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Alwi demands respect
Spectators cheer on as Alwi’s car makes a splash in one of the muddy sections during the closing day of the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally in Mubende on Saturday.
MUBENDE/KAMPALA- It’s a nightmare that Hassan Alwi Junior turned into a beautiful dream then turned on his mates after winning the two-day Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally on Saturday.
Thrown in at the deep end as the first car off the ramp, Alwi admitted to not knowing “what to expect on the road” as it was “very scary” to lead the 443.32km rally.
But after beating all hurdles to win the biggest event of the National Rally Championship (NRC) season in a time of two hours, 41 minutes and one second, Alwi had a message. “We demand respect from the top drivers,” Alwi, co-driven by Enoch Olinga in a Mitsubishi Evo. X, said after the event in Mubende.
This is only his second full season. “We were called novices.” Awli underlined Ugandan drivers’ dominance as locals took the top four places to add to a first victory in the Africa Rally Championship (ARC) event since 2013. Former national champion Arthur Blick Junior was second, 52 seconds adrift in his Subaru Impreza, with Christakis Fitidis and Omar Mayanja following.
Contrary to earlier conclusions, Alwi and Jas Mangat, a Pearl Rally winner in 2013, will both race in the Mosac Challenge Rally due November in Jinja. “I will drive in Jinja and one more event in Kenya and Rwanda this season to try and gain some experience,” Alwi, the NRC leader with 469 points after adding 140, revealed. Mangat, an absentee for the Pearl, is on 400.
“Happy to win and if I win the NRC, it will be a bonus,” Alwi said. Alwi will not score points in Jinja as he substituted it for Rwanda. Mangat will add to his tally if he races as expected. The Zambian crew of Ismail Shermohammed and Jordan Pierra ((Ford) was fifth to beat the ARC drivers. Kenyan Don Smith was seventh but clinched the continental title after his closest challenger Muna Singh Jnr failed to reach the final checkered flag.
Singh Jnr couldn’t add to his family’s 11 African titles, eight of which were won by his grandfather Satwant Singh.
Day Two had also claimed three-time national champion Ronald Ssebuguzi and Duncan Mubiru, the leader after Friday’s Super Special Stage at the Motrosport Arena, Busiika.
Andrew ‘Desh’ Kananura, Ambrose Byona and Geoffrey Nsamba were also forced to rescind their positions as competitors to become spectators. They all need to learn something from the rookie that is Alwi as he has scored points in all his seven events this season.
Sixth in Mbarara, he was fourth in Kabale and Masaka before returning to his previous position in Fort Portal then climbed to second in Masindi. He was third in Rwanda and then a winner.
“This time, our strategy was to go flat out in the first three sections. No one expected as to go that way. No one was giving us respect,” Alwi said. Only Blick Jnr can match that consistency as he has finished all his five Pearl events since his debut back in 2002, then co-driven by wife, Noella.
Day Two of the event had also claimed three-time national champion Ronald Ssebuguzi and Duncan Mubiru, the leader after Friday’s Super Special Stage at the Motrosport Arena, Busiika.
Andrew ‘Desh’ Kananura, Ambrose Byona and Geoffrey Nsamba were also forced to rescind their positions as competitors to become spectators. They all need to learn something from the rookie that is Alwi as he has scored points in all his seven events this season.
Sixth in Mbarara, he was fourth in Kabale and Masaka before returning to his previous position in Fort Portal then climbed to second in Masindi. He was third in Rwanda and then a winner.
“This time, our strategy was to go flat out in the first three sections. No one expected us to go that way. No one was giving us respect,” Alwi said. Only Blick Jnr can match that consistency as he has finished all his five Pearl events since his debut back in 2002, then co-driven by wife, Noella.
PEARL OF AFRICA RALLY PROVISIONAL RESULTS
Hassan Alwi (Subaru N14) 02:41:05
Arthur Blick Jr (Subaru N10) 02:41:53
Christakis Fitidis (Evo. X) 02:48:58
Omar Mayanja (Evo. X) 02:55:18
I.Shermohamed (Ford Fiesta) 02:56:18
Kephar Walubi (Evo. X) 03:41:49
Don Smith (Subaru N16) 03:10:30
NRC STANDINGS
Hassan Alwi (Subaru N14) 469pts
Jas Mangat (Evo X) 400
Arthur Blick (Subaru N10) 234
Ronald Ssebuguzi (Evo. X) 215
ARC STANDINGS
Don Smith (Kenya, Subaru N16) 97 pts
Muna Singh Jnr (Zambia, N14) 50
