Ugandan national champion Jas Mangat has made a strategic withdrawal from the 2013 Kenya National Championship to pursue the Africa title.
National rally champion Jas Mangat drives in a past race. He is battling for the top crown with Ronald Ssebuguzi. Photo by Michael Nsubuga
Mangat who had earlier on targeted both the Uganda and Kenya national titles was twice dogged by mechanical failures in Kenya hence opting to focus where his fortunes are better.
The Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA) Driver of the Year told New Vision Sport that his team had resolved to pull out of Kenya and instead contest for the Uganda and Africa championships. The youthful driver coming off victory in the MPU Rally in Masaka last weekend consequently will not travel to Kenya for the Voi Rally this weekend.
Mangat who is second in national championship with 185 points, just one behind leader Ronald Ssebuguzi, will embark on a fourth attempt at the Africa championship crown in Zambia next week.
“The Africa championship is still open. Those who won in Ivory Coast and South Africa will not continue with the championship. Mohammed Essa did not score points in South Africa and Giancarlo Davite (15 points) and Jassy Singh (18 points) are not out of reach with six races to go,” an optimistic Mangat explained his decision to pursue the continental title.
The Uganda national calendar which does not clash with the continental schedule coupled with the concentration of back-to-back races in Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda appear to have influenced Mangats’s decision to chase the continental title.
He seeks to become only the second Ugandan driver after Charles Muhangi (1999) to win the Africa championship.
2013 Africa Rally Championship standings
Eric Pages 25 points
Jan Habig 25
Jassy Singh 18
Davite Giancarlo 15
2013 African Rally Championship calendar
March 1-3 Rally Bandama Cote D’Ivoire
April 18-20 Sasol Rally South Africa
May 17-19 Zambia International Rally
June 14-16 Tanzania Rally
July 5-7 KCB Safari Rally Kenya
August 16-18 Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally
September 20-22 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally
November 1-3 International Madagascar Rally
By Douglas Mazune, The New Vision
