Three Namibian rally teams recently took on the King Price Swartland Rally in South Africa, facing off against a competitive field of 36 local entries.
Despite a weekend defined by technical hurdles for some, the Namibian contingent left a significant mark on the Western Cape event.
The line-up included Wido Bartsch and navigator Raymond Fourie in their Toyota Yaris S2000 4×4, Zachary Martin and Anique Schoeman in a VW Polo 2000, and Wilro Dippenaar, paired with South African navigator Carolyn Swan, in a Ford Fiesta 1.6T 4×4.
For Bartsch and Fourie, the trouble began before they even left the starting blocks.
A snapped V-belt forced an early withdrawal from the main stages.
Derek Jacobs of the Namibian Motorsport Federation (NMSF), who represented the drivers, says while the team managed to replace the belt and enter the super rally class, they started with a heavy time penalty.
Their luck didn’t improve, as a broken side shaft later forced a permanent retirement from the event, he says.
Zachary Martin also faced mechanical heartbreak.
At the start of the second day, the team discovered a defective shock absorber.
Despite fellow competitors offering assistance, a replacement with the correct specifications could not be found. This led to their withdrawal, though they secured a respectable seventh overall finish in the regional standings.
The highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly the performance of Wilro Dippenaar.
Although Namibian, Dippenaar competes under a South African licence, allowing him to score points in the Western Cape Regional Championships.
Dippenaar dominated the field.
“Dippenaar mopped the floors with his SA counterparts,” Jacobs says.
The victory wasn’t handed to him, however.
Dippenaar had to fend off fierce competition from the reigning South African rally champion, Benjamin Habig, and Barry White in their VW Polo 2.0T 4×4.
Patrick Vermaak from the Witzenberg Motoring Club described the performance of Dippenaar and Swan as “one of their best ever,” noting they were “unstoppable over the two days”.
He also praises Martin’s performance, identifying him as a rising talent with immense potential on the rally circuit.
The event highlights a growing trend of Namibian racers making their presence felt in South African and international motorsport, frequently returning home with silverware.
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