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Vroooom! East African Safari Classic Rally revs off

EASCR chairman Joey Ghose flags off the first car

East African Safari Classic Rally (EASCR) chairman Joey Ghose flags off the first car driven by Kenya's Baldev Chager on December 9, 2023 as over 60 rally cars set off for a nine days adventure across six counties.

Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group

By  Abdul Sidi

What you need to know:

  • The Prologue (Spectator Stage) kicked off Saturday morning from the Vipingo Ridge PGA ahead of a nine-day adventure
  • Ghose noted that the rally teams are privileged to embark on a challenging journey that will take them through six counties, each with unique terrain and character
  • Baldev Chager, who has won the Classic Rally before, is present in a Porsche 911 numbered 1 on his car


The 11th edition of East African Safari Classic Rally will finally be flagged off Sunday morning from the Vipingo Lodge in Mombasa.

The competition will start with three Competitive Stages on Day One. The stages will be through CS1 Sokoke/Samburu 120.86km, CS2 Mackinnon/Mwatate 88.94km and CS3 Mariwenyi/Ngutini 32.03km.

The Prologue (Spectator Stage) kicked off Saturday morning from the Vipingo Ridge PGA ahead of a nine-day adventure.

Related

East African Safari Classic Rally Chairman, Joey Ghose flagged off the first few cars.

Spectators get the thrill of the East African Safari Classic Rally

Spectators get the thrill of the East African Safari Classic Rally (EASCR) at the Vipingo Ridge on December 9, 2023 where over 60 cars set off for a nine-day tour of sun, fun and mud across six counties.

Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group

Ghose noted that the rally teams are privileged to embark on a challenging journey that will take them through six counties, each with unique terrain and character. He thanked the sponsors and partners for being instrumental in bringing the celebration of the Classic Rally to life.

The Chairman commended the rally teams for their passion, skill and determination.

As rules for the competing crews differ, the management cars are allowed to carry certain equipment along the route of the competition. 

The equipment are spare rally tyres, fuel for rally car, tool kit, oil and lubricants, trolley jack, stands, ground sheet, fire extinguisher and team personal luggage.

A total of 63 cars, manufactured before December 1985, will participate in the marathon rally. 

Though the majority of the competitors are from foreign nations, there are several from Kenya who are also threats to foreigners.  

Balala attends the start of the East African Safari Classic Rally

Former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala (centre) attends the start of the East African Safari Classic Rally event at Vipingo Ridge on December 9, 2023. 

Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group

Baldev Chager, who has won the Classic Rally before, is present in a Porsche 911 and has been seeded first.

Former veteran Safari Rally winner Glen Edmunds is also among the 63 crews taking part in the East African Safari Classic Rally.

Edmunds won the 2005 Safari Rally with Dez Page-Morris. Edmunds will be navigated by Lloyd Destro in Skoda 130 LR.

Former Safari Rally winner and multiple Kenya National Rally Champion, Ian Duncan is also representing Kenya. He will be navigated by Jaspal Matharu in Datsun 280Z (No5).

Aslam Khan will enter a Porsche 911 to be navigated by his brother Arshad Khan. The crew is seeded at number 30.

Aslam has successfully tackled the past nine rounds of the Classic Rally and is happy to be featuring the 10th event.

Among the foreign drivers will be an all-lady team from the Czech Republic of Olga Lounova, a renowned singer, and her navigator will be Lilia Khousnoutdinova. They are seeded at number 23 in an Opel Ascona.

The total competitive distance will be approximately 2,100 km and the transport distance will be 1,900km. 

The rally will start and finish in Mombasa.  

