Latest information reaching Times sport indicates that two-time national rally champion Rudy Cantanhede has relocated to his native Belgium.

According to Rwanda Automobile Club’s official Christian Gakwaya, Rudy as he is popularly known relocated to Belgium a few months ago.

"He is now based in Belgium so we won’t be seeing much of him in the near future,” Gakwaya said.

Rudy made his debut on the regional scene in the 1990s driving under a Burundian license.

Although Rudy Cantanhede has earned a reputation as Rwanda’s most ferocious rally driver in recent years after back to back national championship titles, the ARC title has continued to elude him.

The closest the Belgian-born rally ace went in hunt for Africa’s premium rally championship was in 1990 when he lifted the title but only as a co-driver to Walter Costa.

This year, Cantanhede’s hopes of an ARC crown got dented when he pulled out of last month’s KCB Safari rally. However, rally ace had his third successive national rally championship title well within reach after winning the Mountain Gorilla Rally, Rwanda’s most coveted rally event.

The African Rally Championship (ARC) is an international automobile rally championship organized by the FIA.

Shekhar Mehta won the inaugural championship in 1981 while Zimbabwe’s Conrad Rautenbach is the reigning champion.

Rallye de L’est

In the absence of perennial champion Cantanhede, rally fans could be in for a thrilling contest as Rally de L’est rolls off the romp this Saturday. The event is the second last race on this year’s National Rally Championship calendar.

Davite Giancarlo and Costa Olivier, the top two drivers in the championship will fancy their chances as they push for their first title.

The other drivers in contention include Tony Saegerman, Elefter Mitraros, Johnny Murengezi, Claude Kwizera and Christakis Fitidis.

The rally that covers 230.57 km is spread over five competitive sections.

Competitive section one runs from Ndera to Musha covering 37.10km, section two will run from Gahini to Kawangire covering 26.20km, section three will run from Kukimodoka to Gakoma covering 32.50km, competitive section four, which is also the longest section runs from Gakoma to Kawangire covering a distance of 45.20km while section five from Kukimodoka to Kawangire will cover 32.20km.

Last year, Cantanhede won the race enroute his second national championship title. The rally has received sponsorship from AKAGERA Motors, Volcano Express, COGEAR and AMAGERWA.

Ends