SaturdayPearl of Africa Rally Top fiveManvir Baryan/Drew Sturrock             2h: 09’:13”Christakis Fitidis/Eric Nzamwita         2h:19’:10”Giancarlo Davite/Slyvia VIndevogel   2h:19’:51”Leroy Gomes/Urshlla Gomes               2h:21’:17”Kuku Ranjit/Musa Nsubuga                 2h:24’:55”Kleevan Gomes/Riyaz Latife                2h:28’:57”

Kenya’s Rally Driver Manvir Baryan has taken the lead in the Africa Rally Championships (ARC) securing a stunning victory at the 2017 Pearl of Africa Rally in Uganda on Saturday.

Manvir, navigated by Drew Sturrock, won the Ugandan rally by two hours nine minutes and thirteen seconds to comfortably dominate the two-day event from the first stage in Busiika to the finish in Kayunga District.

Manvir Baryan and Sturrock, who cruised a Skoda Fabia through a 203.30 kilometre distance, won eight of the ten stages to top the Africa Rally Championship category.

The Pearly Rally victory is Baryan’s third career win this year after winning the Mombasa and FLY 540 rallies. The Kenyan crew now takes the ARC lead with 40 points with three events left to end of the continental series.

Former Rwandan driver Christakis Fitidis, navigated by Eric Nzamwita, settled for an impressive second position to become the best placed Ugandan local driver, while Belgium and former Rwandan driver Giancarlo Davite and female driver Sylvia Vindevogel finished third.

Zambia couple of Leroy Gomes and Urshall Gomes finished in fourth followed by Kuku Ranjit and Kleevan Gomes in fifth and sixth, respectively.

Kenya’s Jaspreet Chatthe, Dilraj Chatthe, Ronald Sebugusizi, Burundi driver Valery Bukera, Omar Mayanja, Jean-Claude Gakwaya and Jackson Sserwanga were among 32 casualties of the 52 crews that started the event.

The next ARC will take place in Tanzania in August after which the drivers will come to Rwanda for the unpredictable Mountain Gorilla Rally set for September, before they conclude the 2017 continental calendar with the Zambia International Rally in October.

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