RIVALRY AT FINA CROSS-COUNTRY

Besides concentrated mix of diverse terrain in Baringo, spectators have a bonus at Sunday’s Fina Bank Cross-Country Rally Challenge as fierce blood rivalry beckons.

Rightly so, fathers and sons will put behind family love round the designated bush circuit.

The Rift Valley & Motor Sports Club (RVMSC) organized event will be curtain-raised with the fifth round of the Kenya National Autocross Championship on Saturday over a flat and smooth terrain; with lots of fast and slow corners.  

The cross-country on Sunday is expected to put riders and drivers through some dusty areas, sandy stretches, stones, bushes, hairpin bends, jumps and flat out sections.

For John Rose (KTM 525), in his 60s, age is nothing but a number. John takes the battle to son and rally ace Lee Rose (KTM 525). Rose was the winner of the RVMSC Enduro held at Gogar farm in Salga last month and can look forward to greater things as the event also counts towards the National Enduro series.

FINA BANK WEEKEND

Past winner, Sean Pelling tops the list of renowned competitors in the Motor Cycle category as the next round of the Cross Country Championship heads to Lake Baringo.

Machines ranging from motorbikes, Buggies, Quads to 4x4 vehicles are expected to converge at the venue between August 8 and 9 for one the most enduring motor sports activities of the season.

The event requires drivers to make as many laps as possible over a 48km loop within a maximum of four or five-hours of driving through mountainous, mud-splattering and river-crossing terrain.

The driver with the highest number of laps at the end is declared the winner in each of the five categories. Spectators are also set to view the spectacle at picnic sites with vantage points.

Others participants expected to spearhead the entry list include Enduro champion Harry Guelker (KTM 520), Mark Harding, Sean Willcork and John Rose, who is among the oldest riders in the class. Shazar Anwar (Polaris) will head the Quad class.

Rally Raid competitors endure some of the toughest terrains where human stamina and reliability of machines is put to test at the highest level of competition.

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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GUELKER WINS IN BARINGO

Former Enduro Champion, Harry Guelker displayed awesome riding skills as he won the second round of the Fina Bank Cross Country Championship at Sibilo location in Baringo at the weekend (Sunday).

Guelker, an off-road motorcycle stalwart, steered his KTM 525 machine through some demanding six laps- strutting his stuff on the designated circuit in 4hours 38.35minutes. Pre-event favorite, Sean Pelling had to contend with playing second fiddle to the winner twice with excruciating punctures that dropped him to seventh overall position.

“It was rocky and sandy; the temperatures too hot and the dust too grubby to overtake,” quipped Pelling. Riders and drivers stumbled upon hot conditions but it was exciting as the event got grubby and gutsy on high altitude (3500meters above sea level).Moses Mugo a perennial off-road expert also suffered a puncture while a navigation error saw motocross prodigy Shivam Vinayak (Yamaha 250) gone astray in the first lap and only gained ground when the rest of the pack had made two laps much to his chagrin. Shivam finished fifth overall amidst a challenging but picturesque countryside terrain laden with attractive natural features including a ride onto the Ngaratuko riverbed.