Events : London-Cape Town, day 28

Day 28,
Clanwilliam, South Africa

Yesterday’s gruelling run through Namibia on 800km of gravel tracks was indeed a tough test for some crews, with tyres being the main problem. With last night spent camping a long way from the nearest broadband connection, we have no picture updates yet, but we may get some tonight. The extent of yesterday’s report is this:

Maestro girls Jane and Gill were delayed for about 10 minutes after sliding off the road on the Spreetshoogte WCS. As anticipated, the Namibian gravel has produced tyre problems for some…the Sommer VW Karmann Ghia punctured on a time trial and the Weiss and Schneiders Mercedes suffered four punctures. Owain Lloyd and Peter Scott stopped in Helmeringhausen for 3 hours with drive shaft problems on their Mercedes. The Robinson Mercedes is reported to be on a truck to Cape Town after the oil pump failed.

A number of cars took the main road in their bid to reach Cape Town. The Thistlethwayte Hiscox Datsun 240Z continued all the way to Cape Town. Despite all this, the top ten remained unchanged.

Top ten overall

1 23 1h 25m 07 1 E Steve Blunt GB Bob Duck GB 2006 Subaru Impreza 1994
2 14 1h 25m 10 2 E Andy Actman GB Andy Elcomb GB 2010 Toyota Hilux 3000
3 45 2h 57m 00 1 D Joost Van Cauwenberge B Jacques Castelein B 1973 Porsche 911 3000
4 26 3h 38m 14 3 E David Tomlin GB Nicholas Adcock GB 2003 Land Rover Defender TD5 2495
5 33 3h 47m 53 1 B Owen Turner GB Matthew Fowle GB 2002 MG ZR 1589
6 47 4h 10m 14 4 E Patrick Beckers B Egfried Depoorter B 1992 Toyota Landcruiser 80 4200
7 35 4h 16m 08 1 C Alastair Caldwell GB Hayden Burvill AUS 1968 Porsche 912 2000
8 15 4h 57m 19 2 B Jane Edgington GB Gillian Cotton GB 1986 MG Maestro 1598
9 1 5h 19m 02 2 C Richard Atherton GB Rob Henchoz GB 1970 Volvo 144 1998
10 48 7h 06m 07 5 E Eric Claeys B Ben Deleye B 1999 Toyota 73 4200

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Keith Adams

Editor and creator AROnline at AROnline

Created www.austin-rover.co.uk in 2001 and built it up to become the world's foremost reference source for all things BMC, Leyland and Rover Group, before renaming it AROnline in 2007.

Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...

Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.

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