KENYA: TOP RALLY DRIVERS ARRIVE AT NAIROBI SCRUTINEERING AREA PRIOR TO GRUELLING FAST AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY

Record ID: 215257

  • Title: KENYA: TOP RALLY DRIVERS ARRIVE AT NAIROBI SCRUTINEERING AREA PRIOR TO GRUELLING FAST AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY
  • Date: 27th March 1972
  • Summary: 1. GVs lines of rally cars (2 shots) 0.08 2. SV Three Datsun 240Z8s arriving 0.16 3. Sv Datsun No.3 (Ove Andersson of Sweden) 0.21 4. SV Geraldine Davies and navigator affixing number 0.25 5. SV Ford Escort passing camera 0.30 6. GV Car No.16 (Peter Shiyuka) speeds up to camera and stops 0.37 7. GV Spectators look over rally
  • Embargoed: 11th April 1972 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • Country: Kenya
  • Reuters ID: LVADEKXEDHML6MKJX9DXGOL6UPIW
  • Story Text: Some of the world's top rally drivers pit their skills against mud, dust and African roads this week in what has been called the most gruelling rally on the international motoring calendar -- the East African Safari.

    About 100 drivers from Australia, Britain, Canada, Finland, Japan, Poland, Sweden and Zambia have entered the five-day, 3,750-mile (6,000 km) event, which starts and finishes in Dar Es Salaem, the Tanzanian capital.

    This year's Safari -- the 20th -- is 250 miles (400kms) shorter than last year. But organisers have added an extended dash through the remote Usambara mountains of northern Tanzania in the final section of the rally.

    The section has already claimed one victim: Cyrus Kamundia, a 32-year-old Kenyan university teacher, was killed there during practice earlier this month when his car overturned after skidding off the road in a rainstorm. And meteorologists forecast wet conditions on some of the tougher stretches through Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

    Other hazards of the past have included stone-throwing villagers -- and a herd of elephants which forced officials to vacate a checkpoint.

    Spearheading the challenge for the honours are the "Flying Finns" -- Timo Makinen and Rauno Aaltonen, Ove Andersson of Swedon (all Monte Carlo winners) and Poland's Sobieslav Zasada. But Kenya's Edgar Hermann, a German-born hotelier, is setting his sights on a third successive win at the wheel of a Datsun 240Z.

    SYNOPSIS: Finely-tuned rally cars arrive in Nairobi Kenya as a prelude to what many people say is the most gruelling event in international motoring -- the East Africa Safari. The five-day event covers nearly four-thousand miles.

    Spearheading the challenge for honours are Ove Andersson of Sweden in a Datsun Two-Forty Z -- and the "Flying Finns", Timo Makinen and Rauno Aaltonen -- all of them winners of Europe's Monte carlo Rally.

    The Safari is a test of both men and machines. last year, only thirty-three of a hundred-and-seven drivers completed the course, which this year takes them trough Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Officials say the route will be rough, tough, fast and wet.

    In the past, hazards have included drivers being stoned by angry villagers -- and elephants once forced officials to vacate a check-point.

    Edgar Hermann, who's won the last two Safaris, talks of his chances:
    After final checks, drivers were to head for Dar Es Salaam, where the rally starts -- and finishes.
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