Longest stage of today’s East Africa Classic Rally cancelled
Special Correspondent
The ongoing heavy rains have affected the East Africa Classic Rally again after the longest stage set for today was cancelled after being rendered impassable.
Speaking at the rally’s headquarters in Tanga, Tanzania yesterday, Clerk of Course Raju Chagger said there are two sections of the 155km stage that are impassable.
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“I have spent today (yesterday) trying to salvage the stage of day six. We have done several fly overs and there are two sectors that are literally under water. I don’t feel safe putting anyone through that, the roads are impassable,” he said.
Chagger has recreated the day’s route itinerary making sure that drivers get the mileage as expected.
“I have made a plan to run three stages against two of the same and have added a new one. We still have good mileage similar to one at KNRC rally distance. We are ok for tomorrow (today) and the day after the stages are all good,” he added.
Meanwhile, the first half the 2019 East African Safari Classic Rally ended yesterday with Austrian Kris Rosenberger and navigator Nicola Bleicher going to yesterday’s rest day as the overnight leaders after a clean drive through the first four days.
As much as it was a “rest day” the participants are not really able to rest as the classic cars must be stripped down completely, given a thorough check and prepared for the second half of the race.
The mechanics together with some drivers and navigators already started work as soon as the cars arrived.
For the other drivers and navigators who are not getting close to their cars, under bonnets or under the cars, they are doing their best to relax a little on the rest day but not entirely.
They have some planning and strategising, preparing road books for the 13 th stage.
This morning, 17 competitors will start the day at 9am to tackle another three stages in Tanzania, one of which is an endurance stage of 155kms.
They will then return to Tanga Beach Resort. Section 13 from Nzimwe to Kilulu is 58kms and is a combination of very fast roads with brows and twisty bends while Section is 14 Horo Horo to Magozoni 155kms, a very challenging stage that requires endurance, stamina and concentration.
It’s a technical and twisty track with many holes, ditches, drifts and some very fast open sections and big blind brows.
Section 15 is from Mkanageni to Amboni and is 35kms. It’s a short stage to finish the day but fast and twisty over fast rocks with occasional blind bends and fast brows.
