Page 8 - EASCR22
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Rally Backbone
Rally Backbone
Th T he e C Co re Team 31 August 2021 – for those who had been
ore Team
working tirelessly all year long to organize
the Tenth edition of the East African
Classic Safari Rally, this was a day that
they all probably still have nightmares
about. The day they had to tell the world
Natasha Tundo that the toughest (and arguably the
Event Director greatest) classic rally was being
postponed!
There are many keyboard warriors who
will question this decision, especially as Ghose, along with Tash Tundo, Raju
Kenya had just run a WRC event whilst still Chaggar, Chantal Young, and other
on the same red list but one must not important members of the core team, sat
forget that the WRC consists of well- down and began working on a repair
funded professional teams with strategy.
Sinder Suddle contractual obligations to contest every
Rally Manager round of the series. The Classic consists of The first aim was to ensure that those
business people who rally for fun. who were still able to compete on the
Between the businessmen and the bucket- original dates could do so. As the overall
list competitors, a vast majority of the target was to ensure as many crews as
field would not have been able to afford possible could still do the “main” event
or risk the potential of quarantines, days and the competitors costs of competing in
off work or the logistical nightmares of two events so close together would
ever changing flights… sacrifice a number of competitors. The
first decision was to waive entry fees and
Jayanta Das And the decision to postpone this epic accommodation for anyone choosing to
Chief Administration
Officer event was not the choice of one person. It enter the “mini”. Next up was deciding on
was a board decision with expert advisors an actual route. As Clerk of the Course the
from various sectors. The fact that, within task of creating a new route fell upon Raju
48 hours of the announcement not only Chaggar who now admits that the mini
had a new date been circulated but a Classic was a useful dry run. He is also
whole new “mini” event had been created rather pleased about the fact that the
for those who were able to compete over difference between the published
the original dates. Creating any rally takes itinerary and the actual timing of the
an enormous amount of effort but full event was only 11 minutes different!
Bhaskar Patil
Chief Finance Officer credit must be given for this remarkable Pretty impressive for a 3 day/ 1000km
EASRL achievement. event!
When you speak to the working With the November mini Classic deemed a
committee it is hard to understand the success there was no time for the team to
magnitude of the emotional turmoil that rest as all attention turned back towards
everyone went through. As soon as the running the main event, now scheduled
press release was sent out everyone for February. By their own admission the
switched their phones off and regrouped. team indicate that February was not their
Then, a meeting behind closed doors with preferred first choice – there was an idea
Raju Chaggar the directors of the rally, including Joey muted to recreate the “Easter Safari” –
Clerk of the Course
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