Samman Vohra chalked-up his maiden international win in the 2025 edition of the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally which culminated in Eastern Province district of Bugesera.
Navigated by Briton Drew Sturrock behind the wheel of a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo, the reigning Kenya champion had his campaign effectively sewn-up when compatriot and defending African champion Karan Patel crashed out in the mid-morning stages of Saturday’s Leg1.
Karan and his partner Tauseef Khan retired for the day after an off in Saturday’s 16.0 km SS3 Nemba1 speed-test and didn’t restart on Super Rally on Sunday.
An overjoyed Samman beat compatriot Nikhil Sachania by a massive 14 minutes to lay his hands on the coveted Rwanda title held by Karan for three successive years. Samman’s victory in the Gorilla fixture of the FIA regional series was a welcome relief following his retirement in May’s Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, much to his chagrin.
Indefatigable Samman had swept the ground with all and sundry in Uganda only to retire due to mechanical issues. He had a hard landing from a jump, which broke a front control arm on his Skoda, forcing him to retire from the Uganda leg on SS6.
But Samman did it in bravado in Busegera, Rwanda winning the 15.30 km SS15 Ruhuha 2 Power Stage and indeed scooping additional championship points to boot. The Power Stage is often the final stage of a rally, a concept popularised by the World Rally Championship (WRC) and adopted by the ARC series in 2024.
— Old Boy Davite Prevails–
Rwandese old-boy Giancarlo Davite emerged the winner in the National category beating Ugandan Joshua Mwanguzi to second spot.
Davite (62) is one of Rwanda’s most decorated drivers having won the Gorilla rally twice outright in 2013 and 2018.
Ugandan champion Yasin Nasser came in fourth on Special Stages which traversed the sleepy region near the Rwanda-Burundi border as the dust finally settled at Nemba Service Park.
Prior to the cars heading East, fans were treated to some exhilarating displays of racing artistry in Friday’s shakedown and qualifying stage at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) where Karan set the pace in his rally2 Škoda contraption.
It was double celebration for Kenya as Nikhil also sealed back to back ARC3 wins at the wheel of his M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta Rally 3 machine.
Group N driver Prince Charles Nyerere of Tanzania emerged the ARC2 winner in third overall position in the ARC category.
–Gatimus Retire–
Kenya’s trailblazing daughter-and-mother crew of Tinashe and Carol Gatimu retied on the 24.20 km SS13 Kamabuye 2 speed test. The Kenyan all-female crew were lying 11th at TC End – SS12 Ruhuha 1 (15.30 km) prior to kissing the Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC)- organised event goodbye.
Following their Leg2 exit, the Gatimus failed in their bid to become the first mother-daughter crew from Kenya to finish a rally outside the country.
PROVISIONAL RESULTS-ARC
1.Samman Vohra-KEN/Drew Sturrock -GB (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) 1:48.59.1
2.Nikhil Sachania -KEN/Deep Patel-KEN (Ford Fiesta Rally3) 2:03.39.7
3.Prince Charles Nyerere -TZ (Mitsubishi Lancer) 2:16.36.7
- Yasin Nasser-UG/Ali Katumba -UG (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 2:38.58.0
PAST WINNERS-RWANDA MOUTAIN GORILLA RALLY
2012: ELEFTER MITRAROS-RWA
2013: Giancarlo Davite-RWA
2014: Essa Mohammed -ZAM
2015: Jassi Chatthe-KEN
2016: Valery Bukera-BUR
2017: Manvvir Baryan-KEN
2018: Giancarlo Davite-RWA
2019: Jean Claude Gakwaya -RWA
2020: NOT HELD
2021-Carl “Flash” Tundo-KEN
2022-23-24: Karan Patel -KEN
20225: Samman Vohra -KEN
