Kikankane wins Day One of Mbarara rally

By Johnson Were

Mbarara  Rally Day 1 results
1. Duncan Mubiru 5:27:1
2. Desh Kananura 5:27:3
3. Kuku Ranjit 5:30:4
4. Fred Wapamba5:36:5
5. Arthur Blick Jr 5:39:6
6. Chritakis Fitidis 5:40:7
 
Past Mbarara Rally winners

2014-Duncan Mubiru
2013-Posiano Lwakataka
2012-Jas Mangat
2011-Suzan Muwonge
2010-Posiano Lwakataka

The old guards were on form on day one of the Mbarara rally that started on Saturday with a super special stage in Masaka.
 
Desh Kananura and Kuku Ranjit, returning in style to the podium after over five years of rest, finished second and third respectively in the Super Special stage.

Kuku Ranjit powers his Subaru Evo9 during the Super Special Stage in Masaka during the Mbarara Rally. PHOTO/ JOHNSON WERE

The Super Special stage that was won by the crew of Duncan Mubiru and Musa Nsubuga in Subaru N16 also had Kuku Ranjit and Sayeed Kadir, in a Mistibish Evo 9, excite fans.

Other old guards; Christakis Fitidis and Dr Ahmed Ashraf finished 6th and 9th respectively out of a total of 32 drivers that entered the rally.

Arthur Blick Jr in a Subaru N10 prodrive finished 5th but the 10 time motocross champion told New Vision that it's not over.

"We are now going into the rally and people will hear the machine. This is the time to separate the boys from men," The Shell Helix sponsored driver stated.

Ronald Ssebuguzi powers his Subaru N11 at the Masaka Super Special Stage in the Mbarara rally.  PHOTO/JOHNSON WERE

Desh Kananura powers his Subaru N16 in a corner during the Super Special Stage in Masaka. PHOTO/JOHNSON WERE

Reigning national rally champion Ronald Ssebuguzi who didn't fare well in the Super Special stage finishing above the top 10 said that the final is what will let him give up.

"The rally is not over but we shall take our time," Ssebuguzi added.

Meanwhile as rally drivers shift the battle to Mbarara for the remaining three sections covering 238km, Clerk of the Course (COC) David Nsobya has urged them to drive safely.

Nsobya told New Vision that many drivers would like to recover the lost time in Saturday's  Super Special Stage forgetting  that fast and dusty roads in Mbarara could throw them off the road.

Besides that the roads have other users and livestock which requires them to be, more calm and careful.

"The roads are fast and dusty but some drivers may want to push their cars to recover the lost time in the Super Special Stage," Nsobya said.

Reigning NRC champion crew of Ronald Ssebuguzi and Cedric Buzabo in a Subaru N11 will open the route followed by Omar Mayanja and Leone Ssenyange in (Mitsubishi Evo5), Wilberforce ,Pole Pole (Subaru N10), Duncan Mubiru (Subaru N16)  and Dr Ashraf Ahmed (Subaru N8).

Whereas the top five starting crews were decided by the order in which they finished last year in the NRC, by press time the stewards meeting had not decided the starting order of the remaining top crews.

They include Arthur Blick Jr (Subaru N10), Christakis Fitidis (Subaru N12), Kuku Ranjit (Mitsubishi Evo 9) and Desh Kananura (Subaru N16).