Olivier Costa seeded 31st in Safari rally

FIA-ARC STANDINGS

1. Muna Singh     (Zambia) 16
2. James Whyte   (Zim)      15
3. Hideaki Miyoshi (Japan)   11

Japanese speedster Hideaki Miyoshi is at pains to claim a maiden KCB Safari Rally diadem as he bids to enhance his FIA-African Rally Championship (ARC) prospects.

Miyoshi who currently lies third on the ARC standings with 11 points is teaming up with Hakaru Ichino in a Mitsubishi EVO 9 at the three-day event which rolls off today. Ahead of the flag-off, the Japanese said that he was plotting to eclipse the big African field.

"I am going for an outright win in the (KCB) Safari because I want to seal the championship this year,” said the former 1995WRC Safari Rally Group N Champion,” he was quoted in a Kenyan newspaper.

Miyoshi who finished fourth at last year’s KCB rally has had quite a shaky season this year after finishing eighth at the Alliance/Kobil Rally of Tanzania and also forfeiting his overnight lead at the eleventh hour to settle for second place at the 2008 KCB Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally in April.

Rwanda’s Olivier Costa is one of the 53 drivers who will raise dust at the KCB Safari rally which will be flagged off at the prestigious Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) today.

The Safari Rally, also one of the world’s toughest and oldest rallies is the third round of this year’s Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) African Rally Championship.

Meanwhile Bonnie Mugabe adds that, Rwanda’s rally driver Olivier Costa has been drawn to start 31st in the third Africa rally Championship of the KCB Safari Rally which gets underway this afternoon in Nairobi Uhuru Park, Kenya.

Costa will be navigated by Jean-François Ruhashanyiko in a Subaru Impreza. The Provisional start-list has ARC leader Muna Singh of Zambia opening with Japanese Hideaki Miyoshi second off the ramp.

Emma Katto in Subaru N14 is set to hit the road in sixth place while Jas Mangat in Subaru N10 is 14th off the ramp.

A total of 467km will be covered by the cars with 290km being competitive on closed roads (Two wheel drives will do 120km on Sunday alone after the Uhuru Park spectator stage on Friday) while 177km will be liaison distance (the stretch between the end of one stage and the start of another).

A lot is at stake as the rally acts as the final round of the East Africa Rally Challenge (EARC) and a third round of the Africa Rally Championship.

The Safari Rally will also be used by the drivers in their quest to win the KSh650 million, a three -year sponsorship and a chance to participate in the World Rally Championships next season.

Costa who is making his debut in the African rally championship is the only Rwandan rally driver in the event after Rudy Cantanhede failed to participate citing high costs. 

Ends