Kenya National Rally Championship 2024 Season Opens with Eldoret Rally

MISERABLE ENTRY LIST FOR KNRC SEASON OPENER

WORDS BY WAIRIMU NYATHIRA, EDITOR

In the season-opening for the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) which went down in Eldoret on the 17-18 February. Samman Vohra emerged victorious by dominating all his opponents. He covered six stages in just 1 hour 17 minutes, and 37 seconds.

He raced in a Skoda Fabia Rally2 while being navigation by Alfir Khan. Kenyan champion Jasmeet Chana driving a Mitsubishi Lancer B13 came in second.

Yasin M. Nasser, who is currently seeking regional championships and holds the title of Rally champion in both Uganda and Tanzania, secured third place while driving a Ford Fiesta.

Looking on to the second calendar event WRC Safari Rally Kenya /KNRC 2 – SAFARI RALLY in March. Many Kenyan drivers have expressed their interest in racing the iconic Safari Rally.

Among the list of Kenya drivers is Africa Rally Champion Karan Patel. Kenya’s all-female rally crew Talanta Hela Rally Ladies will be led by Pauline Sheghu. Lioness Rally founder Lisa Christoffersen. Carol Tundo nicknamed” Flash” and former chairperson of the WRC Safari Rally Project 2023 among others.

A few years ago the seeding list of KNRC had almost the top eight finishers. Eldoret Rally saw a miserable entry list of nine drivers with eight starters.

The impact on local rallying is been felt, especially with the country hosting the WRC Project. The focus on elite-level competition may be drawing attention away from nurturing young talent and increasing participation in local championships.

Rallying is a heavy cash investment sport and the lack of investment in developing a broader base of skilled drivers has been a missed opportunity for the sport to thrive at a grassroots level.

Investing more resources and time into youth development could lead to a stronger pipeline of talent feeding into the WRC. Moreover, by fostering a culture of participation and support at the local level, more individuals can be groomed to eventually compete at a higher level.

The success of local drivers after the return of Safari Rally Kenya to the FIA World Rally Championship calendar 19 years after waiting, saw historic WRC points in 2021. Karan Patel eighth-place finish overall (second in WRC3), trailing behind Onkar Rai in seventh and Carl Tundo in ninth.

This highlights the potential that exists within the community, demonstrating that with the right opportunities and support, more individuals can be propelled to competitive levels within rallying.

Moving forward, a shift in focus towards grassroots development could revitalize local rallying and create a more sustainable future for the sport. By redirecting efforts towards engaging and training young drivers the sport can regain its vibrancy and attract a wider pool of talent.

With a renewed emphasis on nurturing youth, the rallying community has the potential to flourish and produce more competitive drivers who can represent their local championships on the global stage.

Kenya will host the WRC Safari Rally for six years, and by the time we finish, the KNRC should be teeming with vibrant talent from both young and seasoned male and female competitors.