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Falken is a Rebelle

The Saga of Three Rookies and an Ace

When Lisa DeLuca decided to go rallying, she picked an event where she could be on equal footing with other competitors. After all, she was a rookie. But this was not her first rodeo. The Rebelle Rally is not your everyday competition, so Lisa needed a partner with experience. She chose Anna Lewis – a three-time Rebelle competitor – to ride with her and a 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser to ride in. Her next smart decision? Choosing Falken as her second partner. Both Lisa and Anna did their homework and knew Falken’s Wildpeak A/T3W tires would manage the arduous adventures they were about to undertake.

There were two other women who saw the same opportunity to go off-roading, though they too were rookies, but not novices. Karisa Haydon and Trista Smith chose a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport 1st Edition and Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail tires.

However, before we step on the gas here, what exactly is the Rebelle Rally?

Blending one’s love of driving with the ultimate challenge of precise navigation, the Rebelle (pronounced Re-Belle) Rally tests entrants’ skills over eight days of competition. It is not a race for speed, but a unique and demanding event based on the combined efforts of proper headings, hidden checkpoints and time and distance using maps, a compass and an old school roadbook.

The focal point of this event? It’s the first women’s-only rally in the U.S. And it’s not just an average mainstream rally – it’s 2,000 kilometers (that’s 1,242.74 miles, to be exact) with no GPS and no cell phone. When the rally returns to the deserts of California and Nevada in mid-October (the 12th to 21st, to be exact) 2023 for its eighth year, it will again - through its founder Emily Miller – inspire women to not only try off-roading but take it on as a sport. Because of the event’s success it has indeed become a platform for women to show their competitive skills and experience a sport that is both collaborative and meaningful. It has attracted international attention as well as major automotive manufacturers and tire brands. It’s a world-class competition and one that Falken is proud to support.

Speaking of Falken support, there’s a third team that has come to symbolize both the comradery and skill that represents the best of the Rebelle because they’ve become the best, having won the event overall back-to-back the last two years, partnering with Jeep for its 4xe – a powerful EV - and Falken for its incredible Wildpeak M/T tires. That team is the highly regarded Nena Barlow and Teralin Petereit.

Falken’s Wildpeak tires have been on a winning streak of their own since they were introduced to the market. Their off-road prowess has won countless professional races in multiple series throughout North America and helped many customers move through hazardous, wet and snowy conditions with confidence, in addition to experiencing their own desert and mountain-climbing trips.

The three Wildpeaks used during the Rebelle Rally included the A/T3W, which, like all Falken tires, is engineered for adventure. The A/T3W can manage aggressive off-road activity any time, in any weather without compromise on the pavement. It’s also designed for severe snow conditions and is qualified by U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC) for the Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake symbol.

Likewise, the A/T Trail delivers rugged off-road capability and smooth manners on the open road. The popular Wildpeak line is engineered to strike the perfect balance between aggressive off-road traction and dependable all-weather performance and is perfect for modern crossovers. The A/T Trail also features USTMA’s Severe Snow Rating.

Finally, the tough Wildpeak M/T tire is built to take on the harshest conditions getting you and your ride across the pavement, desert as well as mud, snow or rocks. The M/T line features Falken’s proprietary three-ply DURASPECTM Sidewall Technology, developed to withstand the most punishing off-road conditions. The M/T is the choice of the pros every time, and is a further testament to Falken’s wide breadth of capable products.

So it was that chilly October morning in 2022 when three rookies and one ace climbed aboard their respective steeds – two in a Toyota and two in a Bronco Sport – ready to take on a tough, old school-styled rally across multiple terrains, leaving families behind, prepared for the unknown.

Karisa and Trista, who with their Bronco Sport called themselves Team Baby Bronco, were set to compete in the X-Cross class, which was for vehicles with no two-speed transfer case (no low-range gears, in other words). That would seemingly make the rally tougher for these entrants and after some practice runs, the partners were set to hit the trail with the Wildpeak A/T Trails mounted to their steed.

“The Wildpeak A/T Trail tires were a huge advantage,” Karisa declared. “The extra size helped raise us up just enough to avoid any major damage to the undercarriage.”

Trista added, “The Wildpeak A/T Trail tires were perfect for the trails, and we ran them at regular air pressures virtually the entire time, except for the dunes when we went down to about 25psi.”

For newcomers, Karisa and Trista handled the rally like pros, and suffered only a damaged radiator outside of Incline Village, Nevada. As proper navigation is critical to hit as many checkpoints as possible within a specific time period, it required an extremely focused approach. The duo decided early on that their strategy was to decide which checkpoints were best suited to generate the highest value of points based on finding them in the time allowed. It was a good plan which they followed throughout the duration of what they called one long pathway of desert, Joshua trees, washes, ORV areas and mountains.

“By day three, we were starting to realize that we were actually good at this rally concept,” Karisa said. “The Bronco Sport was doing amazing and tackling every obstacle we put it up against and our Falkens never complained and just kept moving forward. We were hitting almost every checkpoint we went for, and we were going for most of them!”

It was a special accomplishment when Team Baby Bronco secured a stage win on the last day, took Rookie of the Year for their class and fourth place in X-Cross by scoring 81% of the available points.

For Lisa, who had the good fortune of her teammate, three-time Rebelle ace Anna, to pass on knowledge in advance, they were ready to compete in the large 4x4 class. Though the team initially struggled with their FJ due to sand in its fuel filter, once the Rebelle mechanics worked their magic, the Toyota was up to speed and the ladies were back on point.

Each day required navigating a combination of different terrain, hitting checkpoints and completing On Time Enduros, so tension and pressure were at their highest. Basecamps were set up each night, vehicles inspected and fueled, tires checked, and partners prepared for the next day’s events.

On occasion, a “curveball,” as the competitors liked to call it, was thrown into the mix, changing some of the requirements, and providing entrants with maps with minimal detailing and forcing them to cross dry lake beds with no trails. Everyone relied on their compasses and proper headings to make their ways to the proper position. Many miles were covered, but the scenery was always stunning.

At the end of the rally, Lisa and Anna placed 18th out of 46 in the 4x4 class with 71% of the available points. This was despite the mechanical issues in the first half that set them back for a while. However, according to Lisa, “I was so grateful to have my Falken Wildpeaks on our rally truck. I never had to worry about sidewall punctures as the 10-ply tires resisted everything thrown at them in the most technically challenging Rebelle Rally to date.

“While I was surrounded by other competitors experiencing multiple tire issues, after 2,500 kilometers of rough terrain – practice and the rally – our Falkens still look brand new.”

It’s safe to say all four women have full intentions of returning this year. With a full event under their collective belts, all of them are now seasoned veterans.