Rising female navigator Chantal Young going places
Betika’s all- female sponsored team in the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally from left; Linet Ayuko, Maxine Wahome and Chantal Young.
What you need to know:
- Chantal, 31, finished the East African Safari Classic Rally in her debut year, in 2013 navigating Samira Khan in a Porsch 911. She also took the accolade of highest placed female navigator that year.
- Chantal is also a leading organiser of the Kenyan Enduro circuit. She has navigated Tash Tundo in several Kenya National Rally Championship rounds.
A leading female rally navigator, Chantal Young, has been appointed the East African Safari Classic Rally Office Manager.
Chantal’s appointment is seen as a big step in the growth of the classic rally whose 11th edition will run from December 9 to 18.
Nearly 65 crews have entered the world famous marathon rally that will start in Mombasa.
Chantal, 31, finished the East African Safari Classic Rally in her debut year, in 2013 navigating Samira Khan in a Porsch 911. She also took the accolade of highest placed female navigator that year.
Chantal is also a leading organiser of the Kenyan Enduro circuit. She has navigated Tash Tundo in several Kenya National Rally Championship rounds.
The rest of the officials of the EASCR are Jeet Ghose (CEO), Joey Ghose (Chairman), Renzo Bernardi (Clerk of Course), Tash Tundo (Event Consultant) and Raju Chaggar (Event Director).
Eleven counties will benefit from the presence of 350 crews that will be passing through their borders with hotels expected to do good business.
The total length of the 2023 route is approximately 4,000km, with 2,100km competitive. The rally will start and finish in Mombasa.
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The last round of the 2023 Kenya National Rally Championship will be held December on 2-3.
The event, organised by the Kenya Racing Team, will have four competitive stages of which two sections will be done twice. The total length of the competition will be 216.13km.
The longest stage is 60.43km while the shortest stage is 20.29km. The Event Director is George Njoroge and Clerk of Course Dash Patel, deputized by Joel Muchiri and assisted by Ankush Shah.
The Service Park Manager is Anthony Njenga and Club Steward Faith Wathome. Other officials are Gatimu Mindo (Chief Safety Officer) and Caroline Gatimu (Competitor Relation Officer).
The Kenya Motor Sports Club in Nairobi’s South C will host the scrutineering of the rally. The event will start and finish at Kumpa Service Park in Kajiado.
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While this year’s Rally Championship title has been won by Jasmeet Chana and Ravi Chana, the battle for second spot continues between McRae Kimathi/Kioni Mwangi (126 points) and Jeremiah Wahome/Victor Okundi (121).
Five points separate them with just the KRT rally remaining. A leg winner earns 30 points, runner up 24 points and third placed finisher 21 points.
