Zambian rally ace Essa Mohammad has won the Mt. Gorilla Rally of Rwanda to move within a point of reigning ARC leader Gary Chaynes.
Essa who has now claimed victory in three of the four events on this year’s ARC calendar that he has participated in completed the three day event; the fifth (5th) round of the ARC in 2:57:24 beating Ivorian Chaynes by a whooping nine minutes and seven seconds.
Ugandan speed star Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru came third after clocking 3:06:31 while Bukera Valery (3:09:02) and Murengezi Johny (3:09:26) complete the top five.
Mubiru however earned no ARC points since he didn’t register for the event but finishing third will give him belief ahead of the Shell Pearl of Africa Rally next month.
Uganda’s Geoffrey Nsamba was amongst the drivers who didn’t finish the race after he crashed his car on final day.
Rwanda’s Giancarlo Davite and Kenya’s Jaspreet Chatthe were some of the big name casualties as mechanical problems denied them an opportunity to add on their ARC points.
Essa’s other victories this season came in the Rally of South Africa and Zambia Airtel Money Rally but mechanical failure denied him a finish in the Oryx Rally of Tanzania.
The former ARC winner also missed the Bandama Rally of Cote d’Ivoire; the opening event of the calendar.
Gary Chaynes who is yet to miss any event still leads the standings with 76 points just one ahead of Essa while Chatthe stays third (58 points).
Davite lies fourth on 27 points while Uganda’s Hajji Abdul Sempebwa and Cote d’Ivoire’s Morifere Soumoro share fifth position with 18 points.
Next on the ARC calendar is the Shell Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally scheduled between August 15-16.
Mt. Gorilla Rally of Rwanda Final Results
1.Essa Mohammed 2:57:24
2.Garry Chaynes 3:06:31
3.Duncan Mubiru 3:09:12
4.Bukera Valery 3:09:26
5.Murengezi Johny 3:09:26
ARC STANDINGS AFTER RWANDA MOUNTAIN GORILLA RALLY
(ROUND 5)
1.Gary Chaynes (CIV) 76 points
2.Essa Mohammed (ZAM) 75 points
3.Jaspreet Chatthe (KE) 58 points
4.Giancarlo Davite (RW) 27points
5.Abdu Sempebwa (UGA) 18 points
6..Morifere Soumoro (CIV)18 points