By RaceScene Publisher on Tuesday, 21 February 2023
Category: The Checkered Flag

2023 FIM Bajas World Cup closing stretch tweaked

When the 2023 FIM Bajas World Cup began with the Saudi Baja in early February, the Dubai International Baja was set as the final round but without a confirmed date. The last three races had their slots set in stone on Monday, with Dubai being bumped to the penultimate race while the Jordan Baja is now the finale.

The Jordan Baja was originally planned for 2–4 November but has been pushed back to 23–25 November. Dubai’s date was listed as TBA in December but will now be on 9–1 November. While the FIM’s top cross-country championship swaps Jordan and Dubai, the FIA’s World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas is still currently set to hit both rounds in that order to close out its season, with both sanctioning bodies’ Jordan Baja being together but the FIA’s Dubai International Baja on 1–3 December.

Also locked in with a date is the Baja do Oesta in Portugal, now set for 6–8 October. It is the second-to-last round of the Portugal All-Terrain Championship (Campeonato Portugal de Todo-o-terreno, CPTT). While the CPTT mainly competes in Portugal, it also has a round in Spain with the Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura that the FIM Bajas World Cup will also run in April.

The FIA and FIM World Cups, which are not to be confused with the co-sanctioned World Rally-Raid Championship, has four rounds together: the Saudi Baja, the Qatar International Baja, the Baja España Aragón, and the Jordan Baja.

Of the eight rounds, six will count for the championship with a rider’s two worst results dropped. Mohammed Al-Balooshi won the FIM Bajas World Cup opener in Saudi Arabia.

Revised FIM Bajas World Cup schedule

#RaceCountryDate
1Saudi Baja*Saudi Arabia2–4 February
2Qatar International BajaQatar16–18 March
3Baja TT Dehesa ExtremaduraSpain14–16 April
4Baja España AragónSpain21–23 July
5Hungarian BajaHungary10–12 August
6Baja do OestePortugal6–8 October
7Dubai International BajaUnited Arab Emirates9–11 November
8Jordan BajaJordan23–25 November
* – Already run

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