Changes made to Safari Rally fan stages for March action

Jim Kahumbura

WRC Safari Rally Event Director Jim Kahumbura gives an update on preparations for the 2024 WRC Safari Rally as Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba (in tie) and other members of the organizing committee listen in at Talanta Plaza on January 10, 2024.

Photo credit: Pool

What you need to know:

  • Apart from minor changes to the Sleeping Warrior and Kedong stages, the rest of the Competitive Sections will remain the way they were in last year’s Safari Rally, running around the nerve centre at the Wildlife Research and Training Institute in Naivasha.
  • Bhabra is being assisted by Anwar Sidi (Route Liaison/ Media Safety), George Mwangi and Nazir Yakub, both both Assistant Clerks of the Course, as part of the main team of officials mandated to make sure the stages are perfect.

Two of the spectator stages at the Safari Rally have been modified as organisers prepare for Kenya’s round of the 2024 World Rally Championship.

The team headed by the Clerk of the Course, Gurvir Bhabra is already in Naivasha checking on the stages.

“We changed the end of the Sleeping Warrior Section by moving the Flying Finish to further down the stage. The Kedong Stage will now be run in reverse order from what was done last year,” Bhabra told Nation Sport.

Bhabra added: “Everything is going on well. We have checked the route. Though it is somewhat dry, there are few patches that have been damaged by water. We will get them repaired as soon as possible.” 

Apart from minor changes to the Sleeping Warrior and Kedong stages, the rest of the Competitive Sections will remain the way they were in last year’s Safari Rally, running around the nerve centre at the Wildlife Research and Training Institute in Naivasha.

Bhabra is being assisted by Anwar Sidi (Route Liaison/ Media Safety), George Mwangi and Nazir Yakub, both both Assistant Clerks of the Course, as part of the main team of officials mandated to make sure the stages are perfect.

Jim Kahumbura was recently named as the Event Director for the WRC event whose total Competitive distance will be 355.92 kilometres. The total overhaul rally distance will be 1,299.22 kilometres.

The rally will run over the Easter weekend from March 28 to 31 and will start from the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.

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Two of the World Rally Championship (WRC) leading officials, Iain Campbell and Joao Passos, have joined the team of Clerk of. Course Gurvir Bhabra for preparations ahead of this year’s WRC Safari Rally. Both foreign experts are part of the Safari Rally Sporting team, which is headed by Bhabra. The duo arrived last week.

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Eldoret will kick off the 2024 Kenya National Rally Championship series with its event on February 17 and 18.  The event will be organised by the Western Kenya Motor Sports Club and will be one of nine rounds of the KNRC this season.

The events are: Round One - WKMSC, Round Two - Safari Rally 30/31 March, Round Three - Kenya Racing Team 25/26 May, Round Four - Nanyuki Rally Group 15/16 June, Round Five - Rift Valley Motor Sports Club 13/14 July, Round Six - Mombasa Motor Club 10/11August, Round Seven - Kenya Motor Sports Club 7/8 September, Round Eight - Sikh Union Club 26/27 October, Round Nine - Sikh Union Club 30 November/1 December.

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Meru Motor Sports Club will stage Round Six of the 2024 National Autocross Championship.