Terranova bags historic win on Tunisia Rally

02-05-09

TOZEUR (Tunisia): Orlando Terranova became the first Latin American driver to win an FIA Cross Country Rally event with his victory for the X-raid team in the gruelling 11-day OiLibya Tunisia Rally 2009. The X-raid team had dominated the race from the start, a short super special stage, near Tunis, on Thursday, April 23rd.

The 4,297km route included 3,000 competitive kilometres, making it the longest cross-country event in the FIA calendar, with the exception of the Dakar Rally. Terranova's team-mates Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit and Swedish co-driver Tina Thörner finished third overall in the third Trebur-built BMW, but had the consolation of winning the final loop stage between Chamsa and Nefta on Saturday. Mendoza-based

Terranova led the second round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies heading into the final 154km stage, which was made up of two loops of 81km and 73km between Chamsa and Nefta. Having started the day 33m 39s ahead of his nearest rival, he cruised to a 38m 20s victory on the biggest win of his career.