Davite crashes out in Kenya

Unfortunate Giancarlo Davite failed to garner crucial points on the ARC Championship when his Mistubishi Evo X crashed out of the first day of the 61st edition of the coveted KCB Safari Rally over the weekend.Davite who was eyeing to regain top spot crashed out in the 84km section from Il-Bisel to Parane, along with Jassy Singh of Zambia and Kenyan Division 2 driver Jassi Chatthe.Navigator Sylvia Vindevogel said yesterday after returning back from Kenya that they were very disappointed with how their quest for the ARC title was shaping.She said, “We dropped out of Safari Rally on Saturday after hitting a rock while trying to avoid on-coming cars in second competitive section. The car was damaged.“We are very upset, we can’t believe this can happen in an international championship event. Our championship chances are now minimal.....after putting in so much money, time and efforts in our Africa tour.”She added: “We don’t mind mechanical problems, tough rallies, bad roads, rally hardships because its part of the sport. However, we trust rally organisations should make safety a top priority,”“For us, spectators, people on whose lands we are racing,.....We are very tolerant drivers, and probably one of the rare crews having traversed the continent, from Ivory Coast to South Africa, and back....,”“I didn’t like what I experienced over the weekend. I hope all wounded drivers will be okay soon.“Congrats to Baldev Chager on winning, Sorry to Jassy Singh and my friend Dave Sihoka. Jas Mangat Rally and Gihan De Silva displayed great drive while Mohammed Essa, Greg Greg Stead and Bob also exhibited a good comeback,” added Vindevogel.This was the second time that Gianca team’s title ambitions hit a dead end. In June, their vehicle crashed in the Tanzania Puma rally to miss out garnering maximum points. Local driver Baldev Chager trounced the early pacesetters and pre-rally favourites to win the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Safari Rally in 2:51.03 hours ahead of second placed Azar Anwar.Defending champion Mohammed Essa put his title defence back on track after winning the FIFA Africa Rally Championship (ARC) fifth round to move into second place.Essa timed three hours, 19 minutes and 45 seconds to win the ARC category and move into second place with 50 points behind new leader Jas Mangat, who came second clocking three hours, 58 minutes and 33 seconds to go up to 58 points.The reigning African champion, however, finished seventh overall in the rally that was dominated by Kenyans, while Mangat came out 16th overall as the other three ARC contenders failed to finish the race after crashing out.Zambian national rally champion Jassy remained stuck on 48 points after breaking ball joints on his NetOne Technologies Subaru Impreza N10 in the gruelling Spectator Eighth Stage of the 84.10km rally.Davite dropped to fourth position with 33 points with Jaspreet Chatthe, who had a good race on Saturday, overturned.The duo of Erick Page of Ivory Coast and South African Jan Habig are tied on 25 points having only taken part in one race held in their countries.Davite now needs to perform better in the remaining three rallies to stop Mangat and Essa from winning the 2013 Africa Rally Championship title.The Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally is next, from August 16 to 18, with the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally coming up on the weekend of September 20 to 22, and finally the International Madagascar Rally on November 1 to 3.

Sports

Davite crashes out in Kenya