By Wairimu Nyathira
Something authentic that gels well with nature. You only have to attend to see the passion behind it. A rally enjoyed by an acquired taste of drivers, I was all in, for years’ rally drivers have gathered, endured, given us adrenaline shoots and the 10th East African Classic Safari Rally promised to be an adventure full of risk.
I was all set for the spirit of Rally, all of me embraced the unexpected. The drivers would cruise over 5,000 Kilometers crossing 13 counties.
The East African Safari Classic Rally Sports Facts
Cars: Built before 1985
Competitive Racing days: 9 Days
Number of stages: 24
Number of entries: 48
Weather Conditions: Sunny and hot
Previous winner:
2019 Kris Rosenberger/Niki Bleicher –Porsche 911- Germany
Last Kenyan win: 2018 Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop – Triumph TR7
Rally Route: Blind – No recce stage routes are shared with teams a day in advance.
Things likely to see old Safari Routes, hairpin action, clouds of dust, flat out, jumps with wildlife, car brush mechanics, and much more.
09/02/2022
Preparing for Survival
The day started with us taking the road to Naivasha to the WRC Safari Rally Service Park, located at the Wildlife Research Training Institute where I picked up my media badge and paid Ksh 1000 for my Covid-19 test.
We stopped at a local eatery where I enjoyed fish, ugali, and traditional vegetables, I ate with one eye on the side as I watched the army of Marabou Stork who were ready to attack my food if I showed any weakness.
The local meal was just what we needed, our bellies full we headed straight to Sawela Lodge for the driver’s briefing. It was lovely to see familiar faces, especially from motorsport. An area with passionate photographers.
As the briefing ended and enjoying my cup of coffee, it was a feeling of nostalgia when I said hi to Ian Duncan and my first signing for my magazine, Duncan has been tried and tested, back in 1994 at the 42nd Trustbank Safari Rally it was a victorious win when he broke the international dominance in his legendary Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD, true to his success he was ready to work some magic with team Minti Sports UK- Rover Vitesse.
The heat was rising and drivers were in a relaxed mood some doing some catch-up, as I walked through the parking space of Sawela Lodge which had been turned into striking graphics and I was fantastic by the perfect marriage of artistry on the Renault 4 GTL and Kenyan wildlife I called it the moving giraffe, which was carrying a massive and impressive 39 horsepower, the dream was clear as team Pendro Matos Chaves navigated by Marco Barbosa car number 68 displayed they dream entry. Barbosa at the driver’s briefing told me for it was a special dream since he saw pictures of the safari when he was a child in Portugal, to be in Kenya for the Classic Rally is a dream come true. His words in Portuguese è realmente fanatastico estar aqui estamos todos muito contente
