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Revved up for Pearl rally
What you need to know:
Patel collected 144 points, three more than Uganda’s Mangat. They must both relishing an opening shot in the three-day season opener starting today.
This year’s Shell V-Power Pearl of Uganda Rally will largely come down to what Jas Mangat and Karan Patel will be able to do.
It is a continuation of the 2023 Africa Rally Championship which saw Kenya’s Patel finish top for a maiden continental title.
Patel collected 144, three more than Uganda’s Mangat. They must both relishing an opening shot in the three-day season opener starting Friday.
There is 35 other drivers entered for Uganda’s biggest rally event happening in the districts of Buikwe and Jinja with 525.91km to grind.
The distance is split into 209.45km of competitive sections and 316.46km in transport.
Mangat has won this event twice – 2013 and 2022 – while cruising a Mitsubishi Evo. X. He has since upgraded to a more powerful Hyundai i20 R5.
His rival has found Uganda a tough jungle to visit. Patel finished 10th in 2022 but skipped last year’s showdown.
Besides the two ARC hopefuls, some attention should be paid towards the reigning junior African champion Hamza Anwar, also from Kenya.
Both Kenyan crews will be cruising Skoda Fabia R5. Outside of those, Ugandan favourites – Ronald Ssebuguzi and Ponsiano Lwakataka – need better luck.
Three-time national champion Ssebuguzi is seeking a first finish in six years while Lwakataka, a two-time national winner, last won this event in 2011.
“Pearl of Africa is one of the events we have never won. We call on our fans not to put us under pressure to win the event. We are coming into this event looking for a finish,” Ssebuguzi said.
This morning, the first car will set off at 8.07 am in Kitigoma for a 25.44km race to Kidusu in the section codenamed Macarena.
This section, the longest of the four, will be repeated twice from 11.38 am and tomorrow at 10.08 am in the fourth and 10th super stages.
SHELL V-POWER PEARL OF AFRICA UGANDA RALLY
Itinerary
Qualifying stage: Wairaka 6km
Bujagali: 19.54km
SS1: Macarrena 1 - 25.44km
SS2: Tadooba 1- 8.85kms
SS3: Katushya - 18.96kms
SS4: Macrrena 2- 25.44km
SS5: Tadooba 2 - 8.85kms
SS6: Katushya 2- 18.96kms
SS7: Katushya 18.96kms
SS8: Sura Mbaya 1- 22.55kms
SS9: Sura Mbaya 2 - 22.55kms
SS10: Macarena3 - 16.34kms
SS11: V-Power stage(Sura Mbaya 3) - 22.55kms
Total Distance: 525.91km
Competitive distance: 209.45km
Transport distance: 316.46km
Entry list
1.Musa Ssegaabwe/ Mathias Kiyegga -Mitsubishi Evo9
2.Niwagaba Tumwebaze/ Charles Lubowa -Toyota Altezza
3.Haruna Kataza/ Urban Mulindwa – Subaru Impreza N8
4.Ahmed Senyonjo/ Sharif Muyanja- Toyota Corolla
5.Faisal Kayira/Isaac Lumu- Subaru Impreza
6.Rashid Makumbi/ Kibaalama Henry-Subaru Impreza N12
7.Oscar Ntambi/ Asuman Mohammed- Subaru Impreza N10
8.Moustapha Mukasa/ Mwambazi Lawrence- Mitsubishi Evo9
9.Abas Mayinja/Geofrey Serwoga-Subaru Impreza N8
10.John Consta/ Aaron Nsamba- Ford Fiesta Proto
11.Micheal Mukula/ Edward Kiyingi-Subaru Impreza N14
12.Kuku Ranjit / Tweranire Siraj- Mitsubishi Evo9
13.Jonas Kansime/ Ronald Bukenya- Mitsubishi Evo8
14.Isaac Ssozi/ Monica Birwinyo- Subaru Impreza N8
15.Didas Matsiko/ Alfred Mutanda- Subaru Impreza
16.unnisan Bakunda/ Hussein Mukuye-Mitsubishi Evo9
17.Japheth Lugayizi/ Alim Nsubuga- Toyota Celica
18.Joshua Muwanguzi/ Hamza Lwanga- Subaru Impreza N12
19.Omoo Francis/ James Emaru- Mitsubishi Evo4
20.Abas Sebunya/ Shameer Yusuf- Mitsubishi EvoX
21.Edward Kirumira/ Shakira Nabwami- Toyota Corolla
22.Amir Kavuma/ Nabirah Doreen- Subaru Impreza 2WD
23.Godfrey Nsereko/ John Bosco Musisi- Toyota RunX
24.Waiswa Salim Gasemba/Emanuel Mugulusi- Subaru Impreza
25.Sadat Negomba/ Zubedah Abdallah- Toyota FX
26.Fred Busulwa/Mildred Kibuuka- Subaru Impreza N10
27.Mohammed Bwette/Yusuf Babu- Mitsubishi Evo9
28.Hassan Alwi Jr/Musa Nsubuga- Subaru Impreza N14
29. Jas Mangat/Laurent Magat- Hyundai I20
30.Nasser Mutebi/Steven Bunya- Mitsubishi Evo9
31.Ronald Sebuguzi/Anthony Mugambwa-Ford Fiesta Proto
32.Ponsiano Lwakataka/ Samuel Mugisha- Subaru Impreza N12B
33.Peter Kalule/David Mwesigwa- Subaru Impreza
34.Samuel Watendwa/ Alvin Luyimbazi- Toyota FX
35.Ibrahim Lubega/ Mustapha Kanakulya- Toyota Corolla FX
36.Karan Patel/ Tauseef Khan- Skoda Fabia R5
37.Hamza Anwar/ Adnan Din- Ford Fiesta R5