The lady with a love for speed
Oct 24, 2002
Speed and women is a very rare partnership. But for 20-year-old Noella Margachi, this is just a game; a hobby to indulge in; a sport to enjoy. Noella is the rally navigator for Arthur Blick Junior. She has got a couple of accolades up her sleeve. She is t
By Joshua Kato
Speed and women is a very rare partnership. But for 20-year-old Noella Margachi, this is just a game; a hobby to indulge in; a sport to enjoy. Noella is the rally navigator for Arthur Blick Junior. She has got a couple of accolades up her sleeve. She is the only woman currently involved in active motor-rallying.
On top of this, she is the only navigator driving with her lover. With their average age at 22.5 years, the crew is also the youngest on the Uganda rally scene at present. Noella joins a small group of women who have participated in rallying in Uganda since its inception. Most remembered of them all was Charlotte Ssali in the 80s.
Phrases like “Triple caution ahead, “Sharp corner, 180 degrees, 100 metres, right†are what she keeps on shouting into her intercom. The car hits triple cautions at will and swerves in corners like a fighter jet going for a kill in a dog-fight. The strong seat-belt of the rally car prevents her from being thrown out.
Determination written over her young face, she labours on, directing her driver. Spectators at the circuit shout and cheer them on. Their car is a powerful 1990s Toyota Supra. The car was given to the couple by Chipper Adams. He also occasionally gives them rallying lessons.
Because it is only a rear-wheel-drive car, it is slow around corners. However, it compensates this lack of speed in corners with entertaining swerves, plus a pulsating acceleration on stretches.
Because of this, Noella has sat in it, racing at more than 180km per hour on stretches. With this courage, she earns compliments from her driver.
“She is steady, she never panics. I have never had any problem with her,†Arthur said. In return, Noella smiled shyly, pulling back her long hair.
“How did you start rallying?†I asked her. Brushing some dark strands from her face, she answered, “It is a family affair. My father was one of the top drivers in the defunct East-African Safari Rally in the 70s,†she answered.
Her father’s name, Rwampwanyi Margachi was household those years, in as far as rallying is concerned.â€
Arthur was searching for a navigator and when I told him that I was around for the job, he accepted,†she said.
Certainly, there was no problem getting the support of her family: “Everybody in the family supported me. They knew that rallying is safe,†she said. Certainly, this is why her family makes it a point to watch every rally she is involved in.
“The rally car is much safer than the average speed car. Once you realise this fact, the fear goes away,†she explained. “Secondly, you put it in your mind that your driver is human like you and fears to die.†In this case, her driver is her lover. She says they are very sensitive to each other.
“What is the worst moment of your rallying career so far?†I asked. She raised up her head, as if in thought. Then she said, “Whenever we fail to finish a rally. This depresses me a lot.†I had thought that she was going to talk about the numerous rolls the couple has gone through: “Rolling is expected once you are a fast driver. Even the best of the best roll their cars,†she said.
She adds, “It terrifies, especially if it is your first time for the car to roll, but once you realise that it is not easy to get serious injuries in a rally car, the fear ebbs.â€
The couple is part of Team Blick rally group. Before each rally, the group puts in a lot of preparation. The cars need be in top condition to avoid any inconveniences. Most rally car owners care for their cars like babies. Noella and Arthur are no exception: “We have to check the car thoroughly. Sometimes we have to remove every part of the car. It is like caring for our first baby,†Noella said.
Good performances in rallying are certainly attributed more to the driver, but the navigator must take some credit. given the couple’s latest performances. Noella is certainly good. The crew completed the gruelling Total Pearl of Africa Rally early September in a respectable 11th position, while they completed the DFCU rally in a career best third in August. “We would have performed even better had we not rolled or burst our tires,†Noella said. She prophesied better performances in future.
You need to have a few skills if you are to be a good navigator. Noella got hers from a collection of friends and relatives. they include William Blick’s navigator Hannington Kisooka, Justin Beyendeza, who is one of the best navigators in the land, as well as Busingye Rwaboogoto mention but a few.
“She is still young, but a good learner,†Beyendeza said of Noella. “She has got a bright future in motor-rallying,†Kisooka, commented. This is true. Noella has been in rallying for just one year, but her focus is like of a person who has been rallying for years.
Arthur meanwhile has been rallying for close to three years now, on top of being a national motorcycle champion in the year 2000.
In modern rallying, both the driver and navigator should be able to do basic mechanical work on the cars. This helps them not to loose valuable time in the sections. But does Noella know how to change the tire of the Supra.
“Yes. I learnt basic motor-vehicle mechanics and I can change the tire even without the help of my driver,†she answered. Apparently, the young woman learnt the skills at both Speedway Engineering and United General Engineering Works Luzira. Her skills came in handy when the Supra burst a tire during one of the sections in the just concluded Total Pearl of Africa Rally. Noella jumped our of the cockpit, removed her helmet and changed the tire in just three minutes!
The young woman is set to join University. She vows to continue rallying, for as long as the couple has a car. Worldwide, she admires WRC drivers like Richard Burns and Makinen.
