IVORIAN GARY CHYANES extended his lead in the Africa Rally Championship (ARC) standings despite finishing second in the 2014 Rwanda Mt. Gorilla Rally which climaxed over the weekend in Kigali. 

Zambian rally ace Essa Mohammad won the Mt. Gorilla Rally of Rwanda to move within a point of reigning ARC leader Gary Chaynes. 

Chaynes finished the three-day event in second spot clocking 3:06:31 to finish atop of the continental standings with 76 points, a point ahead of Mohammed who clocked 2:57:24. 

National champion Giancarlo Davite and Kenya’s Jaspreet Chatthe were some of the big name casualties as mechanical problems denied them an opportunity to add on their ARC points. 

Chaynes and Essa are favourites to lift this year’s Africa Rally Championship title.

Essa has now claimed victory in three of the four events on this year’s ARC calendar that he has participated in.  Essa’s other victories this season came in the Rally of South Africa and Zambia Airtel Money Rally but mechanical problems denied him a finish in the Oryx Rally of Tanzania. 

The former ARC winner also missed the Bandama Rally of Cote d’Ivoire; the opening event of the calendar. 

Gary Chaynes who is yet to miss any event still leads the standings with 76 points just one ahead of Essa while Chatthe stays in third position with 58 points. 

Ugandan speed star Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru came third after clocking 3:06:31 while Bukera Valery (3:09:02) and Murengezi Johnny (3:09:26) complete the top five. 

Mubiru however earned no ARC points since he didn’t register for the event but finishing third will give him belief ahead of the Shell Pearl of Africa Rally next month. 

Uganda’s Geoffrey Nsamba was among the drivers who didn’t finish the race after he crashed his car on final day. 

Davite lies fourth on 27 points while Uganda’s Hajji Abdul Sempebwa and Cote d’Ivoire’s Morifere Soumoro share fifth position with 18 points. 

The next round on the ARC calendar is the Shell Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally scheduled between August 15-16.

Mt. Gorilla Rally Results

1. Essa Mohammed 2:57:24

2. Garry Chaynes 3:06:31

3. Duncan Mubiru 3:09:12

4. Bukera Valery 3:09:26

5. Murengezi Johnny 3:09:26

6. Elefterios Mitraros 3.19.46

7. J. Claude Gakwaya 3.43.36

8. Felekeni Amigo Mayaka 3.46.31

ARC Standings 

1. Gary Chaynes (CIV) 76 points

2. Essa Mohammed (ZAM) 75 points

3. Jaspreet Chatthe (KE) 58 points

4. Giancarlo Davite (RW) 27points

5. Abdu Sempebwa (UGA) 18 points

6. Morifere Soumoro (CIV) 18 points