Safari Rallyt: Kenya Airways returns.

It has just been made known that Kenya Airways will sponsor the third edition of the East African Safari Classic Rally to be staged in November 2007. One of Africa’s leading airlines yesterday (February, 23rd) revealed a package to secure the title sponsorship during a function held at the Panari Hotel in Nairobi. The deal will go towards supporting what is regarded as one of the toughest rallies in the world.

“Kenya Airways is happy to come back on board to support the East African Safari Classic Rally having been partners in the first event in 2003. Kenya Airways is delighted to be backing one of the best rallies in the world,’’ said Titus Naikuni, Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways.

“Kenya’s image as one of the World’s leading countries in tourism and wildlife will be boosted by the Kenya Airways move to support the rally. It will play a major role in the route plan of the nine-day event that will start and finish in Mombasa’’ said Surinder Thatthi, the Event Director. “The format of the rally will be four days of competition with a day’s rest halt in the famous Amboseli National Park in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. This will be followed by another four days of competition before the cars head for the finish on the sandy beaches near Mombasa.”

Four times Safari Rally winner and ex-World Champion, Bjorn Waldegård of Sweden is among the list of twenty-nine cars that have already entered the rally. He has entered this year’s edition in a Ford Escort Mark1 prepared and run by David Sutton’s Historic Motorsport Company. The Swede, one of the greatest Safari Rally drivers of all time, will tackle the event for the second time running after a heroic effort in 2005 with a Porsche when he eventually finished seventh Overall.

The list of other star drivers includes another ex-World Rally Champion Swede Stig Blomqvist and Venezuelan co driver Anna Goni, who finished second in 2005. They will drive a second Ford Escort Mark I prepared and run by Historic Motorsport. Frederic Dor from Switzerland who finished third in 2005 has entered his Porsche 911 and will be serviced by Francis Tuthill. Australian Graham Alexander in a Datsun 260Z, who finished fifth in the 2005 edition, is also returning.

Early leader of the 2005 Classic Safari, Gerard Marcy and Alain Lopes of Belgium have swapped their Ford Escort for a Porsche 911 prepared by Francis Tuthill while Richard Martin–Hurst and Tony Devantier from England will return to the event in their familiar Ford Capri Perana. Richard and Tony also did the event in 2003 when they were leading with his Rover P5 until problems struck.

Another regular Günther Kronseder and Gerd Petzold from Germany have shelved their Opel Manta and will now drive a Mercedes 450SLC on the 2007 event. Kenyan resident Italian Stefano Rocca has purchased the Datsun 260Z from double Safari Classic winner Rob Collinge. Stefano will tackle the Safari as his first event in the car and will spearhead the local interest that will also include Aslam Khan, Marzio Kravos and Bob Kaugi.

Complete new comers to the East African Safari Classic Rally event in 2007, will be David and Sarah Rayner from England in a Ford Capri 2.6 previously used on trans-continental events, Kurt Vanderspinnen and Roes Bart from Belgium have entered a Volvo 142S, while veteran, Bert Dolk from Holland will be in a Volvo 122S. Ian and Val Swan from Australia have not yet specified which car they will rally but are one of three Australian crews entered.

The 2005 event received a massive television and print media audience from around the world. A fifty-two minute film of the event was also shown a record eleven times on DSTV throughout Africa and the Middle East including Kenya.


» Pressrelease från Safarirallyt, www.eastafricansafarirally.com.

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