Page 9 - EASCR22
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Rally Backbone
Rally Backbone
but there were too many factors outside
their control, such as client commitments,
the World Rally Championship calendar he e C Co re Team
and many other factors. In the future the Th T
ore Team
event will move back to its' traditional
November dates with potentially another
mini Classic muted for the end of 2022!
Since leaving Nairobi to begin the first
route survey last February Raju and his Pipi Renu
recce team have covered an astounding Logistics Manager
43,036 kilometers covering the length and
breadth of Kenya. Yikes! The November
rains, normally a nightmare for the
organizers, were actually pretty kind this
year and the majority of the route is
undamaged and in good condition. With
and Raju was quick to explain that you are
February also being the hottest month of
the year Raju thinks the words “fesh-fesh” still permitted to tow someone out of a
will become common-place this year. And, ditch or stuck in sand, but you can no- Chantal Young
thanks to the unique dynamics of Kenyan longer recover someone to the end of a Client Relations Officer
soils, the drier the roads the more section. This, too, is to encourage people
“concrete-like” they become. This, along to focus on preserving their cars and
with the new sporting rules and removing bringing back the “survival” element of the
Safari rallies of old!
of super rally will make it a far more
tactical rally.
The route itself is also something the team
is very proud of. There is a mixture of
For 2022 any competitor failing to finish a
section or a day will not be classified at the some historical roads, previously used on
finish. To compensate for this ruling the the “original” Safari back in the 1980's and Ida Tallum
organizers have given more relaxed some new, never before used, routes on Rally Secretary
private conservancies. Rajus' smile lights
maximum stage times, encouraging
competitors who run into problems to up when talking of this years route, and
resort to “bush mechanics” to get them especially one stage which features 20
home! The clarity on “outside assistance” hairpin bends in just 16km!
has caused confusion ahead of the rally
He expects attrition to be high, with
only around 30% of the field making it
through to the finish but also admits
that he doesn't expect the winner to Michael Wanjohi
be someone who hasn't before stood Accounts Manager
on the podium!
Based on everything this team has
been through over the past 12 months
we wish them all the best for the
tenth edition of this incredible event
and when you see them all at the
finish, be sure to buy them each a
beer! Manas O. Omutanyi
Stock co ordinator
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