A total of 20 rally drivers have confirmed they will compete in the 2017 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally scheduled for September 8-9, according to the race organisers, Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC).
ARC title race: Top five drivers1. Manvir Baryan (Kenya) 652. Leroy Gomes (Zambia) 533. Kleevan Gomes (Zambia) 384. Christakis Fitidis (Uganda) 365. Jaspreet Chatthe (Kenya) 28Co-drivers’ standing:1. Drew Sturrock (Scotland) 65 points2. Urshlla Gomes (Zambia) 533. Riyaz Latife (Zambia) 374. Eric Nzamwita (Rwanda) 36
A total of 20 rally drivers have confirmed they will compete in the 2017 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally scheduled for September 8-9, according to the race organisers, Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC).
The battle for the African Rally Championship title is set to go down the wire during the penultimate round of the 2017 continental series.
The ARC title race leader, Kenya’s Manvir Baryan has registered for the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally—the Skoda driver leads the standing with 65 points.
He is 12 points ahead of Zambia’s Leroy Gomes, who sits in second place with 53 points, and will race in Rwanda for the first time.
According to Rwanda Automobile Club, the entry provisional drivers’ list also includes Uganda’s Fitidis Christakis, who is navigated by Rwandan Eric Nzamwita in their Mitsubishi Evo X RC2.
Local rally fans will be pleased to see former national champion Davite Giancarlo and navigator Sylvia Vindevogeli in their Evo X, racing in Rwanda for the first time after a one year suspension.
Burundian driver Rudy Cantanhede, who has won the Mountain Gorilla Rally 4 times, will be in Rwanda driving an Evo IX.
Reigning champion Bukera Valery/Khettia Nital will be here to defend his title, which he won driving a Subaru Impreza N12.
Christian Remezo is the other driver from Burundi, while another Kenya crew Piero Camobbio and Slivia Frigo, has enlisted too.
The Rwandan flag will be flown by Jean Claude Gakwaya, Diotis Gakuba, Fabrice Nyirimdandi and Alain Murenzi whereas Abdu Kateete, Adam Essa Rauf, Samuel Watendwa and Gilberto Balondemu are the other crews from Uganda.
The race will be flagged off from Kigali Convention Centre on Friday before drivers embark on the 203.95 kilometres competitive race.
Five stages with a total competitive distance of 74.52 kilometres will be covered on day one, starting with a Super Special stage at Amahoro National Stadium.
Day two and the final day of the event will consist of eight stages covering 129.43 kilometres in Bugesera district and Gahanga sector (Kicukiro district).
editorial@newtimes.co.rw