•The indefatigable all-woman crew of Ann Taieth and Sylvia King were active drivers in the early 70s through to the 80s.
•In the 1983 edition of the Eldoret Rally (then Raymond Rally), Ann and Sylvia entered their names in the annals of the country’s motorsport history as the first all-women crew to win a round of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC).
Image: FILE
Legendary Frenchwoman Michelle Mouton trailed the blaze prominently in WRC Safari Rally Kenya in 1983, finishing third overall in the company of Italian Pons Fabrizia behind Audi Quattro A1 wheels.
In the 1982 World Rally season, Mouton finished a close second overall to Walter Rohrl after wins in Portugal, Brazil and Greece, and helped Audi to win its first manufacturers’ title.
Mouton debuted in rallying as a co-driver but quickly moved to the driver’s seat in an Alpine-Renault A110 in national rallies.
With a penchant for Kenya’s world-famous routes, Mouton was one of the few female rally greats who inspired countless other women globally to take up the male-dominated sport.
In Kenya, women haven’t been left behind. The indefatigable all-woman crew of Ann Taieth and Sylvia King were active drivers in the early 70s through to the 80s.
Their knack for taking their male cockpit adversaries head-on endeared them to thousands of fans countrywide.
Sylvia and Ann won the Coupe Des Dames in the 1972 Safari in their Datsun 1600 SSS.
In the 1983 edition of the Eldoret Rally (then Raymond Rally), Ann and Sylvia entered their names in the annals of the country’s motorsport history as the first all-women crew to win a round of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC). They also won the Guru Nanak in 1984.
Ann’s record of being the only woman to have won a round of the KNRC remains. Meanwhile, Sylvia’s achievement was equalled by Natasha Tundo (Tasha) when she guided her brother Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo to victory in the 2012 edition of Guru Nanak, taking over from Tim Jessop.
Natasha later jumped into the driver’s seat of a Subaru Impreza and went on to clinch the 2016 KNRC Division 3 title alongside her partner, Chantal Young.
Image: HANDOUT
The late Orie Rogo Manduli made history by becoming the first black indigenous African woman rally driver to grace the Safari when she entered the 1974 edition alongside her late co-driver Sylvia Omino.
Manduli was driven into racing by the desire to prove indigenous Kenyan black women could also excel behind the wheel.
‘Ladies Luck’ Rally Team of Michelle Van Tongeren and Safina Khan were quite competitive and are best remembered for multiple victories of the coveted Coupe Des Dames award in WRC Safari in 2000 and 2001 as well as 2003 when the Kenyan premier event was relegated to FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) status.
The list of Kenyan women rally crews and their past achievements is endless. Navigator Carol Wahome also graced the competitive scene with zest and vigour from the ‘90s before hanging up her helmet.
She started as a service crew of driver Kimanthi Maingi and went on to begin her rallying career alongside former African champion Don Smith in a Ford Escort RS 2000 in 1996.
She then switched drivers to team up with Musa Locho in 1998. In 1999, Carol guided Locho to victory in the Clubman Rally Championship in a Hyundai Accent.
In 2000, navigator Carol and Locho graduated to a superior car (Hyundai FX Coupe) and won the Formula 2 Championship, making her the first African lady to win a national title.
Image: HANDOUT
In 2001, Musa and Carol upgraded to a Subaru Impreza but bowed out due to lack of sponsorship while lying second in the Group N Championship.
Carol then tried navigating a couple of other drivers but hung up her helmet after finding it 'boring'. Hellen Kagendo aka ‘Hedgal’ became the first African woman to finish an international rally in the 2013 edition of Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, navigated by Tuta Mionki.
Kagendo was previously a member of the ‘Warembo Bila Make-up’ Team alongside Stella Macharia, now the WRC Safari Rally event secretary.
History does not end there. In 2022, Maxine Wahome won the WRC3 category in Naivasha, making her the first Kenyan woman to win a WRC support category.
The win earned her world recognition and accolades from world champions, including Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton.
