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Latest NewsBy A Correspondent The Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally has given a record boost to charity sponsorship of rally teams in the 2007 event of the biennial event. Alive and Kicking, a charity focused on health awareness messaging delivered through locally made footballs, has received UK-based sponsorship from two cars that have already raised 4 million shillings in just 10 days of UK and local fund-raising. The two cars (44 and 49), captained by driver Jeremy Bennett of the UK, have successfully completed the first five days of the race. The Bennett car, comprising entirely amateur crews, has risen from 49th to 15th in the rankings as the rally passed its half way stage. Alive and Kicking Rally charity team, led by Martin Barnard and Joel Kinuthia, have received enough support to deliver over 1,000 footballs carrying health awareness messages on HIV/Aids and Malaria to kids in over 20 locations up and down the rally course. The funding will also pay for delivery of health awareness posters, featuring 10 of Kenyas top sports personalities, to 4,000 secondary schools all over the country. The posters will be launched on world AIDs day on December 1, at the Kenya KICC (Kenya International Conference Centre), attended by President Kibaki. œWe cannot thank the East African Safari Classic Rally and the Jeremy Bennett team enough for giving us a unique opportunity to help the most vulnerable Kenyans with these key messages on health, as well as giving thousands of young kids a chance to play with a football made entirely in Kenya, suitable for the most rural conditions.Martin Barnard, Alive and Kicking Director for Kenya, said. Event Director of the East African Safari Rally, Surinder Thatthi, commented: œThe charitable activities around the rally are at a record high, and were proud to be playing our part in helping this cause, along with many others, that are of direct value to the Kenyan people.
By Twincam in taita Hills Lodge Rains and accident involving one of the rally cars dogged day seven of the 2007 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally as it prepares to enter the Tanzanian sector today. Kenyan crew of Ekya Shah and Prina Shah became the third set of drivers to get involved in a major calamity of this years competition after they rolled their Colt Lancer in the opening stage of the days action. While the damage to the car was minimal, Prina broke her left hand ring figure at the end of a spectacular roll. She was treated by the medics before proceeding on to the finish where she was examined further by the Event Doctor, Harjinder Chaggar. Dr. Channa said he suspected she had broken ring figure but needed to send her for an x-ray before he could do anything. However, Dr.Chaggar said he was confident she would be able to continue with the rally when its kicks off this morning. It was the third accident to hit the rally in its sixth day. The first two victims, Steffano Rocca from Malindi and Briton Iain Freestone could not continue with the rally after their cars were found to be unsafe. Prinas accident was compounded overnight rains which made some of the sections slippery and muddy. Several drivers were stranded in a river crossing before they were pushed out the local inhabitants. Swede Bjorn Waldegaard was slowed by the conditions though he maintained his lead to the end of the day. Waldegaard maintained his dogged campaign in search of a maiden title when he defied wet and slipper conditions to cling onto the KQ Safari Classic lead on Day six at Sarova Taita Hills Lodge. Waldegaard said he would have been much faster today were it not for the engine which didnt run so well. œWe were first on the road and the first 20km of thick black cotton soil impeded my progress as its was heavy to clear. The rest of the pack had an advantage because they encountered a somewhat cleaner run on this stage after I had gone, said Waldegaard. Belgian Gerald Marcy was awesome in his stage runs yesterday after setting two fastest stage times in Emali and Maktau. After six days of grueling action, Waldegaard leads his Historic Motorsports teammate Stiq Blomqvist by a 7.04margin with Frenchman Fredric Dor slipping further y a 9.45minutes margin. œIt was quite muddy today. I was really cautious not to make any mistakes. When its wet I am able to catch Stiq but not Waldegaard, said Dor. The first four cars have exhibited quite a great turn of