FIM AFRICA CROSS COUNTRY  PREPS GATHER MOMENTUM

 

Female rider Chantel Young will be up against her brother Zane Young while Mombasa based Arafat Vaiani and Nairobi's Aadil Vaiani will also face off in the now fancied four- wheel fray. Honda 700cc rider Aadil has been preparing vigorously off late and so is his brother Arafat who recently tested his Bombardier 800cc machine in Naivasha. "Arafat is a great driver with rallying expectations from a young age.

But family pressure and budget constraints kept him out of the sport. In a car I cannot compete against him. However, on a quad bike, we are neck and neck and thoroughly enjoy the competition between us. We both race for the fun of the sport and as a distraction from office work and not really for positions though its always nice to do well.

We take our safety precautions seriously and ride as well as we can. I prefer two wheels but am very unfit most of the time whereas Arafat likes 4 wheels," said Aadil. The quad category in Kenya has really taken a leap in the last 6 months, thanks to National Cross Country Champion Shazar Anwar who keeps whipping up the enthusiasm of newcomers time and time again. "There are more riders now with new machinery. Even Shazar has a new machine and Vincent (Boulanger) has the most advanced machine available," Aadil went on. Asked about what Kenyans have to showcase at the continental extravaganza, Aadil offered: "We can certainly keep up even though Arafat actually has a utility bike but I think Kenyans at large will and we should see some spectacular quad racing in the next year. I think there is only one rider from South Africa on a Can-Am DS450. Its a good bike. But enduros are won or lost based on experience and that is why riders from down South are way ahead. They have been riding much longer than us. If there is only one foreign entrant, as I hear,  then Kenya has already won the team event. But overall I think that we  have a very good chance." Aadil reckons that Shazar has lots of experience. "Vincent is also very aggressive and his bike can handle the abuse. These are the two guys dominating the local cross country series at the moment."

Arafat predicts a tough race with more hours of racing. "In the normal cross country we race in a different format and for at least an hour or two. But this one is an enduro type of action with which we shall be riding for five hours or so. I have taken some time to work out in the gym for fitness purposes," said Arafat. To become good on an international level, Aadil continues: "We need more local races where we can push each other to go faster under race and safe conditions. More types of events in different terrain such as enduros with mud and flat out desert events say like in Turkana. And lastly, support from  local corporate companies in form of sponsorship so we can keep our machines in good condition and maybe invest in new technology. I myself am supported by Fox Racing USA and Teixeira Tech USA." The continental team championship is sponsored by Bush Rovers, Denise Walimohamed, Taita Estates, Shazco, Wilken Group, Sports Motorcycle, Comply, Virtualsat, Cimbria East Africa, Rob’s Magic, Kampala Coach, Security Group, Autodrome Services, ALS, Kpmg, Kenya Shell, Barclays Bank, Rongai Transporters and Chancerywright Insurance Brokers.

THE KENYAN QUAD TEAM

1. Vincent Boulanger (Can-Am Renegade 800)
2. Zane Young (YZ Raptor 660)
3. Shazar Anwar (Bombardier 650cc)
4. Gurraj Singh (YZ Raptor 700)
5. Chantel Young-lady rider
6. Aadil Vaiani (Honda 700cc)
7. Arafat Vaiani (Bombardier 800cc)
8. Annick Dridder -lady rider(YZS450)
9. Mike Wroe (KTM252xc)
10. Abid Ganatra (KTM525xc)
11. Christian Collette (KTM525xc)