Regular Competitors Take Major Honors in the CBA Africa Concours D’elegance with Newcomers and Competitors from Outside Kenya Making Their Mark

A large crowd thronged the Nairobi Racecourse for the CBA Africa Concours d’Elegance which celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club which organizes the event.

Regular competitors took the major outright places and newcomers, youngsters and entrants from outside Kenya made their mark. The overall car winner for the third successive year was the Ford Model A of Phoenix Aviation and Sati’s Classics captured the top motorcycle award with a 1925 DKW.

21 year old Paolo Kravos scored a surprise victory in the utility vehicles class with his 1979 Suzuki van and also was placed sixth overall. Wambui and Tina Maina were second in the utility class in a 1957 Land Rover followed by Chirag Soni in a 1954 Willys Jeep. Young Gurshan Singh earned the top seat in the up to 1600cc touring car class in his 19880 Datsun Sunny.

The initial major success for a visiting car competitor was first place in the upto 1800cc touring car class when Arusha based Tor Allan captured the prize in his gleaming metallic bronze painted 1966 Peugeot 404. He finished ahead of three MGB GTs paraded by Amit Chauhan, Paul Chemngorem and Roger Steadman.

The best result achieved by the visiting three car team from Uganda came in the up to 2500cc touring car class with Ronald Walusimbi’s 1974 Mercedes taking first place ahead of the Alfa Romeo 155 of TinuValambia and Daniel Biwott’s 1985 Mercedes. Jinja based Leslie Carvell competed in the Concours for the second time and was pleased that her 1970 VW Beetle was third in the up to 1300cc class.

In the motorcycle judging enclosure, youngsters and the 18 riders from beyond Kenya’s boarders made a great impact. Vintage motorcycle Club of South Africa member Bevan Beckmann captured third overall with his 1946 Harley Davidson sharing the podium with Satpal Singh Jabbal who was the outright winner with his 1925 DKW and the runner-up Jasvin Jabbal who paraded a 1958 racing Norton bike.

Bevan Beckman was also the happy winner of the up to 1300cc street bike category. He was followed in second place by Rwandan based motorcycle enthusiast Matthew Wilson (Yamaha VMax). The Galleria Shopping Mall sponsored air travel for the South African Bikers and Jubilee Insured their valuable machines.

18 year old Ted Wanday came into his own in the competition bike class taking the runner-up slot with his 1993 Yamaha behind the category winner Jasvin Jabbal on her 1958 Norton racing machine. Ted was also responsible for the preparation of a 1990 Honda which was placed third.

Johannesburg motorcycle enthusiast Gerald Roelofs was very pleased to win the up to 650 cc class with his 1925 Triumph ahead of young Andre Antoine who took the runner up prize with his recently restored 1960 BSA. Third place went to the 1988 Honda CBR 600R which was prepared by Gurvin and Harman Bassi.

The fourteen strong Uganda Bikers Association (UBA) members who made the journey by road from Kampala went home with bundles of prizes. The up to 900cc bike class was won by Nairobi based Karl Pleitz with a 1981 Honda and second place went to Enzo Amato who rode his 2002 Kawasaki to Nairobi from Kampala. UBA members dominated the Trail and Enduro motorcycle classes with team leader Gianfranco Masetto winning the up to 1000cc category on his Honda Varadero followed by fellow UBA member Pietro Averono in second place with a BMW and Ugandan David Maunang riding a KTM.

UBA members captured all the honours in the over 1000cc Trail and Enduro bike class with Gilbert Anguyo first on his 1200cc BMW and fellow BMW riders RohitPandit in second place and Edgar Mbabazi third.

HIGHEST PLACED VOLKSWAGEN.  Christine Apondi (left) of Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA), presents the highest placed Volkswagen award donated by DT Dobie to Shaun Barretto (right), the General Manager of Phoenix Aviation.  The Company’s 1958 VW was placed second overall in the car category during the CBA Africa Concours d’Elegance

Among the cars making a first appearance at the Nairobi Racecourse which featured prominently in the prize list was Paul Chemngorem’s 1969 MGB GT taking third spot in the up to 1800cc touring car class. Chemngorem had a good day with third in the up to 1000cc class at the wheel of his 1960 Morris Minor and second in the up to 1300cc class in his 1962 Karmann Ghia which followed in the tyre marks of the category winning Phoenix Aviation’s VW beetle.

Members of the Alfa Romeo had cause for celebration with the Vice Chairman Peter Wanday coming third in the up to 2000cc class in his gleaming dark blue 1972 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV. Newcomer Tinu Valambia was placed second in the up to 2500cc class in an Alfa Romeo 155 finishing behind Ugandan Ronald Walusimbi’s 1974 Mercedes.

Gayling May scored a repeat victory in the up to 3000cc class in his stylish burgundy coloured 1967 Alfa Romeo Sprint. He was followed by the 1994 Alfa Romeo 164 sports saloon of Jascruisers Limited with Robert Mutahi’s Alfa Romeo Montreal in third position.

It was a good day for Alec Davis the owner of the 1965 Jaguar E-Type sports coupe who captured second place in the over 3000cc touring car class behind the 1951 Jaguar Mark V of Phoenix Aviation. Roger Tanner was happy to take third prize with his 1949 Bentley Mark VI.

Gilgil based Fergus Robley completed the preparation of his 1967 Alfa Romeo GT at 11.00pm on Saturday night and left his home at 5.00am on Sunday morning to reach the Nairobi Racecourse in good time. His journey was worthwhile as he finished second in the rally car class behind regular competitor Aslam Khan’s 1968 Porsche 911. David Dass Jnr placed his 1973 Saab in third position.

The most eye catching Alfa was the Replica of an early 1930s Alfa Sports racing car which was driven at the Nairobi Racecourse by Silvia Cassini who owns this unique machine. The gleaming red vintage style two seater was made by Silvia’s grandfather Vittorio Cassini who was a master coach builder. Working with his staff he created the chassis and the body of this unique machine which is equipped with an Alfa Romeo engine gearbox and rear axle.