speed as the gaps in the event became eminently larger. Englishman Geoff Fielding returned his Porsche 911 in fifth overall place and staunchly admitted that the first four were simply in a class of their own. œI am not racing anyone because the first four are really hard on it, Fielding said. John Lloyd who is being navigated by Kenyas Adrian Cavenagh in a Datsun 240Z was lying sixth overall after losing 20 minutes at the river crossing. Jonathan Savage maintained his position as the leading Kenyan despite failing to navigate through the river-crossing. He was pushed out of the knee-deep river by the locals. Savage is lying 11th after 15 stages. Another Kenyan crew, John Rose and Mike Borissow were also happy with their performance though they lost the use of the halva meter in their Datsun 260Z. Be Muchemis problem continue to rise by the day after they lost the oil filter of their Alfetta in the Amboseli. œIt has been tough but we are
here at Taita Hills with the rest of the gang,said Muchemi. By A Correspondent The battle continues as Bjorn Waldegaard tightens his grip on the lead of the 2007 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally at the end of the day action in Arusha The former Safari Rally winner, who has led the event for almost the entire duration since the start seven days ago from the coastal town of Mombasa, is now in commanding lead of the marathon rally with two days left. One of the worlds best known rally drivers, Waldegaard marches on relentlessly as his rivals struggle catch him in what is said to be the toughest event since its inauguration four years ago. After one of the most consistent performances of the competition so far, Stiq Blomqvist finally buckled down to the pressure after his Ford Escort stopped in the first section of the Tanzanian sector with a broken half-shaft. Jonathan Savage ended his spell as one the top Kenyan driver after rolling his Datsun 260Z in the Same section of the Tanzanian stage. He and his son Quentin were said to be fine thought the car was in a bad state John Rose and Mike Borrrisow have now taken that spot with two fifth fastest times of the day in Tanzania. In their Datsun 260Z. However his pace is far from the performances of the European drivers who have completed overshadowed the local drivers in event celebrating its third edition. Ian Duncan, who was regarded as the best bet Kenya could offer to challenge for the overall victory of the 10-day Kenya Airways-sponsored, withdrew from the rally after consistent mechanical troubles with his Ford Mustang. The started off badly two accidents yesterday after the service crew of car no 19 rolled their vehicle before Taveta as cars rushed to cross into the Tanzanian section for the final programme of the KQ-sponsored rally. Safari Rally legend Joginder Singh was lucky to suffer serious injuries after the driver of Car No 26, Joseph Pointinger crashed into the back of the his Prado. There were no serious though the Austrian was forced had to retire from the rally because of the intensity of the damage to his car. Gerard Marcy is on a mission to regain credibility after one of the most embarrassing moments to hit the former Paris-Dakar competitor before the cars entered Tanzania yesterday. The Belgian got lost twice in Kenya when the lead of the rally was within sight. The Belgian clipped a massive six minutes off Waldegaards lead as the cars checked in at the Ngorduto Lodge in Arusha for the end of Day Seven action. Prina Shah and husband are still in the running after an accident on Day six that saw the former break her ring figure. Also motoring well are Minesh Rathod/Sachin Sumaria (Colt Lancer, Shahid Wissanji/Amir Muzzamil (BMW) and Ben Muchemi/George Njoroge (Alfetta). Provisional Results: Provisional results: 1. Bjorn Waldegaard/Mathias Waldegaard (Ford Escort Mk1, S/S) 11hrs.30mins.15secs; 2. Frederic Dor/ Didier Breton (Porsche 911, F/F) 11.4624; 3. Gerard Marcy/Alain Lopes (Porsche 911, B/B) 11.47.34; 4. Paul Eric-Jarry/Craig Redelinghuys (Porsche 911, CZ/ZA) 12.44.19; 5. Steven Perez/ Michael Stuart (Datsun 260Z, GB/GB) 10.21.0012.45.20; 6. John Lloyd/ Adrian Cavenagh (Datsun 240Z, GB/EAK) 13.00.46; 7. Stig Blomqvist/Ana Goni (Ford Escort Mk1, S/YV) 13.08.57; 8. Roddy Sachs/Peter Young (Datsun 180B, ZA/EAK) 13.1714; 9. Wayne Kieswetter/Rob Hellier (Datsun 180B, ZA/EAK) 13.42.39; 10. Jeremy Bennett/Tim Chesser (Ford Escort Mexico, GB/ GB) 14.02.02
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