THE Shell V-Power Swakop rally this past weekend at Swakopmund has been described by many as well organised and attended.
The initial entry list stood at 17 vehicles, however, two teams did not make the starting line since their vehicles were not prepared.
Wido Bartsch, the chairperson of the Walvis Bay Motor Club (WBMC), says no incident was reported to him by participants or spectators, making it a well-executed rally.
Out of the 15 vehicles that started the rally, 11 managed to finish – a big achievement for the day.
Bartsch lauded the women’s team, comprising Madeleine Koegelenberg and Tivian von Weidts in their CR 1 Ford Courier, which entered for the first time.
“They did very well, and had some technical issues with a car that overheated due to a fan belt that came off, but still finished the rally, and even recorded good times in the stages,” he says.
He says he expects the women’s team to provide some stiff competition in the future for other drivers.
This team also walked away with the trophy for the team with the best team spirit.
Wilro Dippenaar and Carolyn Swan, who finished in first place in class S4 with their Ford Fiesta R5, say they had fun throughout the rally.
“We did a lot of preparation on the car, and my team did great work, so we came here and had a lot of fun, and the results will come naturally,” he says.
The spectators followed the vehicles through the various stages, and Dippenaar’s followers got what they came for as his team ensured top-notch performance throughout the race.
Another crowd puller was the Century Racing CR6 monster of Loic Bathfield and navigator Johan Steyn, who, just like at previous rallies, ensured high-performance entertainment.
Since the car is much bigger than the average rally car, it needs a bit more space to get maximum performance, and that is just what this rally offered.
“We had some good times and the tracks were well marked, with a lot of fast corners and long straits, which were good for our car, and a lot of bumps – but we enjoyed it,” Bathfield says.
Top Revs was told on the sidelines that the CR6 at times reached speeds of up to 200km/h.
The next rally is scheduled for the end of September, with Tsumeb as the host town.
Another rally is slated for 21 October, which will be hosted in Windhoek by Redline Motor Club.
The results were as follows: (Sedan)
Class S4 winners: Dippenaar and Swan
Class S2 winners: Zachary Martin and Anique Schoeman (VW Polo)
Class S1 winners: Peer Rohm and Pieter Steyn (VW Polo ).
Challenge (bakkie) CR 1 Class: Bathfield and Steyn in first place, Morne Oosthuizen and Jacques Kruger in a Zarco (space frame) in second place, and Werner Bartsch and Christel Fourie in a Ford Courier in third place.
Super Rally finishers: Rian Kritzinger and Ian Stander (CR 1 Nissan Hardbody) in first place, and Dirk Redman and Harri-Johan Baarman (CR 2 Toyota Hilux) i second place.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
