Rally for women only

Without a cell phone in the desert: “Would do it again”

Navigation was the most difficult part for the team.(Bild: Regine Trias)

Katharina Burkart from Styria took part in a women-only rally - an extreme experience. No contact with the outside world, short nights and broken roads: "I would still do it again in a heartbeat."

Ten days without a cell phone sounds almost unimaginable for modern people. Ten days without a cell phone in cold mountain and hot desert regions in the USA, orientation only through analog maps, plus a ban on talking to locals - that sounds like an extreme adventure. And yet Katharina Burkart says: "I would do it again in a heartbeat." What's more: "I even have the feeling that I have to do it again!"

The native German, who has lived in Styria for 16 years and works at Magna Powertrain in Lannach, mastered the Rebelle Rally in the United States this year. Only female teams are allowed to take part. Magna brought two jeeps (equipped with transfer cases manufactured in-house) to the start, and Burkart got one of the tickets.

The rally led through rough terrain.(Bild: Ernesto Araiza)

From the cool mountains to the hot desert
"A colleague said to me: you're perfect for this," says the developer. The mother of three accepted the challenge. In September, she trained for a week in the USA, where she also met her co-pilot Kerstin Brandt - a German who had emigrated to Canada.

The rally itself took place in October. It started in the mountains of Nevada ("I needed two sleeping bags on top of each other") and ended in hot California. "We had everything with us: rocks, dust, desert." And also a "scary situation" when Burkart got lost and suddenly found himself under a high-voltage pylon on a half-demolished road.

At times it felt like being in prison. It was exhausting, but still very funny.

Katharina Burkart

Bild: zVg

"At times it felt like being in prison"
The aim was to reach 20 hidden checkpoints along the route. In the evening, you had to be at the camp on time, where there was food and a campsite. Wake up at 4.30 am. Burkart: "Sometimes I felt like I was in prison. It was exhausting, but still a lot of fun."

68 teams competed, including very few Europeans. Everyone was allowed to help each other. In the end, Burkart and Brandt finished in midfield - not quite the result they had hoped for. And therefore an incentive to try again.