•The two-at-a-time Super Special Kasarani (4.84km), north-east of the city centre, will be open to spectators with the first pair taking off from 14:08hours today.
•Nazir Yakub, the Deputy Clerk of the Course says recceing in WRC cars for the top drivers is something really exciting for the African continent.
For the first time ever, world rally teams will recce a stage in Africa in their high-flying WRC cars.
The two-at-a-time Super Special Kasarani (4.84km), north-east of the city centre, will be open to spectators with the first pair taking off from 14:08 hours on Thursday.
Nazir Yakub, the Deputy Clerk of the Course says recceing in WRC cars for the top drivers is something really exciting for the African continent.
“It has never happened in Africa. So seeing the likes of Sebastien Ogier, Thierry Neuville and Otto Tanak rev their competition cars in recce is such a great feeling for us Kenyans,” Nazir said.
Usually, recce is done in personal cars. The essence is usually to familiarise with the course and prepare pace notes.
The WRC will recce the stage from 7 am onwards then head to Kenyatta International Conference Centre for the ceremonial start from 12.48 onwards.
President Uhuru Kenyatta will flag off the cars at the KICC, which has for the longest time served as the flag-off location.
Route description
The SSS1 Kasarani stage will mark the start of the rally proper after Wednesday's shakedown at Ntulele where crews tackled a 5.1km section. Friday’s opening leg covers the southern shore of Lake Naivasha.
Chui Lodge (13.34km) and Oserian (18.87km) are both in the Oserengoni Wildlife Conservancy which is home to lions, leopards, giraffes, antelopes and buffaloes.
They sandwich Kedong (32.68km), the longest stage of the rally and a Safari test of old. After service, all three are repeated to bring the day’s total to 129.78km.
Roads further north around Lake Elmentaita will host Saturday’s 132.08km of action, the longest leg of the weekend.
It opens with Elmenteita’s (14.67km) oft-used tracks in the Delamere Estate. It is followed by Soysambu (20.33km) and Sleeping Warrior (31.04km), set in the shadow of a hill that resembles a Masai warrior lying down.
Sunday’s finale spans the north and south sides of Lake Naivasha. Two loops of the forested Loldia (11.33km) to the north and Hell’s Gate (10.56km) to the south sandwich the rocky Malewa (9.71km).
The second pass through Hell’s Gate, which finishes amid stunning scenery at Fishers Tower, forms the Wolf Power Stage with bonus points on offer for drivers and manufacturers. The survivors return to Naivasha for the afternoon finish ceremony. The 18 stages total 320.19km.
Thursday
Autograph Session
VIP Speeches and flag-off by President Uhuru Kenyatta at KICC
Super Special Stage SSS 1 at Kasarani (Section 1)
Friday
Sections 2 and 3-Service Park Naivasha (Chui Lodge 1 and 2, Kedong 1 and 2 and Oserian 1 and 2)
Opening of Media Centre Service Park Naivasha
Publication of start list for Section 4
Saturday
Sections 4 and 5 -Service Park Naivasha (Elementaita 1 and 2, Soysambu 1 and 2 and Sleeping Warrior 1 and 2)
Publication of start list for Section 6
Sunday
Section 6-Loldia 1 & Hell's Gate 1
Section 7-Malewa, Loldia 2
Section 8- Hell's Gate 2 (Wolf Power Stage)
Power Stage
Finish Podium Ceremony
Final Scruneering