Motorsport

KCB Mt. Gorilla rally (June 4-6)
Today-Super special stage
Distance -2.04km (Gahanga quarry)

DAVITE Giancarlo’s hopes of doing a double in the KCB Mt. Gorilla rally hinge on whether he can finish the grueling 303.99km.

The race takes off this afternoon with a spectator 2.04km super special stage at Gahanga quarry. Cars will be flagged off at Amahoro Stadium at 2pm.

Speed master Giancarlo, navigated by Sylvain Vindevogel in a Subaru Impreza wants to get over the nightmare that forced him out of the KCB Pearl of Africa Rally in Kampala.

Other locals in contention include Fitidis Christakis co-driven by Guy Dekelver in a Subaru N12, Elefter Mitraros (Subaru), corner specialist Olivier Costa (Subaru), Johnny Murengenzi (Volkswagen Golf GTI), Saidi Twizeyimana (Mitsubishi), Gratien Rutabingwa (Peugeot 205) and Claude Kwizera (Subaru).

The foreign legion is led by reigning African champion James Whyte (Zimbabwe), Uganda’s Jas Mangat, 1998 African champion Charles Muhangi in his Subaru Impreza popularly known as ‘Ekitaguriro’, and five-time Kenyan champion Ian Duncan (Ford Mustangare) among others.

While Whyte is at pains to claim a maiden KCB Mt. Gorilla rally diadem on his debut, he concedes that Giancarlo has the upper hand in the race which wraps up this year’s KCB East African Rally Challenge.

"He enjoys local knowledge of the route so it will be quite a fight against him,” the 49-year-old Zimbabwean predicted.
The rally also counts as a round on the ARC as well as National Rally Championship.

Tomorrow and Sunday, cars will head to the Eastern province areas of Ndatemwa, Rwagitima, Ntunga, Rukara, Gakenke and Rwamagana for a car battering 195.22km competitive distance with an additional 105km in transport section.

Whyte tops the ARC charts on 115 points; Giancarlo is second on 60 points while Christakis rounds off the top three slots on 47points.

Ends