East African Safari Classic Rally resumes after rest day

Day Six action of the 2023 East African Safari Classic Rally will kick off at 6am on Friday. Fifty-eight cars are still in contention, led by Italian duo of Eugenia Amos and Paolo Ceci at the wheels of a Porsche 911. 

The drivers will tackle three more competitive stages before they have a rest halt at the Amboseli Lodge. A total of 15 Competitive Stages will have been tackled by the end of the Day Six competition. 

The Chairman of the East African Safari Classic Rally, Joey Ghose expressed satisfaction with the event so far. 

“It has gone according to the plans though there have been minor incidents. The event has the reputation of being one of the toughest in the world. So we should expect that. We keep our fingers crossed for the rest of the days to go smoothly,” Ghose told Nation Sport. 

Renzo Bernardi, the Clerk of the Course, is excited that 58 cars are still running at the halfway stage. 

“All good and the event is proceeding as expected, with minor issues. Hope the weather will hold and we do not get more rain,” Bernardi told Nation Sport. 

“Sections have been challenging but always with a view that competitor’s safety is paramount. The organising team is doing a great job and for now, all is in control.” 

Aslam Khan, the leading driver from the ALS Team, was disappointed though ready to carry on with the rally. 

“We missed the last two stages on Wednesday because of engine failure in our Porsche. We will now change the engine though we have already suffered the maximum penalty for the last two days plus the penalty for a change of engine,” Aslam told Nation Sport. 

“Like I said in the beginning, we are not going for any position in the rally. We just want to have fun and finish the rally." 

Driver of Car No11, Evgeny Kirvee was fined Sh750,000 for using abusive language against the crew of Car No12. The steward found Kirvee guilty of being aggressive to the other crew, whom he alleged had refused to let him overtake on the stage. 

The amount will be donated to St. Thomas Barnados Children's Home in Nairobi within 48 hours of this notification.

The Ford Escort of Malcolm Rich and Adrian Cavenagh of Great Britain is doing well apart from a minor fuel leakage towards the end of the last stage of Leg Four. 

“We could smell fuel on the stage before we stopped to check. We had to remove the spare wheel and noticed a small crack in the tank. Fortunately, we blocked the leak with a piece of soap and it helped us. Our guy in Wales must be very pleased with the way he has prepared the car,” Cavenagh told Nation Sport.

Leg Six will kick off with three more stages. The stages are CS13 Hunters Look Out2/Parane2 (70.90kms), CS14 Bulls Eye/Basil (32.51), and CS15 IL-Basel/Meshenani Gate2 (76.45). Total Competitive Distance will be 179.86, while the Total Transport will be. 116.31. The Overhaul Total Distance will be 296.17. 

The following is the program for the remainder of the competition. 

December - Nairobi to Amboseli- Rest at Amboseli Sopa Lodge; Day 7 - 16 December - Amboseli - Rest at Amboseli Sopa Lodge; Day 8 - 17 December - Amboseli to Voi - Rest at Voi Wildlife Lodge; Day 9 - 18 December - Voi to Okundi - Rest at Diamonds Leisure Lodge and Golf Resort and finally the End.

Positions after Leg Four (58 cars still running):
 
1.               Eugenia Amos/Paolo Ceci (Porsche 911)
2.               Baldev Chager/Gareth Dawe (Porsche 911)
3.               Emile Breittmayer/Alexis Thomas (Porsche 911)
4.               Kris Rosenberger/Nicola Bleicher (Porsche 911)
5.               Journal Serderidis/Grégoire Munster (Porsche 911)
6.               Bonamy Grimes/Martin Rowe (Porsche 911)
7.               Phillip Kadoorie/Ryan Champion (Porsche 911)
8.               Andrew Siddal/Gary McElhinney (Datsun 240Z)
9.               Rajesh Maini/Devan Bhundia (Ford Escort MK1)
10.       Ian Duncan/ Jaspal Matharu (Datsun 280Z)
11.       Tony Wright/Douglas Rundgren (Ford Escort MK2)
12.       Michael Holmqvist/EmilAxelsson (Porsche 911)
13.       Mark Bentley/Ed Bentley (Ford Escort MK1)
14.       Patrice Perche/Julien Saunier (Porsche 911)
15.       Anthony Nielsen/Ammar Slatch (Ford Escort MK1)
16.       Iain Dobson/Harry Stubbs  (Ford Escort RS1600)
17.       David Von Schindler/Per Bjokman (Porsche 911)
18.       Josel Jobst/Luis Lobst (Porsche 911)
19.       Geoffery Page-Morris/Dez Page Morris (Datsun 260)
20.       Joseph Huber/Yves Huber (Porsche 911)
21.       Roger Smaulelsson/Julia Swenson (Porsche 911)
22.       Shakeel Khan/Assad Mughul (Ford Escort MK1)
23.       Frederic Comtet/LudivineMarquise (Porsche 911)
24.       Richard Acze/Allan Harryman (Porsche 911)
25.       Glen Edmunds/Lloyd Destro (Skoda 130 LR)
26.       Philip Kyriazi/ George Kyriazi (Ford Escort MK1)
27.       Geoff Bell/Tim Challen (Datsun 240Z)
28.       Malcolm Rich/Adrian Cavenagh (Ford Escort MK2)
29.       Farhaaz Khan/Keith Henrie (Porsche 911)
30.       Vojtech Stajf/Jan Bejvl (Porsche 911j
31.       Oliver Breittmayer/Eric Forney (Porsche 911)
32.       Kyle Lucas/Karan Sehmi (Ford Escort MK2)
33.       Pawel Molgo/Maciej Marton Porshe 911)
34.       Evgeny Kirvee/Gunnar Andersson (Porsche 911)
35.       Asad Anwar/Rob Warmisham (Toyota Levine)
36.       John Coyne/Josh McErlean (Porsche 911)
37.       Robert Calder/Gavin Laurence (Datsun 280Z)
38.       Rommy Bhamrah/Harvey Jutley (Datsun 280Z)
39.       Nish Lakhani/Teeku Patel (Ford Escort MK1)
40.       Tim Chesser/Jack Chesser (Ford Escort MK1)
41.       Michael Kahlfuss/Richard Bauger(Trabant P60)
42.       Iain Dobson/Harry Stubbs  (Ford Escort RS1600)
43.       Jakub Grochola/Michael jucewicz(Opel Manta)
44.       Lola Verlaque/Edward  Verlaque (Datsun 260Z)
45.       Bart Vanhaverbeke/Steven Vyncke (Mercedes 500SLC)
46.       Piers Daykin/Tariq Malik (Datsun 280Z)
47.       Gary Bimler/Allen Cullen (Datsun Violet GT)
48.       Johnny Gemmell/Carolyn Swan (Datsun 280Z)
49.       Remon Vos/Stephen Prevot (Porsche 911) 
50.       Aron Banks/Peter Banks (Ford Escort MK1)
51.       Glen Janssens/Conrad Janssens(Porsche 911)
52.       Olga Lounova/Lilia Khousnoutdinova (Opel Ascona)
53.       Frederic Rosati/Julie Teste (Porsche 911)
54.       Francis Heyse/Charles Munsnster Porsche 911)
55.       Aslam Khan/Arshad Kahn Arshad (Porsche 911)
56.       Eric Bengi/Mindo Gatimu (Opel Astra)
57.       Masaomi Suzuki/Yasuhori Ohtani (Porsche 911)
58.       Pons Jordi Maria/Teresa Vidal Andora (Datsun Violet GT)