A rally we are proud to be associated with
By participating in the Trophée Roses des Sables, the Ice Sisters have chosen to directly support Enfants du désert and the Club des petits déjeuners du Québec.
Enfants du désert makes school, medical and food supplies accessible to children, while the Club des petits déjeuners fights hunger by providing breakfasts in Québec schools, thereby promoting learning among children.
These causes are dear to Prisma’s heart, which is why we did not hesitate to join this venture as sponsors.
More than just a logo on an all-terrain vehicle, our participation supports children in need while taking part in an adventure that instills the desire to surpass themselves in women.
These values are shared by all members of our team, from management to the installers.
As for the solidarity shown by the participants in the middle of the desert, the same solidarity motivates us in our offices and on our construction sites.
This is the team spirit that allows us to excel and to take Prisma a little further each day.
Let’s Talk Ice Sisters
After the pandemic that paralyzed the tourism sector, the Trophée Roses des Sables is back in the news. With 2 months to go, Annie Adam, half of the Ice Sisters, eagerly gives us the latest news.
While they wanted to take part in the Trophée Roses des Sables in 2020 on the occasion of their 50th anniversary, Annie Adam and Josée Mailhot, the Ice Sisters, will instead take up the challenge in the fall of 2022 to celebrate their friendship and the collaboration that has united them for over 20 years.
A challenge that Prisma is proud to support.
A Test of Patience and Resilience
Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, Désertours, the event company behind the rally, was forced to postpone the race.
While they had not yet left, the Ice Sisters were already dealing with the unexpected:
“We took a step back to dive into planning starting in June 2021. Then, in September 2021, we postponed our participation to 2022. When we dive back into planning, unfortunately we have to go through everything that has already been done to get up to speed. This has tested our patience and resilience.”
Activities have resumed only recently, making the adventure more real than ever, with hearts beating faster and smiles being wider:
“The 5@7 of the organization restarted, in person, a few weeks ago to discover and help each other in the organization of this journey. This project is a daily concern, with many little details to organize in terms of logistics. No, it’s not an all-inclusive trip,” Annie says, laughing.
A Significant Challenge
In fact, we recall that this epic will not be an easy ride for the participants. The Trophée Roses des Sables leads the teams to demonstrate strategy, solidarity, autonomy and resourcefulness faced with the numerous obstacles they will meet during the different legs.
Although challenging, this rally is a sacred project for Annie Adam and Josée Mailhot. For them, it is an opportunity to leave their comfort zone, to trust themselves, to face their fears and to come out of it having grown and filled with pride.
It’s also an opportunity to put the daily routine on hold for something completely different:
“In a fast-paced world, we need to take the time to stop, lower barriers and allow ourselves to have wonderful adventures that will make us stronger women. This experience will stay with us for a lifetime, mark our future, and leave a mark on our hearts and innards.”
Key Training and Final Preparations
Our Ice Sisters are currently consolidating this resourcefulness and autonomy through a series of training sessions.
They will be heading into the forest in September to learn how to use a road-book and a compass.
This training, given by a former participant of the Trophée, will also allow them to acquire certain key skills that could prove very useful in the middle of the desert.
Preparations are well underway :
“We have our helmets that are literate and equipped with a communication system, we have our clothes, our plane tickets have been purchased, our truck is rented…. We need a new international driver’s license and to complete all the medical and insurance documents of the organization again. There are only the few remaining details to settle. We leave on October 5th towards Biarritz to take possession of our 4×4 and to follow the course on mechanics, piloting, RoadBook and compass reading given by the lessor. We will pass the technical inspections of the organization on October 11th, run some errands for food and then off we go…”
More on the Trophée Roses des Sables Program
On October 12th, the Ice Sisters will be at the starting line in Biarritz.
A starting point they did not choose randomly: “This will allow us to live the adventure to the fullest while socializing with the European crews,” explains Annie.
The crew will cross Spain southwards, arriving in Morocco on October 14th. After crossing Gibraltar by boat, they will reach the first campsite in preparation for the next day’s departure.
From October 15th to 21st, the participants will cover 7 legs through the Moroccan desert. Unknown to the participants, these legs generally include a night leg, a dune leg, a marathon leg- that is to say 2 days of self-sufficiency in the desert – and a leg of vertiginous roads to get out of the desert.
The adventure will end on October 22nd, with a prize-giving evening in Marrakech.
