CT World Cup Rally comes to Windhoek: from Big Ben south to the bottom of Africa

I met up with members of the CT World Cup Rally Team at the Kalahari Sands Hotel last night for a drink as they passed through Namibia on their epic ‘3 continent/14 countries/in 27 driving days’ journey down the African continent.

The Rally marks the first ever timed driving event from Europe to the bottom of Africa. The trip, which started from Big Ben in Westminster, will end at the Clock Tower at the Waterfront in Cape Town on 29 January. 44 cars are competing on the 14,000 km route that took them diagonally across Europe, on a ferry from Greece to Egypt, across to Saudi Arabia and south down via Tanzania and Ethiopia amongst other countries: see entire route.

The 99-strong Rally team members were in celebratory spirits last night as they rested in Windhoek having travelled down from Tsumeb yesterday. Several members enthused that the Namibian scenery was the most spectacular of the entire trip. They have three days here before heading for their ultimate destination in South Africa’s Mother City.

Chief Rally organiser, Philip Young (no relative), Chairman of the Endurance Rally Association, confessed that he was both excited and relieved to have got so far and with few mishaps. The Rally has lost only three vehicles along the way: a Triumph crashed before they got to Dover, a Morgan bent its chassis beyond repair in Italy and a Porsche caught fire in Kenya.

I am delighted to say that there are still a number of good British vehicles, including a Land Rover and 1600 cc MG in the race. Brit Andrew Actman driving a Toyota Hilux is currently in pole position. The oldest car is a 1924 4 litre Vauxhall that has been one of the most reliable vehicles. (Something to bear in mind when doing self-drive holidays around these parts!)

Young said one of the highlights of the trip was the fact that the scenery was completely different each day; a bonus from travelling progressively south down the globe rather than heading longitudinally across.

More than half the Rally participants are British and the rest are made up of an international medley, including Dutch, French, German and Swizz adventurers. I wish them all well as they head off south to cross over into South Africa via the Cederberg Mountains and Clanwilliam. There is plenty of stunning scenery to come and a big party looming in Cape Town on 29 January.

So keep a look out if you are on the roads leading down that way. There may be plenty of Brits (and others) heading your way in a hurry!