Weekend Xcountry/ Enduro Action

After winning the Championship in 2007, Pelling skipped two of the three rounds last season- but his comeback in Selengai saw him be on top of things with a 20 points.

“I am now ready to recapture the title and I guess I am now compelled to cling to the lead for as long as it takes,” Pelling said of his 2009 campaign. Pelling rode his KTM bike in five laps returning the fastest time of 3.42.38minutes on the 56Km loop.

Other than his success for the Cross-Country Rally Challenge, Pelling also took an early lead in the 2008 Enduro Championship standings.

Rally ace Ian Duncan (KTM 530) was also in a class of his own riding a KTM 530. Duncan romped home second after completing 5 laps in 3.34.07hours. He trailed Pelling by a five minutes margin.

Former Enduro Champion Harry Guelker also showed occasional flashes of brilliance on his KTM bike before settling for 3rd overall position in 5laps (4.09.19minutes.

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The competition promises fireworks after FINA Bank came on board as title sponsors for the three-round circuit.

Indeed, the loose dust and sandy riverbed surface in Selengai was a true test of off-road endurance with the 56Km circuit going down as the longest. A total of 32 entries were realized with 11 bikes, 10 buggies, 9 cars and one quad of Shazar Anwar enlisting for the competition.
Norris Ongalo, the 2008 cars class navigator Champion was happy that the category was now generating considerable interest and entries as well. “I believe the competition is set to take shape with more cars now coming on board,” Ongalo, who still navigated Asad Anwar, said.

Winners at difference classes were determined by the number of laps made through the loop in the shortest time achieved.

Notable absentee was Anthony Nielsen who appears to have newfound passion for cars.

Nielsen, who is the 2008 Enduro Champion, rested his Yamaha 450 four-stroke bike and instead drove a backyard-prepared Range Rover that didn’t manage a top three position.

The cars class was won by enduro stalwart Salim Walimohammed- who like Nielsen- rested his (KTM) bike to try his hands on 4X4 vehicles.  Salim (car no. 109, Range Rover) who was last year’s 125cc class enduro champion  made a total of 4 laps in 3.34.12hours servicing up great moments ahead of the remaining two rounds. Sammy Jessel (Land Rover) came home second in 5laps (4.50.35).

Sixteen year-old Ken Anunda got a standing ovation from the crowd at prize giving after completing the podium (3rd) in a Toyota Land Cruiser VX. Anunda, who is son of former race ace Dave Anunda ‘Davanu’, managed three laps and 4.35.32hours to his credit. Defending buggies champion Chirag Soni of Team Magic could only settle for 3rd overall. Jeremy Andrade won the buggies class with 4laps 3.49.33hours followed by Peter White (4laps, 4.05.30hours) and Soni in 4laps (5.22.03).