Kurji takes Pearl of Africa rally
RIYAZ Kurji held onto the lead despite running the closing sections with a broken front shock absorber in a tense end to the Alpha Pearl of Africa Uganda rally yesterday.
By Douglas Mazune
Results
1. R. Kurji 2:49.01
2. R. Robinson 2:53.05
3. R. Ssebuguzi 2:53.12
4. A. Anwar 2:56.19
5. O. Bakhressa 2:59.03
6. S. Muna 3:02.01
7. C. Pano 3:02.25
8. P. Monge 3:02.49
9. P. Emontspool 3:03.19
10. G. Erst 3:10.50
11. R. Kuku 3:13.11
12. E. Mitraros 4:02.12
ARC standings
A.Anwar 15 points
R. Robinson 12
P. Emontspool 11
R. Kurji 10
O. Bakhressa 9
P. Monge 9
R. Ssebuguzi 6
RIYAZ Kurji held onto the lead despite running the closing sections with a broken front shock absorber in a tense end to the Alpha Pearl of Africa Uganda rally yesterday.
Kurji’s second Pearl rally victory in as many years brought him back in contention for the 2006 Africa Rally Championship title. He is now just five points behind leader Azar Anwar of Kenya at the end of the third round of the Africa Rally Championship.
“It feels nice to be in strong contention for the African title. I must say it was a tough rally but our strategy worked,†Kurji said.
Kurji started an eventful final leg 14 seconds behind day two leader Ponsiano Lwakataka, eventually took all five sections in the morning to open up a six minute lead over Lwakataka.
Lwakataka, who was running with a wiring problem, eventually dropped out of the rally.
The driver, whose breathtaking pace in the second leg had sent shivers among Africa’s top drivers, was happy despite his exit.
“My pace proved that I am the quickest driver in Africa but I lack a reliable car. The foreign drivers should go back home and tell them that the fastest man in Africa is in Uganda,†Lwakataka boasted.
Zimbabwean Richard Robinson in a Mitsubishi Evo6 pipped mechanically-troubled Ronald Ssebuguzi, Uganda’s best driver, to second position by seven seconds. Ssebuguzi had an oil leakage that slowed him down in the ultimate section of the rally.
Anwar and Tanzanian Omar Bakhressa were fourth and fifth while reigning African champion Muna Singh was a distant sixth.
The rally organised by Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU), was sponsored by Alpha Dairy and Speke Resort Munyonyo.
Results
1. R. Kurji 2:49.01
2. R. Robinson 2:53.05
3. R. Ssebuguzi 2:53.12
4. A. Anwar 2:56.19
5. O. Bakhressa 2:59.03
6. S. Muna 3:02.01
7. C. Pano 3:02.25
8. P. Monge 3:02.49
9. P. Emontspool 3:03.19
10. G. Erst 3:10.50
11. R. Kuku 3:13.11
12. E. Mitraros 4:02.12
ARC standings
A.Anwar 15 points
R. Robinson 12
P. Emontspool 11
R. Kurji 10
O. Bakhressa 9
P. Monge 9
R. Ssebuguzi 6
RIYAZ Kurji held onto the lead despite running the closing sections with a broken front shock absorber in a tense end to the Alpha Pearl of Africa Uganda rally yesterday.
Kurji’s second Pearl rally victory in as many years brought him back in contention for the 2006 Africa Rally Championship title. He is now just five points behind leader Azar Anwar of Kenya at the end of the third round of the Africa Rally Championship.
“It feels nice to be in strong contention for the African title. I must say it was a tough rally but our strategy worked,†Kurji said.
Kurji started an eventful final leg 14 seconds behind day two leader Ponsiano Lwakataka, eventually took all five sections in the morning to open up a six minute lead over Lwakataka.
Lwakataka, who was running with a wiring problem, eventually dropped out of the rally.
The driver, whose breathtaking pace in the second leg had sent shivers among Africa’s top drivers, was happy despite his exit.
“My pace proved that I am the quickest driver in Africa but I lack a reliable car. The foreign drivers should go back home and tell them that the fastest man in Africa is in Uganda,†Lwakataka boasted.
Zimbabwean Richard Robinson in a Mitsubishi Evo6 pipped mechanically-troubled Ronald Ssebuguzi, Uganda’s best driver, to second position by seven seconds. Ssebuguzi had an oil leakage that slowed him down in the ultimate section of the rally.
Anwar and Tanzanian Omar Bakhressa were fourth and fifth while reigning African champion Muna Singh was a distant sixth.
The rally organised by Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU), was sponsored by Alpha Dairy and Speke Resort Munyonyo.