If she finds her self on a desert island, a book on perfect rally navigation can help her while away her thoughts, for this is what she wants to be.
Speed and women is a very rare partnership. But for 20-year-old Noella Margachi, this is just a game; a hobby to indulge in; a sport to enjoy. Noella is the rally navigator for Arthur Blick Junior. She has got a couple of accolades up her sleeve. She is the only woman currently involved in active motor-rallying.
On top of this, she is the only navigator driving with her lover. With their average age at 22.5 years, the crew is also the youngest on the Uganda rally scene at present. Noella joins a small group of women who have participated in rallying in Uganda since its inception. Most remembered of them all was Charlotte Ssali in the 80s.
Phrases like “Triple caution ahead, “Sharp corner, 180 degrees, 100 metres, right†are what she keeps on shouting into her intercom. The car hits triple cautions at will and swerves in corners like a fighter jet going for a kill in a dog-fight. The strong seat-belt of the rally car prevents her from being thrown out.
Determination written over her young face, she labours on, directing her driver. Spectators at the circuit shout and cheer them on. Their car is a powerful 1990s Toyota Supra. The car was given to the couple by Chipper Adams. He also occasionally gives them rallying lessons.
Because it is only a rear-wheel-drive car, it is slow around corners. However, it compensates this lack of speed in corners with entertaining swerves, plus a pulsating acceleration on stretches.
Because of this, Noella has sat in it, racing at more than 180km per hour on stretches. With this courage, she earns compliments from her driver.
“She is steady, she never panics. I have never had any problem with her,†Arthur said. In return, Noella smiled shyly, pulling back her long hair.
“How did you start rallying?†I asked her. Brushing some dark strands from her face, she answered, “It is a family affair. My father was one of the top drivers in the defunct East-African Safari Rally in the 70s,†she answered.
Her father’s name, Rwampwanyi Margachi was household those years, in as far as rallying is concerned.â€
Arthur was searching for a navigator and when I told him that I was around for the job, he accepted,†she said.
Certainly, there was no problem getting the support of her family: “Everybody in the family supported me. They knew that rallying is safe,†she said. Certainly, this is why her family makes it a point to watch every rally she is involved in.
“The rally car is much safer than the average speed car. Once you realise this fact, the fear goes away,†she explained. “Secondly, you put it in your mind that your driver is human like you and fears to die.†In this case, her driver is her lover. She says they are very sensitive to each other.
“What is the worst moment of your rallying career so far?†I asked. She raised up her head, as if in thought. Then she said, “Whenever we fail to finish a rally. This depresses me a lot.†I had thought that she was going to talk about the numerous rolls the couple has gone through: “Rolling is expected once you are a fast driver. Even the best of the best roll their cars,†she said.
She adds, “It terrifies, especially if it is your first time for the car to roll, but once you realise that it is not easy to get serious injuries in a rally car, the fear ebbs.â€
The couple is part of Team Blick rally group. Before each rally, the group puts in a lot of preparation. The cars need be in top condition to avoid any inconveniences. Most rally car owners care for their cars like babies. Noella and Arthur are no exception: “We have to check the car thoroughly. Sometimes we have to remove every part of the car. It is like caring for our first baby,†Noella said.
Good performances in rallying are certainly attributed more to the driver, but the navigator must take some credit. given the couple’s latest performances. Noella is certainly good. The crew completed the gruelling Total Pearl of Africa Rally early September in a respectable 11th position, while they completed the DFCU rally in a career best third in August. “We would have performed even better had we not rolled or burst our tires,†Noella said. She prophesied better performances in future.
You need to have a few skills if you are to be a good navigator. Noella got hers from a collection of friends and relatives. they include William Blick’s navigator Hannington Kisooka, Justin Beyendeza, who is one of the best navigators in the land, as well as Busingye Rwaboogoto mention but a few.
“She is still young, but a good learner,†Beyendeza said of Noella. “She has got a bright future in motor-rallying,†Kisooka, commented. This is true. Noella has been in rallying for just one year, but her focus is like of a person who has been rallying for years.
Arthur meanwhile has been rallying for close to three years now, on top of being a national motorcycle champion in the year 2000.
In modern rallying, both the driver and navigator should be able to do basic mechanical work on the cars. This helps them not to loose valuable time in the sections. But does Noella know how to change the tire of the Supra.
“Yes. I learnt basic motor-vehicle mechanics and I can change the tire even without the help of my driver,†she answered. Apparently, the young woman learnt the skills at both Speedway Engineering and United General Engineering Works Luzira. Her skills came in handy when the Supra burst a tire during one of the sections in the just concluded Total Pearl of Africa Rally. Noella jumped our of the cockpit, removed her helmet and changed the tire in just three minutes!
The young woman is set to join University. She vows to continue rallying, for as long as the couple has a car. Worldwide, she admires WRC drivers like Richard Burns and Makinen.
If she finds her self on a desert island, a book on perfect rally navigation can help her while away her thoughts, for this is what she wants to be.