KCB Mt. Gorilla rally
Provisional results
(Top five)
1) J.Y Ranarivelo (MDG) 3:38:38
2) D. Giancarlo   (RWA) 3:43:42
3) V. Bukera   (BUR) 3:45:15
4) C. Fitidis   (RWA) 3:53:47
5) F. Rakotomanga    (MDG) 4:02:17

DAVITE Giancarlo was all praise for KCB Mountain Gorilla Rally Jean Yves Ranarivelo of Madagascar at the end of a grueling 773km race yesterday.

The 2009 national champion paid tribute to Ranarivelo, saying that the latter deserved to win the race.

"He's been the best driver by far and totally deserves to win the race,” Giancarlo said.

"He has shown that he is a very good driver. He won all the three stages and that’s not easy.”

Giancarlo, who was driving a Subaru Impreza N11, was five minutes and three seconds off the pace after clocking three hours, 38 minutes and 38 seconds.

Burundi’s Valery Bukera claimed the final podium slot after using three hours, 45 minutes and 15 seconds.

Rwanda’s national champion Christakis Fitidis finished 4th while Ranarivelo’s counterpart Frederik Rakotomanga rounded off the top five slots after clocking four hours, two minutes and 17 seconds.

The win further proves that Ranarivelo’s Kobil Rally of Tanzania victory last month was no fluke. By winning the rally, Ranarivelo became the first-ever driver from Madagascar to win a FIA-African Rally Championship race.

The race counts as a round on the national rally championship, KCB East African Rally Challenge and FIA African Rally Championship.

Ends