After finishing second last year, Shameer Mehboob Nanji will be hoping to go one place better today when Naivasha hosts local motor sports competition dubbed ‘Hill Climb.’
The two-day competition revs off Saturday morning on the outskirts of Naivasha Town.
Popularly known as a sprint event aimed at testing driving skills of competitors in particular models of racing machines, Hill Climb races are widely considered spectator events.
Nanji, will be competing in Hill Climb contest for the third time today since making his debut in the event in a VW Golf car three events ago.
“Hill Climb competitions are always good and entertaining. Drivers get to learn rally driving skills unlike in any other sports. I finished second in my category last year, and I am hopping to do better this year,” Nanji told Nation Sport.
Nanji added: “I am also heading to my first rally event, the RAIA Training Rally, in my VW Golf car next week with my navigator Wayne Fernandes. I want to have fun and at the same try and learn better rallying skills.”
The competition’s programme starts this morning with scrutineering being done from 7am t0 10am at Malewa Bay in Naivasha.
There will be a parade lap from 11.30am, followed by Day One heats from noon. Day Two heats will start at noon.
Malewa Bay, situated on Moi North Lake road in the outskirts of Naivasha, will host all the legs of the competition.
The stretch, measuring nearly four kilometres long, has 14 sharp corners rising from al altitude of 1,820m to 2,050m.
Competitors can achieve the highest speeds while at the same time trying to set the quickest time on the uphill stretch.
Each of the competitors has a chance to go uphill at the fastest possible speed in their cars. The fastest time in the competition of 2mins and 38.60secs was set by Kunal Patel in a Buggy.
The racing surface is a photogenic mix of volcanic gravel and pebbles lining the twisting, smooth and tricky three kilometre-stretch. The competition is sponsored by Chloride Exide.
