Italy's Amos wins EA Classic Rally
Baldev Chager, navigated by Gareth Dawe in a Porsche 911, goes over a railway crossing during Leg Six of the East African Safari Classic Rally in Kajiado on December 15, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Eugenia Amos and Paolo Ceci of Italy became the fourth foreign crew to win the 2023 East African Safari Classic Rally at the wheels of a Porsche 911
- Baldev Chager, who was the last Kenyan driver to win the world famous event, finished in second place despite maintaining his pressure throughout the competition
- Former winner of the event, Ian Duncan finished in fifth place driving a Datsun 280Z with Jaspal Matharu
Curtains have finally come down on the 2023 East African Classic Safari Rally, one of the toughest rallies in the history of the sport.
Eugenia Amos and Paolo Ceci of Italy became the fourth foreign crew to win the 2023 East African Safari Classic Rally at the wheels of a Porsche 911. The crew lost 882mins.35.2secs over the nine-day competition.
The previous foreign crews winners included Bjorn Waldegaard, Richard Jackson and Kris Rosenberger respectively.
Baldev Chager, who was the last Kenyan driver to win the world famous event, finished in second place despite maintaining his pressure throughout the competition.
Chager was navigated by Gareth Dawe in yet another Porsche 911. The crew lost by 10mins.45secs to the winners of the 2023 EASCR.
Previous EASCR winners Rosenberger and Nicola Bleicher of Austria finished in the third position driving a Porsche 911.
Former winner of the event, Ian Duncan finished in fifth place driving a Datsun 280Z with Jaspal Matharu.
Event Director of the East African Safari Classic Rally, Raju Chagger said he was tired and drained but happy to lead a good event.
“I am extremely drained out as this has been the hardest and roughest rally. The competition has experienced the worst weather in the EASCR history,” Chagger told Nation Sport.
Chager added: “I cannot be more happy for this rally to end safely. We have tried our best. We had tough moments but the teamwork is what has been good.”
The East African Safari Classic Rally lived up to its reputation where rains, flash floods and mud holes made it a difficult event for the best rally drivers in the world.
The Classic Rally originated from the original Safari Rally that was first run in 1953 before it was known in the World Rally Championship calendar.
A total of 60 cars, manufactured before December 1985, participated in the Marathon Rally. The Russian car, Austin, was the smallest vehicle in the competition with an engine capacity of 600cc.
Though the majority of the competitors were from foreign nations, there were several from Kenya who were also threats to the foreigners.
Despite mechanical problems in the rally, all the three cars entered by the ALS Team, managed to finish the rally.
The team included Aslam Khan/Arshard Khan (Porsche 911), Farhaaz Khan/Keith Henrie (Ford Escort) and Shakeel Khan/Assad Mughal (Ford Escort).
Other local crews to finish the gruelling rally included Rajesh Maini, Asad Anwar, Eric Bengi, Piers Daykin and Glen Edmunds among others.
The ladies crew from the Republic of Czech, Olga Lounova and Lilia Khousnoutdinova also finished the rally on their debut. They were driving an Opel Ascona.
Unfortunately, the respective Porsche 911s of Phillip Kadoorie and Frederic Rosati rolled in the first stage of Leg Eight within sight of the finish.
The total length of the 2023 route was approximately over ,3000kms, which was run over a duration of nine days.
The total competitive distance was approximately 2,100 kms and while the transport distance was 1,900kms.The rally started and finished in Mombasa.
As per the rules, no four-wheel drive, turbochargers, and superchargers were allowed in the East African Safari Classic Rally.
All the competing cars were pre-1985 manufactured, cars of two-wheel drive with normally aspirated engines.
Provisional Results of Top-20
1.Eugenia Amos/Paolo Ceci (Porsche 911)
2.Baldev Chager/Gareth Dawe (Porsche 911)
3.Kris Rosenberger/Nicola Bleicher (Porsche 911)
4.Bonamy Grimes/Martin Rowe (Porsche 911)
5.Ian Duncan/Jaspal Matharu (Datsun 280Z)
6.Patrice Perche/Julien Saunier (Porsche 911)
7.Andrew Siddall/Gary McElhinney (Datsun 240Z)
8.David Von Schindler/Per Bjokman (Porsche 911)
9.Iain Dobson/Harry Stubbs (Ford Escort RS1600)
10.Farhaaz Khan/Keith Henrie (Porsche 911)
11.Geoff Bell/Tim Challen (Datsun 240Z)
12.Richard Acze/Allan Harryman (Porsche 911)
13.Joseph Huber/Yves Huber (Porsche 911)
14.Shakeel Khan/Assad Mughul (Ford Escort MK1)
15.Jobst/Luis Lobst (Porsche 911)
16.Evgeny Kirvee/Gunnar Andersson (Porsche 911)
17.Journal Serderidis/Grégoire Munster (Porsche 911)
18.Pawel Molgo/Maciej Marton (Porshe 911)
19.John Coyne/Josh McErlean (Porsche 911)
20.Piers Daykin/Tariq Malik (Datsun 280Z)