Last year’s Safari featured a four-car all-women crew team sponsored by the Government of Kenya through the Talanta Hela initiative.
It’s the first time in many years that more women have savoured the opportunity to showcase their skills in the top-flight motorsport world.
And for the first time, last year's Safari featured a mother and daughter-crew of Caroline and Tinashe Gatimu in a Mitsubishi Lancer.
Apart from Jenifer Malik/Wangui Mungai (aka Kui Qui), the Talanta all-female crew of Pauline Sheghu/Linet Ayuko (Subaru), and former KNRC Division 3 champions Natasha Tundo and Chantal Young in a Subaru, the Gatimus finished the 2023 Safari.
Image: FILE
Inaugural All- women's Rally
In 2022, Lisa Christoffersen, the founder of the Lionesses Rally Club, organised the inaugural all-women’s rally at the Kasarani’s WRC SSS racetrack.
TV Anchor and Inter-Media women's champion Pauline Sheghu, became the first media personnel to finish the Safari when she placed 10th in the Supplementary category in 2011.
Sheghu, a communications director in the office of the Sports Cabinet Secretary, Ababu Nwamwmba, made a comeback in 2023 after 12 years, to finish 13th in the KNRC category.
After finishing the fabled rally last year under Talanta Hela women’s team, Sheghu is back in the saddle and hoping to tackle the tough Naivasha fesh-fesh terrain.
Sheghu observed: "Every year, the Safari Rally presents a unique set of challenges and adventures and it's a privilege to tackle them head-on with my extraordinary team."
"These rally women are the backbone of our success, combining raw talent, tenacious spirit and a deep passion for motorsport. Together, we've turned every skid, jump and turn into a celebration of our collective strength and resilience."
Returning to the Safari Rally is like coming home to where your bonds were forged in the heat of competition and the wild heart of nature.
"There's an electrifying blend of nostalgia and new ambition each time we hit those rugged trails. It's a reminder of where we've been and where we dream to go, pushing the limits and breaking new ground for women in rally racing," she added.
"We're not just a team of ladies in the cockpit; we're a sisterhood fueled by the roar of engines and the unyielding desire to leave a mark. And with each return to the WRC Safari Rally, we write another chapter in our story, one that we hope inspires more women to chase their adrenaline-filled dreams."
This year’s Talanta Hela all-women’s team has Sheghu and Ayuko; the Gatimus, Malik and Kui as well as Christofferesen.
Kui is overly excited to reunite with Malik. She said: “I’m overly excited and looking forward to having a good time in Naivasha. It was tough in last year’s Safari after sitting out of the cockpit for a long time. My objective is to train young girls and allow them to join the sport and to participate in as many rallies as possible.”
Christoffersen, an Interior designer, rally driver and author, is a third-generation Tanzanian-born Danish citizen who grew up on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro but lives in Nairobi, Kenya.
Image: HANDOUT
Driving for Change
Christoffersen, who has driven in the 4x4 rally, organised by the Kenya Racing Team under the umbrella of the Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF), will be making her WRC Safari debut.
“I am passionate about conservation, adventure and empowering women in motorsport to achieve their wildest dreams. Today, I am driving for change," she said.
"As a cancer survivor, I want to give hope to all those who have cancer, especially children.”
One of the cars to watch is that of Tinashe, (Born July 13, 2004) and her mother Caroline. Tinashe started racing in the National Autocross Series in 2022.
Mother and daughter
Tinashe navigated Caroline to third place in the inaugural all-women’s Lioness Rally in 2022 in the only 2WD car.
“The support from the family has been immense. My dad and mum are actively involved in motorsports. As a second-generation driver, I’m lucky to be surrounded by petrolheads,” said Tinashe, who finished second in the 2WD Class in RX Round 1 in 2023 with the 7-70 Motorsports team.
She also finished 10th in WRC Safari Rally 2023 as part of the four-car Talanta Hela Ladies team.
“Finishing on my Safari debut was quite a milestone for the family as I had mum calling my pace-notes, which was quite a good feeling,” she said.