Sports
Hassan Alwi wins Masaka Rally to extend championship advantage
On Saturday, June 20, Alwi, alongside his experienced navigator Musa Nsubuga, piloted their newly acquired Ford Fiesta Proto to overall victory at the SMC Masaka Rally.
Seasoned Ugandan rally ace Hassan Alwi Jr powering his Ford Fiesta Proto during the event. (Photo by Gerald Kikulwe)
By: Gerald Kikulwe, Journalist @New Vision
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SMC Masaka Rally Results
Hassan Alwi – 01:10:22.97
Jonas Kansiime – 01:11:43.38
Duncan Mubiru – 01:12:44.08
Musa Ssegaabwe – 01:13:49.39
Haruna Kataza – 01:14:48.26
Seasoned Ugandan rally ace Hassan Alwi Jr remains in a state of awe and deep gratitude as he reflects on what he describes as “divine blessings” from God during the current motorsport season.
Since joining competitive rallying in 2014, Alwi says he has never experienced such a strong run of form, having now secured two victories from the first three rounds of the National Rally Championship (NRC) calendar this year.
On Saturday, June 20, Alwi, alongside his experienced navigator Musa Nsubuga, piloted their newly acquired Ford Fiesta Proto to overall victory at the SMC Masaka Rally.
The demanding two-day event traversed multiple districts, including Bukomansimbi, Masaka, Kalungu and Sembabule, testing both driver skill and mechanical endurance.
“I’m just amazed over what God is doing in my life, Masaka has always been one of the most challenging, I don’t know how many times I have failed in Masaka, but finally he gave me an important win that has boosted my morale to fight for this year’s NRC title,” Alwi stated.
Since entering motorsport in 2014, Alwi has largely participated for leisure and has never consistently completed all seven rounds of the championship calendar.
Seasoned Ugandan rally ace Hassan Alwi Jr remains in a state of awe and deep gratitude as he reflects on what he describes as “divine blessings” from God during the current motorsport season.
Since joining competitive rallying in 2014, Alwi says he has never experienced such a strong run of form, having now secured two victories from the first three rounds of the National Rally Championship (NRC) calendar this year.
On Saturday, June 20, Alwi, alongside his experienced navigator Musa Nsubuga, piloted their newly acquired Ford Fiesta Proto to overall victory at the SMC Masaka Rally.
The demanding two-day event traversed multiple districts, including Bukomansimbi, Masaka, Kalungu and Sembabule, testing both driver skill and mechanical endurance.
“I’m just amazed over what God is doing in my life, Masaka has always been one of the most challenging, I don’t know how many times I have failed in Masaka, but finally he gave me an important win that has boosted my morale to fight for this year’s NRC title,” Alwi stated.
Since entering motorsport in 2014, Alwi has largely participated for leisure and has never consistently completed all seven rounds of the championship calendar.
However, this season marks a notable shift in ambition and commitment, as he aims to contest all events in full in order to assess his potential for a serious title challenge.
“I always have a busy schedule of overseeing the operations of the International University of East Africa and other duties, but this God is tickling me to push for more events, I need to sit with my sponsors to decide how best this can be handled,” added Alwi.
In Masaka, the rally began on a difficult note for Alwi, as fellow competitor Duncan Mubiru delivered a strong opening performance, winning both the first and second competitive stages of the Segaamu 14 Consult section to establish an early lead. This left Alwi trailing in second place during the early stages of the event.
However, Alwi maintained his composure and remained within striking distance, gradually building pressure on the leader. His decisive moment came in the third stage, the Super Special Stage held at Nabugabo Sand Beach, where he produced a commanding performance to overturn Mubiru’s advantage and seize control of the overall standings, a position he retained until the end of the rally.
At the conclusion of the event, Alwi recorded a winning time of 1 hour, 10 minutes, 22.97 seconds (01:10:22.97). He was followed by Jonas Kansiime, who posted a time of 01:11:43.38, while Duncan Mubiru finished in 01:12:44.08. Musa Ssegaabwe came in fourth, with the remaining competitors further behind.
“Winning an NRC title is so challenging, you can win the first events and get disappointed in the final events on the calendar, that’s why I say that it’s all about God, you only consider yourself a champion when it’s done,” Alwi added.
Following the opening three rounds of the season, Alwi now leads the championship standings with 177 points, underscoring his impressive consistency and strong start to the campaign. His closest rival, Duncan Mubiru, sits second with 132 points, while the other competitors trail in the standings.
“I always have a busy schedule of overseeing the operations of the International University of East Africa and other duties, but this God is tickling me to push for more events, I need to sit with my sponsors to decide how best this can be handled,” added Alwi.
In Masaka, the rally began on a difficult note for Alwi, as fellow competitor Duncan Mubiru delivered a strong opening performance, winning both the first and second competitive stages of the Segaamu 14 Consult section to establish an early lead. This left Alwi trailing in second place during the early stages of the event.
However, Alwi maintained his composure and remained within striking distance, gradually building pressure on the leader. His decisive moment came in the third stage, the Super Special Stage held at Nabugabo Sand Beach, where he produced a commanding performance to overturn Mubiru’s advantage and seize control of the overall standings, a position he retained until the end of the rally.
At the conclusion of the event, Alwi recorded a winning time of 1 hour, 10 minutes, 22.97 seconds (01:10:22.97). He was followed by Jonas Kansiime, who posted a time of 01:11:43.38, while Duncan Mubiru finished in 01:12:44.08. Musa Ssegaabwe came in fourth, with the remaining competitors further behind.
“Winning an NRC title is so challenging, you can win the first events and get disappointed in the final events on the calendar, that’s why I say that it’s all about God, you only consider yourself a champion when it’s done,” Alwi added.
Following the opening three rounds of the season, Alwi now leads the championship standings with 177 points, underscoring his impressive consistency and strong start to the campaign. His closest rival, Duncan Mubiru, sits second with 132 points, while the other competitors trail in the standings.