Annie Seel made her debut in the Dakar rally already 20 years ago and won the MC class in her debut.
And on Saturday she celebrated by making her tenth start in the competition.
This time in an all-female team.
Seel and her map reader Anette Fischer ended up in the middle of the mix in placings when the prologue was over.
Ekipages finished in 110th place, a total of 159 ekipages finished.
She competes in a male-dominated sport.
And Seel talks about her views on being a woman in the Dakar Rally.
- I've been at it for so long.
When I started, I was quite alone in the world's toughest competitions.
Now there are more girls.
And some drive mixed with male map readers.
But I have done so much with the car myself that I have the routine, both as a mechanic and as a driver.
But there is definitely room for more.
The Dakar Princess
Twenty years is a long time.
During two decades, Seel has managed to collect all kinds of memories.
And a hip operation could prevent her from a tenth start.
- 2.5 years ago I had a problem with a ball joint.
Then they wanted to saw off the joint bone, which would mean the end.
And I wasn't ready for that retirement surgery.
So I went overseas and had an operation where they changed the joint surface and got a functioning hip again.
And a year later, she is more than ready for the Dakar rally.
And speaking of memories, it has become a catalog of those for the woman nicknamed the Dakar Princess – a nickname made for a pioneer who has competed behind the wheel of a car but also maneuvered a motorbike in Dakar.
- It's the damnedest competitions you remember the most.
It was my debut in the Dakar Rally.
I drove with a broken hand, broke the clutch and had to sleep in the desert, it was a rainstorm.
It was terrible.
And I finished after all.
And won my class.