26 entries for M+Z rally raise bar

The m+z Swakop national rally championship leg five raised the bar with 26 entries this past weekend.

This was significantly more than the first Swakop rally earlier this year, when only 18 teams entered.

Among the entries were an Audi TT Quattro, the Bat Venom 6.2 and a Polaris RZR.

Another vehicle that entered again after a long absence from the sport was the Land Rover Defender V8 that was recently acquired by Werner Bartsch from Stefan Labuschagne.

This vehicle has landed Labuschagne many victories, including in Angola.

The real battle was on the stages this weekend.

Throughout the two-day event, each team, consisting of a driver and a navigator, gave their all.

Friday night kicked off with the popular night stages in Swakopmund’s industrial area.

These stages kept spectators on their toes as the cars faced tight corners, narrow spaces and tight competition.

Three stages were completed on Friday night before the teams retired for the day to allow their technical teams to service and repair their vehicles in preparation of Saturday’s remaining 10 stages.

In total, the rally comprised 13 stages.

The total distance covered was just over 100km.

Saturday saw the first cars starting at 11h00 at the M+Z stage opposite the dealer’s showroom.

Clark of the course Clive Strydom said at stage 10 everything was still running according to plan.

Some cars, however, had either fallen out due to technical problems, while those drivers injured showed fatigue.

Managing director of M+Z Motors Ekko Eisenberg said the company, which is also the main sponsor of the rally, has a passion for the sport, together with the JAC T8 team.

“We hope everyone will enjoy the rally, we are in the sport for the spectators, drivers, navigators and families. Our main aim is that everyone must enjoy the event,” he said on Saturday.

Two all woman teams entered, comprising sisters Stefanie Botha and Mandi Hugo with their Subaru Impressa, while Madeleine Koegelenberg and Chané Havenga entered with their powerful 3.4L V6 bakkie.

Maretha Olivier, a sister of Botha and Hugo, was navigating for Alan Martin.

Out of the 26 entries only 25 managed to start the race, and nine did not finish the rally.

Seven of these were in the S-Class, with two in the CR-class.

The results were as follows:

First place S4: Martin and Olivier in a Skoda R5.

First place S2: Peer Röhm and Pieter Steyn in a Ford Escort

First place S1: Dewet du Plessis and Armando Swart in a Toyota Corolla

Second place S1: Eugene Swart and Phillip Stoman in a Toyota RunX

Super Rally Class S2: Zachary Martin and Anique Schoeman in a VW Polo 2.0l

The CR Class was well attended, and although the CR1 and CR2 vehicles are different from each other, competitors gave each other a good run for their money.

CR2 first place: Loic Bathfield and Johan Steyn with their CR-6, second place Ettienne van den Heever and Willy van Wyk BAT Venom 6.2, and Run Viviers and Cecil Koorts in their Renault 5.0L V8 in third place.

CR1 first place: Eisenberg and Horazio ‘Rassie’ Rietz in their JAC T8 D/C V8, second place Chrizelda Engels and Ruan de Lange in their Nissan hardbody 4.0 and in third place Koegelenberg and Havenga in a Ford Courier 3.4l V6 bakkie.

Dirk Redman and Frikkie Koegelenberg in their Toyota Hilux took the Super Rally class.

The event was hosted by the Walvis Bay Motor Club, and overseen by the Namibia Motor Sport Federation.

Additional sponsors to the event are JP Hydraulics CC racing, Seal Consulting Engineers, Sky-way and Safewear Namibia.