Up to 10 foreign drivers will battle against home favourites Davite Giancarlo and Claude Gakwaya in this year’s edition of the annual Mt Gorilla Rally championship scheduled for July 31-August 1 in Nyamata and Rugende.

The Mt Gorilla Rally Championship is the fifth event on the African Rally Championship (ARC) and as the battle for points gets tougher, African drivers will descend on Rwanda this month to challenge for the available points.

Among the star-studded field of drivers expected to produce a thrilling event is the 2013 African champion Jassy Singh from Zambia (Subaru Impreza N16), reigning Kenya Safari rally champion Jaspreet Chatthe (Mitsubishi Evo X) and Burundian rally ace Rudy Cantanhede.

"It is going to be a very exciting event because of the presence of top class competitive drivers that will be coming to Rwanda for the Mt Gorilla rally championship. It will also be good for our drivers to compete against Africa’s best drivers,” explained Ange Francois Cyantangabo, the secretary general of Rwanda Automobile Club.

Former national champion Giancarlo who has won the Mt Gorilla rally twice (2009 & 2013) will be looking to maximize home advantage in one of the most grueling rally events on ARC renowned for the mountain stages that have challenged many a driver.

Three-time record Mt Gorilla rally winner Cantanhede (2004, 2008 & 2010) is among the favourites to win this event considering his massive experience in the mountaineous terrain.

The total distance of the rally will be 503.9km including transport. Stage 1 will include Nyamata A & Nyamata B (Mwogo) and the Super Spectator Stage in Nyamata near The new Hotel (new estate under construction), a total distance of 70.80km.

Stage 2 will commence at the main headquarters at Rugende with the competitive section including four sections from Ndera to Rugende, Nyagasambu to Musha, Mwurire to Gahengeri and Gahengeri to Mwurire.

The drivers will cover each section twice and will cover a total distance of 156.20km.

Meanwhile, the on-form Ugandan trio of John Consta and Aaron Nsamba (Mitsubishi Evo 9) and Desh Kananura (Subaru Impreza N14) who registered remarkable success at the recently concluded Mountain of the Moon rally in Fort Portal over the weekend and Jinja rally champion Duncan Mubiru ‘Kikankane’ (Subaru N16) will be hoping to replicate their domestic form in the challenging Rwandan competition.

Chatthe is currently leading the ARC table standings with 50 points while Singh has 36 points. Zambian Muna Singh Jr (30 points) and the reigning African champion Gary Chaynes of Ivory Coast (25 points) sit in third and fourth position respectively.