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Rally fans were treated to a thrilling day of high drama in hot and dusty conditions at the opening round of the Algoa Rally Club Championship, held just outside Despatch on Saturday.
From high-speed incidents to mechanical heartbreak, the season got off to an explosive start.
The rally was cut short for Jansenville competitors Denron Koetaan and Lovedonia Phakula, who unfortunately rolled their VW Polo at high speed during the opening stage at Spiders Web.
Emergency crews responded swiftly, and both competitors were transported to hospital for X-rays and observation.
Ross and Roxanne Bartle’s much-anticipated debut in their new car ended in disappointment after a clutch failure forced their retirement shortly after completing the first stage.
Regular front-runners Neels Vosloo and Rikus Fourie also suffered an early exit, retiring due to fuelling issues despite showing strong pace in the opening stage.
Amid the chaos, Riekus Schmidt and Marco Griesel, driving their Liqui Moly and Bergsig Special School-backed VW Polo, delivered a composed and calculated performance to claim overall victory.
The pair battled fiercely with Nick Davidson and Ashley Bezuidenhout (Stu Davidson & Sons), with both teams setting identical times in the opening and closing stages — a rare and thrilling spectacle for spectators.
Davidson and Bezuidenhout briefly took the lead in stage 2 by a narrow one-second margin.
However, their challenge was derailed by electrical issues in stages 3 and 4, allowing Schmidt and Griesel to capitalise and secure overall line honours by a decisive 1 minute and 44 seconds.
Jeandre Marais and his fiancée, Tegan Taljaard, delivered an impressive and near-flawless performance in their Motul-backed VW Polo, comfortably winning the RS2 class by 1 minute and 33 seconds.
Crowd favourites Justin and Dane Langhein kept spectators entertained throughout the day with spectacular sideways driving in their rear-wheel-drive Toyota Corolla, taking victory in the Clubman class.
JP Smit and his fiancée Marissa Bernhardt, competing in their Rooikrans Agri-sponsored Toyota Tazz, once again demonstrated that consistency wins championships.
Their disciplined drive earned them victory in the Algoa Rally Club Championship class, setting the tone for a strong season ahead.
Adding to the action-packed day, the second round of the East Cape Off-Road Club Championship took place alongside the rally.
Both disciplines shared the demanding Spiders Web stage before the off-road competitors branched off into the mountainous terrain.
Derek and Chester Wilmot, in their VW-powered Sandmaster, mastered the rough conditions to secure victory by an impressive margin of over five minutes.
With dust still hanging in the air and rivalries already heating up, the championships promise an electrifying season ahead as teams regroup and prepare for their next rounds.
Class results:
RS4 4-wheel drive: 1 Riekus Schmidt and Marco Griesel, 2 Nick Davidson and Ashley Bezuidenhout
RS2 2-wheel drive, 2l: 1 Jeandre Marais and Tegan Taljaard, 2 Wayne Malherbe and Corne Blom, 3 Pikkie Marais and Henry Adams
Clubman Class: 1 Justin and Dane Langhein, 2 Francois Vermaak and Handré van Schalkwyk, 3 Martin Kleingeld and Dean Willit
Algoa Rally Club Championship: 1 JP Smit and Marissa Bernhardt, 2 Justin and Dane Langhein, 3 Francois Vermaak and Handré van Schalkwyk
East Cape Off-Road Club: 1 Derek and Chester Wilmot, 2 Quentin Lessing and Brendan Smith, 3 Grant and Gregory Wilmot.
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