Facing down one of the world’s most brutal rally events, the Africa Eco Race, is no small feat of its own. Spanning over 5,900 kilometers across Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal, the AER is a grueling challenge for elite and amateur riders alike. But Stephanie Rowe, a 37-year-old from South England, managed to make history: armed with nothing but a toolbox and her KTM 450 EXC-F, Rowe finished in the malle moto (unassisted) category, becoming the first female rider to achieve this.

True Grit

A self-confessed nomad, adventure motorcycle riding instructor and guide, and a serious badass in disguise, Rowe started riding at age 21, quickly progressing into racing enduro and rallies. “Having shared a 4×4 with some friends back then, I already loved messing around with engines and playing in the mud, so when I first hit those off-road trails on a bike, I was immediately hooked,” Rowe shares.

She soon began racing at the British enduro events, and a chance encounter with Tamsin Jones, a female Brit rider who has conquered Rally Dakar, inspired Rowe to reach for her own rally racing goals. “Meeting Tamsin showed me that the Dakar dream is accessible for a normal person like me, too, if I put in enough hard work and determination.”

For Rowe, the rally racing format felt intriguing because of the adventure aspect of it, as well as the endurance factor: according to her, she noticed she got better results at longer enduro races than the short sprints. The intrepid Brit entered the 7-day Carta Rally twice, then progressed to Rally du Maroc, a race that’s part of the World Championship and a qualifier for the Dakar Rally. Her first attempt ended in a bad crash on stage 4, but she finished Rally du Maroc the second time and set herself up to brave the Africa Eco Race three months later.

Prep And Training

As an off-road instructor and tour guide, Rowe says she’s always in the saddle tackling uncharted routes, different terrain, and unexpected situations, and this experience has been crucial in preparing for her rally racing. “While it doesn’t help me to hone my technique, those long days on the bike scouting and leading tours do build endurance,” Rowe shared.

Passionate about going at it on her own – Rowe has been sticking to the malle moto category in rally racing since 2017 – she has prepped her KTM 450 EXC-F herself. After returning from Rally du Maroc, the rider gave her bike a full service, including repairing her tank, changing all fluids, replacing the air filter, and checking and adjusting the valve clearances. She also checked, cleaned, and greased her swingarm and steering head bearings, gave the bike one more once-over, and put on some new tires and mousses. “The longest job was to set up all the navigation plates, mounts, and cables,” Rowe explained.

And the toughest challenge of it all, according to her, was securing funding for the race. As an independent rider, Rowe spent over a year building partnerships, securing sponsors, and working on a crowdfunding campaign. “I’m truly grateful for all the support – racing rallies like this would be impossible for me otherwise,” Rowe added.

Making History

Ranking 14^th overall in malle moto and 1^st in the women’s malle moto class, Rowe’s decision to compete in the grueling category underscores her independent spirit and her desire to push her limits.

In the world of rally racing, “malle moto” refers to a particularly challenging and self-reliant category where riders compete without any external assistance. Essentially, riders are completely on their own. They carry all their own tools, spare parts, and camping gear in a box, and they are responsible for all maintenance and repairs themselves. There’s no support crew, no mechanics, and no one to help them if they encounter problems.

“I like the idea of the challenge of getting myself and my bike to the finish line,” Rowe explains. “I think it’s an authentic way to race, and I enjoy working on my bike.” This self-sufficiency, honed through years of adventure riding and guiding, proved invaluable throughout the grueling 12-day race.

The Africa Eco Race threw numerous obstacles in Rowe’s path. The first day involved a long, cold liaison, and as a malle moto rider, she didn’t have access to her riding kit after the special stage like those with support teams. This meant enduring a 700 km journey through icy mountains in her racing gear. Arriving late at the bivouac, cold and hungry, she prioritized working on her bike.

While Rowe avoided serious crashes and falls throughout the race, technical issues started cropping up by day two when the navigation plate holding her roadbook, trip meter, and tracker started to shake loose. “In rally,” Rowe explains, “any extra vibration means the part will eventually break.”

Resourceful as ever, she stopped to assess the damage and discovered a missing screw. After tightening the remaining one and securing the plate with cable ties, she continued cautiously, hoping to minimize further stress on the weakened mount. However, fate had other plans. Despite her efforts, the plate continued to wobble, and her trip meter eventually gave up the ghost.

Finding herself lost and without a functioning trip meter, Rowe encountered a familiar rider and decided to follow him to the finish. This meant pushing the pace, a risky move that ultimately led to the plate snapping in two just kilometers from the end of the stage. “I couldn’t stop so close to the finish,” she recounts. Holding the broken plate together with one hand, she crossed the finish line and then spent three hours that evening replacing it with a spare from her toolkit.

But it wasn’t just mechanical issues and harsh conditions that tested Rowe’s determination. Stage 10, with its soft, deep dunes and technical terrain, pushed the rider to her limits. Yet, she persevered, and to her surprise, achieved her best stage result – 39^th overall that day. “It turned out to be my most rewarding part of the rally,” she shares, highlighting the satisfaction of overcoming a particularly difficult stage.

Rally Dakar Ahead

Crossing the finish line as the first woman to complete the Africa Eco Race in the malle moto category was a defining moment for Rowe. “It’s given me a boost in confidence in myself and what I am capable of,” she says.

Rowe’s journey is far from over. She plans to continue honing her technique and gaining experience, with the Rally Dakar firmly in her sights. While her Dakar 2026 entry isn’t confirmed yet, Rowe is determined to make that dream a reality.

Her advice to other aspiring female rally riders? “Don’t rush the process,” she emphasizes, recommending a gradual progression from local enduro races to European rallies and beyond. She also stresses the importance of training and investing in good technique. Highlighting Jane Daniels, a four-time enduro world champion and Dakar rider, as her personal role model, Rowe is an inspiration to riders everywhere, proving that with dedication and hard work, even the most daunting challenges can be overcome.

Her story is one of passion, perseverance, and self-belief. With her remarkable achievement at the Africa Eco Race, as she sets her sights on the Dakar Rally next, one thing is certain: Stephanie Rowe is a force to be reckoned with in the world of rally racing.

Photos by Alessio Corradini and Ilyasse Achaoui

Author: Egle Gerulaityte

Riding around the world extra slowly and not taking it too seriously, Egle is always on the lookout for interesting stories. Editor of the Women ADV Riders magazine, she focuses on ordinary people doing extraordinary things and hopes to bring travel inspiration to all two-wheeled maniacs out there.