Reigning
four-time Kenya National Rally champion Carl “Flash” Tundo and his
erstwhile teammate Alastair Cavenagh are set to partner in this year’s
Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally, planned to start and
end in Mombasa.
The two will have to put aside their KNRC rivalry and try to emulate legendary drivers Ian Duncan and Bjorn Waldegard who won the 2007 and 2011 editions of the ‘world’s toughest rally’.
Both Alastair and Tundo sat together in premier of the East Africa Safari Classic in 2003 and 2011. However, the two will for a long time remember 2011 edition, where their Ford Escort was caught up in flash floods around Kajiado region and were compelled to retire.
Alastair will once again drive the elegant Ford Escort MKII car, hoping to end the jinx that has seen him fail to finish in any Classic. Alastair and Tundo are the undisputed fastest drivers on Kenyan soil.
“It is good to be back in the Classic and we are looking forward to the event which had some great stages in 2011,” said Cavenagh. Despite not finishing well in last year’s overall KNRC championship standings, Alastair remains firmly at the top of the Watspot seeding system—a position he has held for several years now.
This clearly demonstrates that he is currently the quickest driver on Kenyan soil. “Let’s see if anyone knocks me off the leader board this season but we are not ruling out speed and fastest stage times,” said Alastair.
He said they expect the strongest challenge to come from Ian Duncan, Belgian Gerald Marcy, Swedish oldies Bjorn Waldegard and Stig Blomqvist.
East African Safari Classic Rally is now full with 60 crews having signed up. This is the biggest entry the Safari Classic has had since it was first run in 2003.
Organiser Surinder Thatthi said: “This is a wonderful situation to be in. The entry list does not officially close until October 1 and we already have a full entry.
It is very pleasing not only for the organising team but also for our sponsors, Kenya Airways. I am sure with an entry of this size and quality, our Safari Classic this year will be a classic rally in every sense of the word.”
Elsewhere, this year’s Safari Classic will have a new clerk of the course. South Africa’s Richard Leeke will take up the role of clerk of the course and brings his long experience to the event. Leeke has been for many years been one of the leading co-drivers in South African events.
During his time, Leeke has co-driven for top South African drivers as well as some top names from Europe including Tony Pond, Malcolm Wilson and Jimmy McRae.
He was South African Rally champion co-driver in 1977 and won the Toyota 1000 Desert Race no fewer than seven times between 1984 and 2004.
These days, he spends more time officiating at rallies and is the President of the National Rally Commission of South Africa. He worked for the Safari Classic as deputy clerk of the course in 2005 and 2007 and thus knows the event extremely well.
The two will have to put aside their KNRC rivalry and try to emulate legendary drivers Ian Duncan and Bjorn Waldegard who won the 2007 and 2011 editions of the ‘world’s toughest rally’.
Both Alastair and Tundo sat together in premier of the East Africa Safari Classic in 2003 and 2011. However, the two will for a long time remember 2011 edition, where their Ford Escort was caught up in flash floods around Kajiado region and were compelled to retire.
Alastair will once again drive the elegant Ford Escort MKII car, hoping to end the jinx that has seen him fail to finish in any Classic. Alastair and Tundo are the undisputed fastest drivers on Kenyan soil.
“It is good to be back in the Classic and we are looking forward to the event which had some great stages in 2011,” said Cavenagh. Despite not finishing well in last year’s overall KNRC championship standings, Alastair remains firmly at the top of the Watspot seeding system—a position he has held for several years now.
This clearly demonstrates that he is currently the quickest driver on Kenyan soil. “Let’s see if anyone knocks me off the leader board this season but we are not ruling out speed and fastest stage times,” said Alastair.
He said they expect the strongest challenge to come from Ian Duncan, Belgian Gerald Marcy, Swedish oldies Bjorn Waldegard and Stig Blomqvist.
East African Safari Classic Rally is now full with 60 crews having signed up. This is the biggest entry the Safari Classic has had since it was first run in 2003.
Organiser Surinder Thatthi said: “This is a wonderful situation to be in. The entry list does not officially close until October 1 and we already have a full entry.
It is very pleasing not only for the organising team but also for our sponsors, Kenya Airways. I am sure with an entry of this size and quality, our Safari Classic this year will be a classic rally in every sense of the word.”
Elsewhere, this year’s Safari Classic will have a new clerk of the course. South Africa’s Richard Leeke will take up the role of clerk of the course and brings his long experience to the event. Leeke has been for many years been one of the leading co-drivers in South African events.
During his time, Leeke has co-driven for top South African drivers as well as some top names from Europe including Tony Pond, Malcolm Wilson and Jimmy McRae.
He was South African Rally champion co-driver in 1977 and won the Toyota 1000 Desert Race no fewer than seven times between 1984 and 2004.
These days, he spends more time officiating at rallies and is the President of the National Rally Commission of South Africa. He worked for the Safari Classic as deputy clerk of the course in 2005 and 2007 and thus knows the event extremely well.
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