Heavy rains affect first stage

Heavy rains experienced in Coast region forced organisers of the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally to stop the first stage because of an impassable river.

In the ensuing conditions, cars which started their nine-day grueling competition were convoyed to CE1 where they restarted at two minutes interval, according to a bulletin from the rally headquarters.

The first stage of the rally, which was initially going to be a technical 94.07km run through busy villages all the way from Kasava to Samburu in Coast region, turned out to be wet and impossible on crossing the river.

The muddy conditions saw cars getting stuck, prompting the rally headquarters to find an alternative to reach Mackinon Road stage.

True to his word, defending champion Stig Blomqvist was earlier quoted saying that the wet weather would be key to his title defence.

The current wet situation forced competitors to change tact and tread cautiously in the rain. It seems to be very tricky at the moment with the wet weather but that’s Safari. We will see what the weather brings out there,” Blomqvist said in an interview.

Meanwhile, rally traffic will today cross over to the Tanzanian side and back to Amboseli at Oltukai after covering a distance of 534km.

Crews will restart from Oltukai Lodge Amboseli then tackle the famous 100km Oldonyo Longido-Oldonyo Sambu prior to the early morning border crossing.

This first stage is open and twisty with blind concrete drifts.

“The stage tends to become rough with jumps and river beds,” said Rally manager Pipi Renu.

Unlike in the past when rally cars camped in Tanzania for two days, this time it’s a day to and fro.

CS5 will take crews through the 117km (Monduli -Longido stage).

Earlier yesterday, Governor Hassan Joho flagged off the cars in Mombasa where 30 vehicles embarked on the initial 500km journey through to Oltukai Lodge in Amboseli National Park.

Team Tido’s Stig Blomqvist was the first off the ramp followed by local heroes Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo, Baldev Chager and Ian Duncan.