klaus
July 1st, 2006, 22:27
AFRICA HERITAGE RALLY TO GO AHEAD DESPITE MAJOR SETBACKS
Like a Phoenix arising from the ashes the Africa Heritage Cross Country Rally, an event that marks South Africa’s debut in the FIA Cross Country World Cup, has taken on a new lease of life.
A week ago it looked as though the event would be scrapped dealing motorsport in South Africa a major blow both locally and internationally. Now the Africa Heritage Cross Country will run in conjunction with the fourth round of the Absa Off Road Championship, the Ford Motorite 400, in Limpopo province in August with the future of the event looking to have been secured.
The Africa Heritage Cross Country Rally will run from August 2 to 5 and the Ford Motorite 400 on August 4 and 5 with both being organised by the Koepel Club. The Ford Motorite 400 was originally scheduled for July 14 and 15 with the new date sanctioned by Motorsport South Africa, the governing body for motorsport in South Africa, and the Koepel Club.
“A week ago we had run into a series of stumbling blocks that looked as though they would force us to scrap the event,” said Africa Heritage Cross Country franchise holder Charmaine Fortune. “Now the cavalry has arrived in the form of the Koepel Club and chairman Willie Prinsloo, and we are able to go ahead.
“The Africa Heritage Cross Country will run to full FIA Cross Country World Cup general prescriptions, and we are hugely grateful to Willie and the club for taking on a huge responsibility at such a late stage in their organisation of the Ford Motorite 400.”
Ms Fortune added the organisation of the event was in good hands. The Koepel Club won the award for the best event in the 2005 Absa Off Road Championship, with Willie Prinsloo picking up the ‘Spirit of Off Road’ award.
The Africa Heritage Cross Country will be run over 1 000 kilometres and the Ford Motorite over 400 kilometres. This has forced Koepel into searching for additional roads in Limpopo province, but Willie Prinsloo does not see this as a stumbling block.
“The Ford Motorite 400 is to be based at the Ysterberg Oord about 30 kilometres outside Polokwane, and we will simply double up on facilities,” said Willie Prinsloo. “During our route surveys for the national event last year and again this year, we have come up with enough roads to ensure competitors a challenging, diversified and interesting route.
“The added responsibility of running a world championship event is a challenge which the club and I relish. We would not have taken on the job if we did not think we could make a success of it”
Piet Swanepoel, president of the MSA Off Road Car Racing Commission, said South African competitors could enter both the Africa Heritage Cross Country and the Ford Motorite 400. South African entrants, however, would run at the back of the international field and would only score points towards the Absa Off Road Championship event.
“As a commission we are aware of our responsibility to the Absa Off Road Championship and South African competitors,” Swanepoel said. “At the same time we see a piggyback arrangement with the Africa Heritage Cross Country as the only way to lay the foundations for South Africa to remain as part of the World Cup.
“It is our intention to build the Africa Heritage Cross Country into the best on the international calendar. This won’t affect our commitment to South African competitors, but we have to look to the future.”
“We are fortunate to be able to call on the years of experience and expertise Willie and the Koepel Club have in Off Road Racing,”
“There is little doubt they fine do a fine job.”
Ends
ISSUED BY THE MSA OFF ROAD CAR RACING COMMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT CHARMAINE FORTUNE ON 011 462 6243 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
REF: 2006 PR OR FORD MOTORITE DATE CHANGE
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AVAILABLE ON WWW.MOTORPICS.CO.ZA
ABSA OFF ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP
AFRICA HERITAGE CROSS COUNTRY / FORD MOTORITE 400 ROUTE TAKING SHAPE
The route for the world championship Africa Heritage Cross Country and the Ford Motorite 400 in Limpopo province from August 2 to 5 is starting to take shape.
The Africa Heritage Cross Country is a round of the FIA Cross Country World Cup and will piggyback with the Ford Motorite 400 that is round four of this year’s Absa Off Road Championship. The events are being organised by the Koepel Club, in conjunction with the Four Wheel Drive Club of SA, with the international event running from August 2 to 5 and the Ford Motorite 400 on August 4 and 5.
Both events will be based at the Ysterberg Oord complex about 30 kilometres from Polokwane. Everything from documentation and scrutineering through to the post event prize giving will be based at Ysterberg Oord.
The start and finish and overnight halts will also be at Ysterberg as well as a designated service point.
“With the decision to run piggyback events we have had to go out and find an extra 600 kilometres of route,” said Koepel chairman and chief organiser Willie Prinsloo. “We now have two route survey crews out in the field, and with the help of some local experts we are making good progress.
“I am very excited about the final product and in terms of the World Cup race and the Ford Motorite 400, the route is going to be challenging and scenic. There is going to be a little bit of everything, and the high-speed sections will be interspersed with slower and more technical terrain where a premium will be placed on driving and navigation skills.
“We are looking at a balanced route for both events and we are well on the way to achieving that.”
Willie added that about 400 kilometres of the route had already been secured. Terrain varied from good farm roads to cattle tracks and dry river beds in the region of Seshego and Matlala Dam. The route would also take in Marowe, Ramatapa, Christiana and Bergzicht.
Spectators will also be well looked after in terms of the route.
“It is going to be a feast for spectators,” said Prinsloo. “Large areas of the route can be seen from numerous vantage points.
“Travel distances on good dirt roads will vary depending on how enthusiasts want to maximise their spectating opportunities.”
