NAIROBI, Kenya May 14 – Fast paced 25 hair pin corners, a long 35Km competitive section and mind boggling scenic views will be some of the highlights in the next round of the KCB Nation Rally Championship set to be held in the Kerio Valley on the 24th of May 2014.
The rally dubbed the KCB Mtaani Eldama Ravine Rally and organized by Rift Valley Motor & Sports Club (RVM&SC) will see two old historic stages make up the fourth round of the season.
Speaking on behalf of Clerk of the Course and Safari Rally veteran Frank Tundo at the media briefing Tuesday at the KCB headquarters in Nairobi, rally aficionado and veteran navigator Abdul Sidi shared the planned route for the day.
“From the start at Eldama Ravine we go 40kms down into the Kerio to a place called Tugumoi down to the very bottom-the main Tenges Florspar road we go in there and that’s where the first stage is. The second stage is an old stage that has not been used for the last 40 years. There should be no tracks or anything on it.
Sidi added that several stages will make the rally even more appealing for the drivers and will be repeated.
“Then we come to Florspar which is really amazing rally-wise and driver-wise. We will repeat the first stage and do another stage that we did 40years ago then come up at Flourspar for the second time. We got a short spectator stage near service that will be run twice,” said Frank.
KCB the title sponsor of the long running championship were at hand to usher in the fourth round of the series.
Speaking at the briefing Marketing and Communications Director Angela Mwirigi said;
“KCB has for years taken initiative to support the sport in a venture to nurture talent and develop the sport at all levels. So far the bank has invested cumulatively over Sh440 million in the sport since 2003 as title sponsor,” she said.
Mwirigi said that the KCB brand resonates well with motorsport both locally and regionally.
Weather condiotions
It’s anticipated that this will be a very wet rally and drivers will have to prepare adequately.
Speaking at the same function, three-time KNRC champion, Azar Anwar who celebrated his 60th birthday today said that mud compound tyres will be key to success in the rally.
“I love Nakuru rally because this was the event where I recorded my first KNRC victory 20 years ago when it was called Sanyo 2000, meaning 2000km,” he said during a briefing at the KCB Headquarters in Nairobi yesterday.
RVMC will run the routes around the world famous Kerio Valley stage at Flouspar which was synonymous with the WRC Safari Rally when world- famous drivers would be compelled to make countless hairpin bends on massive escarpment drops.
KCB Eldama Ravine branch will be the location for the official start on 24th Saturday where the Baringo Governor Hon. Benjamin Cheboi will flag off the rally cars from 7am as they head to tackle the competitive sections laid out in the Baringo and Elgeyo Markwet counties.
After flag-off, the rally traffic will then head 40kms towards Eldoret, Kerio valley, Fluorspar, Kinwogo forest region and into the only service of the day at Kamwosor service park.
The rally is scheduled to end at around 3pm where the Governor of Elgeyo Markwet Hon. Alex Tolgos will preside over the finish.
Photo by Simon Mulumba (CMONCY IMAGES)