Martin and Olivier win Shell V-Power rally

Rudi Bowe

The third leg of the Namibian National Rally held last weekend in and around Swakopmund was won by Allan Martin and his navigator Maretha Olivier in their Skoda R5.

The Shell V-Power Swakopmund Rally, hosted by the Walvis Bay Motor Club started last Friday with 21 cars and finished Saturday, 27 November 2021 with only nine cars. Eleven cars did not finish the rally. Dennis de Wet and Wynand Theron were disqualified as they were helped by bystanders at the rally.
There were two stages on Friday, the third stage had to be cancelled due to spectators not adhering to the markings of the race area.
Allan Martin, organizer of the rally, said that they try to bring the sport as close as possible to the people by driving on public roads. Martin said, “it is a give and take situation, we ask for permission, and people are supposed to help with the safety aspect, keeping to the barriers. But the situation got so bad with people and cars in the racing area. For this reason, it was decided to cancel stage 3 for the safety of spectators.”
Martin said that the race was tough for all and it started off bad for him and Maretha as they experienced oil problems and the crank seal of the Skoda packed up. “Fortunately, I reached the service park with no damage to the engine. We managed to get a part and repair the car before the next stage. I also made a few mistakes during the race, but if you don’t drive on the edge, you are not racing.”
Martin said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he had to cut down on his racing activates, “I will definitely participate and concentrate on rally and circuit racing for next year. Anything else is going to be spur of the moment. The plan is also to participate in a national rally in Cape Town, South Africa as well next year. There are a few Namibian drivers that want to go and support as well and we want to see if we can get some new blood to support us in the Tara Rally,” Martin said.
The fourth leg of the 2021/2022 national rally will be held next year in and around Gobabis.
Allan Martin and Maretha Olivier in their Skoda R5 are the overall winners. They completed the all nine stage rally in a time of 56:20, Jannie Coetzee and George Coetzee was second overall in a time of 1:05:55, and with Steven Marnewick and Jodine van Zyl third overall in a time of 01:27:12.
Jandre Dippenaar and Guilliaume Visser won the overall spot in the CR class in a time of 01:02:29 with Dirk Redman and Flippie Liebenberg second in a time of 01:10:24 and Michel Rust and Chantell Taljard action during stage at the Shell V-Power Swakopmund rally in a time of 01:16:58.
The complete results are as follow:
S4 class:
Allan Martin and Maretha Olivier (56:20)
S2 class:
Jannie Coetzee and George Coetzee (01:05:55)
S1 class:
Steven Marnewick and Jodine van Zyl (01:27:12)
CR1 class:
Michel Rust and Chantell Taljard (01:16:58)
Morne Oosthuizen and Jacques Kruger (01:17:41)
Marius van Zyl and Wayne Rust (01:20:21)
Willie Schoeman and SJ Schoeman (01:21:13)
CR1 class:
Michel Rust and Chantell Taljard (01:16:58)
Morne Oosthuizen and Jacques Kruger (01:17:41)
Marius van Zyl and Wayne Rust (01:20:21)
Willie Schoeman and SJ Schoeman (01:21:13)
CR 2 class:
Jandre Dippenaar and Giilliaume Visser (01:02:29)
Dirk Redman and Flippie Liebenberg (01:10:24)
The driver that did not finished are;
S4 class:
Wilro Dippenaar and Carolyn Swan
S3 class:
De Wet du Plessis and Willem Hugo
S2 class:
Everson and Fanie Botes
Gert Coetzee and Dalton Bezuidenhout
S1 class:
Pieter Greef and JP Robinson
Paul Oosthuizen and Johan du Plessis
Gino Meyer and Riaan Hennop
CR1 class:
Werner Bartsch and Roche Louw
Ewald Bischoff and Hein Bischoff
CR2 class
Wildo Bartsch and Cecil Koorts
Rolf Pretorius and Katja Pretorius