Ends
ISSUED BY THE MSA OFF ROAD CAR RACING COMMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT CHARMAINE FORTUNE ON 011 462 6243 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
REF: 2006 PR OR FORD MOTORITE ROUTE
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AVAILABLE ON WWW.MOTORPICS.CO.ZA
Like a Phoenix arising from the ashes the Africa Heritage Cross Country Rally, an event that marks South Africa’s debut in the FIA Cross Country World Cup, has taken on a new lease of life.
A week ago it looked as though the event would be scrapped dealing motorsport in South Africa a major blow both locally and internationally. Now the Africa Heritage Cross Country will run in conjunction with the fourth round of the Absa Off Road Championship, the Ford Motorite 400, in Limpopo province in August with the future of the event looking to have been secured.
The Africa Heritage Cross Country Rally will run from August 2 to 5 and the Ford Motorite 400 on August 4 and 5 with both being organised by the Koepel Club. The Ford Motorite 400 was originally scheduled for July 14 and 15 with the new date sanctioned by Motorsport South Africa, the governing body for motorsport in South Africa, and the Koepel Club.
“A week ago we had run into a series of stumbling blocks that looked as though they would force us to scrap the event,” said Africa Heritage Cross Country franchise holder Charmaine Fortune. “Now the cavalry has arrived in the form of the Koepel Club and chairman Willie Prinsloo, and we are able to go ahead.
“The Africa Heritage Cross Country will run to full FIA Cross Country World Cup general prescriptions, and we are hugely grateful to Willie and the club for taking on a huge responsibility at such a late stage in their organisation of the Ford Motorite 400.”
Ms Fortune added the organisation of the event was in good hands. The Koepel Club won the award for the best event in the 2005 Absa Off Road Championship, with Willie Prinsloo picking up the ‘Spirit of Off Road’ award.
The Africa Heritage Cross Country will be run over 1 000 kilometres and the Ford Motorite over 400 kilometres. This has forced Koepel into searching for additional roads in Limpopo province, but Willie Prinsloo does not see this as a stumbling block.
“The Ford Motorite 400 is to be based at the Ysterberg Oord about 30 kilometres outside Polokwane, and we will simply double up on facilities,” said Willie Prinsloo. “During our route surveys for the national event last year and again this year, we have come up with enough roads to ensure competitors a challenging, diversified and interesting route.
“The added responsibility of running a world championship event is a challenge which the club and I relish. We would not have taken on the job if we did not think we could make a success of it”
Piet Swanepoel, president of the MSA Off Road Car Racing Commission, said South African competitors could enter both the Africa Heritage Cross Country and the Ford Motorite 400. South African entrants, however, would run at the back of the international field and would only score points towards the Absa Off Road Championship event.
“As a commission we are aware of our responsibility to the Absa Off Road Championship and South African competitors,” Swanepoel said. “At the same time we see a piggyback arrangement with the Africa Heritage Cross Country as the only way to lay the foundations for South Africa to remain as part of the World Cup.
“It is our intention to build the Africa Heritage Cross Country into the best on the international calendar. This won’t affect our commitment to South African competitors, but we have to look to the future.”
“We are fortunate to be able to call on the years of experience and expertise Willie and the Koepel Club have in Off Road Racing,”
“There is little doubt they fine do a fine job.”
Ends
ISSUED BY THE MSA OFF ROAD CAR RACING COMMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT CHARMAINE FORTUNE ON 011 462 6243 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
REF: 2006 PR OR FORD MOTORITE DATE CHANGE
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AVAILABLE ON WWW.MOTORPICS.CO.ZA
ABSA OFF ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP
AFRICA HERITAGE CROSS COUNTRY / FORD MOTORITE 400 ROUTE TAKING SHAPE
The route for the world championship Africa Heritage Cross Country and the Ford Motorite 400 in Limpopo province from August 2 to 5 is starting to take shape.
The Africa Heritage Cross Country is a round of the FIA Cross Country World Cup and will piggyback with the Ford Motorite 400 that is round four of this year’s Absa Off Road Championship. The events are being organised by the Koepel Club, in conjunction with the Four Wheel Drive Club of SA, with the international event running from August 2 to 5 and the Ford Motorite 400 on August 4 and 5.
Both events will be based at the Ysterberg Oord complex about 30 kilometres from Polokwane. Everything from documentation and scrutineering through to the post event prize giving will be based at Ysterberg Oord.
The start and finish and overnight halts will also be at Ysterberg as well as a designated service point.
“With the decision to run piggyback events we have had to go out and find an extra 600 kilometres of route,” said Koepel chairman and chief organiser Willie Prinsloo. “We now have two route survey crews out in the field, and with the help of some local experts we are making good progress.
“I am very excited about the final product and in terms of the World Cup race and the Ford Motorite 400, the route is going to be challenging and scenic. There is going to be a little bit of everything, and the high-speed sections will be interspersed with slower and more technical terrain where a premium will be placed on driving and navigation skills.
“We are looking at a balanced route for both events and we are well on the way to achieving that.”
Willie added that about 400 kilometres of the route had already been secured. Terrain varied from good farm roads to cattle tracks and dry river beds in the region of Seshego and Matlala Dam. The route would also take in Marowe, Ramatapa, Christiana and Bergzicht.
Spectators will also be well looked after in terms of the route.
“It is going to be a feast for spectators,” said Prinsloo. “Large areas of the route can be seen from numerous vantage points.
“Travel distances on good dirt roads will vary depending on how enthusiasts want to maximise their spectating opportunities.”
Ends
ISSUED BY THE MSA OFF ROAD CAR RACING COMMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT CHARMAINE FORTUNE ON 011 462 6243 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
REF: 2006 PR OR FORD MOTORITE ROUTE
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AVAILABLE ON WWW.MOTORPICS.CO.ZA