main thing is to finish - no matter what"
After finishing 54th in the legendary Paris-Dakar Rally 2002 - despite a burnt clutch, injured thigh and a broken hand (!) - this statement is the essence of Annie's determination. There's nothing stopping her. [Dakar 2002]

She had already proved this in her two previous World Cup Rallies, when finishing in 49th in Dubai with a broken foot, and 39th in Tunisia with a broken wrist. These heroic achievements immediately got her the nickname Annie S(t)eel... [Read the rally reports below/right]

The new rally challenge for Annie is the SCORE Baja 1000, Nov 20-23. She was invited to American Barnums Pro Team, with Baja-veterans Rob Barnum, Mike Kay and Mike Elias. An offer she couldn't resist...
The race strategy will be: Stay on the bike - all the way. Hopefully this will take Annie and the Barnums Pro Team to the end, within top-10 (?). [Baja 1000]

You could say Annie is one of the most widely experienced "bikerbabes" in the world, having competed in roadracing, motocross, enduro and rally. In 2000 she actually raced all diciplines during one season!

She is also guiding desert and offroad tours for MotoAventures.com.
In Sweden she is riding motocross and enduro, and beeing her own mechanic.


QUICK RESUME

1984: First Motorcycle
1987: Coast-to-Coast Roadrace - 1.000 km on a 250cc 2-stroke
1988: Roadracing debut - chasing the fellow competitors on a tiger striped bike
1989: First Roadracing victory
1990: 8th 125cc Roadracing National Championships - only woman in the championship
1990: 8th 125cc Roadracing Scandinavian Championships - last round
1995: 6th International Swedish 4-Day Enduro, class: Moto +175 kg
1996: 6th Enduroclassics, ladies: 3 different events
1997: 5th National Championships Enduro for ladies
1997: 1st Cannonbike Invitational Race in Estonia - 1.000 km in one day on a 125cc
1998: Motocross freeriding in California - known as Crazy Swedish Girl
2000: 6th National Championships Roadracing Sidecar, round 1 - passenger
2000: 3rd 2-hour National Enduro, ladies class
2000: 4th International Swedish 4-Day Enduro, ladies class
2000: 8th National Championships Motocross for ladies
2000: 49th World Cup Rally Dubai - raced with fractured left foot! Diary
2001: 39th World Cup Rally Tunisia - raced with fractured right wrist! Diary
2001: 3rd 1,5-hour Ladies Enduro
2001: 1st Local Grassfield race - ladies class
2002: 54th Dakar Rally (1st 400cc Production) - fractured hand & bruised thigh Diary
2002: 8th Pro Class in Baja1000 Mexico, Team Barnum
2003: First woman at 5305 m on Mt Everest north side on a Honda XL250-1982 Diary
2004: 8th Pro 30 in Baja500 Mexcio, Team Barnum
2004: 5th Amataeur, IRONMAN, Vegas-to-Reno 500 = first ever IRONWOMAN
2004: 18th World Cup Rally, Turkey
2004: 22nd World Cup Rally, Dubai
2004: CHAMPION Womens Cup 450 Rally Raid
2005: 22nd World Cup Rally Patagonia-Atacama, Argentina-Chile
2005: 23rd World Cup Rally ORPI Maroc
2006: Super Moto - 8th Rookie Class
2007: 94th Dakar Rally


NPO OFFICIAL PRESS INFO:

In the limelight:
Annie Seel, a woman of charm with nerves of steel

«Believe me, I'm no quitter...»

She's blond, charming, enthusiastic and above all extremely determined. If you only judge Annie Seel by her looks you're in for the greatest of surprises. There are other women motorcyclists for sure, but how many crave in such a way for extreme adventure and how many take on single-handedly all the toughest rallies the world has to offer? Addicted early on to speed and adrenaline, the desert princess switched without more ado from horse to motorcycle races when she was barely sixteen.
Twenty years and seventeen broken bones on, she continues to try to quench her thirst for success and new records to break, as much at home up Mount Everest as on African rallies, on tarmac races as on Mexican bajas. Can you guess the ultimate quest for this woman of 5'4"? To be a true match for her male colleagues in the greatest races, starting with this Rallye ORPI Maroc in which she's riding a KTM 450 in the marathon class.

Annie, what gave you this taste for extreme adventure?
" I grew up next to a racecourse. I quickly got addicted to speed, and then at sixteen I saw some motorcycle stuntmen at a show. I was awed. I bought myself a motorcycle but none of my friends liked speed the same as me. Then when I was eighteen I started to do road racing and finished 8th of the Swedish championship... "

And in 2000 you tried a WRC rally at Dubai...
" I did a raid in Morocco and fell in love with the desert. I was desperate to do a race. I ordered a DIY Husaberg 600 and assembled it barely ten days before the start. I rode on my own and made straight for the sand dunes. On the last day I got a fractured foot but I still got to the finish in 49th place. Since then I've been to Tunisia and Argentina. This Moroccan race is my 6th one in the World Championships. I'm trying to show what I'm capable of doing with the hope of finding some money for the Dakar in 2006. To tell you the truth, it's fairly hard to find any in Sweden for these kinds of races... "

What's most impressive with you is your determination. You've broken your bones seventeen times whilst racing, yet you've never abandoned: don't you ever feel pain?
" I never quit. My father who died when I was sixteen gave me a taste for mechanical things and my mother fairly exceptionally strong will power. When I broke my hand on the 4th stage of the Dakar in 2002, I held on till the end. My left leg had gone blue all over. I'll admit, though, that I've always been lucky enough to have injuries that didn't prevent me from finishing the race... When I run into a problem, a shriek a bit and then I carry on. "

What do you do in life when you're not racing?
" I trained as a graphic designer. Between the racing events, I work day and night to get the money to go back again. I confess there's not much time left to think of getting married. I've got a boyfriend, two cats and a dog. As I'm so busy, that's quite enough for now... "

 


 

 


ANNIE SEEL
"The Worlds Most Motobike Woman"

Annie Seel

Born: 1968 September 5
Height: 163 cm
Weight: 54 kg
Lives: Täby, outside Stockholm, Sweden
Job: Marketing company Happy Industries & desertguide for Moto Aventures
Family: Boyfriend,
No of fractures: +25
Strength: Never gives up (strong head)
Likes: Motorcycling, snowboarding, skiing, diving, travel and adventure
Training: cycling, cirquit and weights
Wants to become: A game character like Lara Croft.
Motto: Never grow up! &
Nobody remembers a coward.


Rally reports & diaries

Read all my reports from rallies, Dakar and Everest Expedition & look at pictures.
Click here


Press photo:

Download press photos.


Motorcycle KTM450, fuel, equipment, back-up jeep,
food & accomodation included.
www.motoaventures.com
Refer to Annie.

Guided offroad tours
in Sweden
Contact Annie!
+46 8 514 814 00
rallyprincesshotmail.com


Photo gallery