Revised entry list

1. Baldev Chager/Gareth Dawe (Porsche 911),

2.  Piers Daykin/Tariq Malik (Datsun 280Z),

3. Kris Rosenberger/Nicola Bleicher (Porsche 911)

4. Remon Vos/Stephen Prevot (Porsche 911) 

5. Ian Duncan/ Jaspal Matharu (Datsun 280Z)

6.Geoff Bell/Tim Challen (Datsun 240Z)

7.  Phillip Kadoorie/Ryan Champion (Porsche 911)

8. Eugenia Amos/Paolo Ceci (Porsche 911)

9. Johnny Gemmell/Carolyn Swan (Datsun 280Z)

10. Journal Serderidis/Grégoire Munster (Porsche 911)

11. Evgeny Kirvee/Gunnar Andersson (Porsche 911)

12. Anthony Nielsen/Ammar Slatch (Ford Escort MK1)

14.Robert Calder/Gavin Laurence (Datsun 280Z)

15. Bonamy Grimes/Martin Rowe (Porsche 911)

16. Richard Acze/Allan Harryman (Porsche 911)

17. Glen Janssens/Conrad Janssens(Porsche 911)

18. Roger Smaulelsson/Julia Swenson (Porsche 911)

19. David Von Schindler/Per Bjokman (Porsche 911)

20. Frederic Rosati/Julie Teste (Porsche 911)

21. Farhaaz Khan/Keith Henrie (Porsche 911)

22. Andrew Siddal/Gary McElhinney (Datsun 240Z)

23. Michael Holmqvist/EmilAxelsson (Porsche 911)

24. Mark Bentley/Ed Bentley (Ford Escort MK1)

25. Pons Jordi Maria/Teresa Vidal Andora (Datsun Violet GT)

26. Tony Wright/Douglas Rundgren (Ford Escort MK2)

27. Shakeel Khan/Assad Mughul (Ford Escort MK1)

28. John Coyne/Josh McErlean (Porsche 911)

29. Glen Edmunds/Lloyd Destro (Skoda 130 LR)

30. Aslam Khan/Arshad Kahn Arshad (Porsche 911)

31. Rommy Bhamrah/Harvey Jutley (Datsun 280Z)

32. Eric Bengi/Mindo Gatimu (Opel Astra)

33. Nish Lakhani/Teeku Patel (Ford Escort MK1)

34. Rajesh Maini/Devan Bhundia (Ford Escort MK1)

35. Emile Breittmayer/Alexis Thomas (Porsche 911)

36. Oliver Breittmayer/Eric Forney (Porsche 911)

37. Olga Lounova/Lilia Khousnoutdinova (Opel Ascona)

38. Malcolm Rich/Adrian Cavenagh (Ford Escort MK2)

39. Philip Kyriazi/ George Kyriazi (Ford Escort MK1)

40. Kyle Lucas/Karan Sehmi (Ford Escort MK2)

41. Geoffery Page-Morris/Dez Page-Morris (Datsun 260)

42. Francis Heyse/Charles Munsnster Porsche 911)

43. Frederic Comtet/LudivineMarquise (Porsche 911)

44. Patrice Perche/Julien Saunier (Porsche 911)

45. Pawel Molgo/Maciej Marton Porshe 911)

46. Phillip Dubaere/Andre Leah (Porsche 911)

47. Iain Dobson/Harry Stubbs  (Ford Escort RS1600)

48. Josel Jobst/Luis Lobst (Porsche 911)

49. Joseph Huber/Yves Huber (Porsche 911)

50. Aron Banks/Peter Banks (Ford Escort MK1)

51. Tim Chesser/Jack Chesser (Ford Escort MK1)

52. Gary Bimler/Allen Cullen (Datsun Violet GT)

53. Bart Vanhaverbeke/Steven Vyncke (Mercedes 500SLC)

54. Masaomi Suzuki/Yasuhori Ohtani (Porsche 911)

55. Asad Anwar/Rob Warmisham (Toyota Levine)

56. Michael Kahlfuss/Richard Bauger(Trabant P60)

57. Lola Verlaque/Edward  Verlaque (Datsun 260Z)

58. Andrea C. Bonomi/Andrew Doug (Morgan Plus8)

59. Carlo Alessandro/Pierre Arries (Morgan US 8)

60. Jakub Grochola/Michal Jucewicz (Opel Manta 400)

61. Vojtech Stajf/Jan Bejvl (Porsche 911)


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