Hell’s Gate live TV coverage set to market Kenya’s tourism sector
With perhaps the most scenic backdrop of any of the Power Stages on the World Rally Championship, the 10.56kms Hell’s Gate run is expected to sign off Safari Rally Kenya on a high on Sunday June 27.
The stage will be done twice with the initial run serving as a normal stage and the second run being the designated power stage where world rally teams will earn bonus Championship points for fastest times.
The Power Stage will indeed be the last competitive section of WRC Safari. WRC Safari Rally CEO Phineas Kimathi during a media briefing in Naivasha noted that the Power Stage will be televised live giving the world a scenic look of what the country has to offer.
Kimathi, who is also the Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF) Chairman, added that the Power Stage will also present a great opportunity to market the country as a viable tourist destination.
"The amount of publicity that the power stage will generate and the scenic view of the Lake Naivasha area will actually bring so many tourists to the country. This is because the WRC is very much TV driven event.
"The total broadcast footage that we expect to be produced in the five days of activity starting with the shakedown on June 23, the ceremonial start at KICC and Kasarani's Super Special Stage (SSS) on June 24, culminating with power stage at Hell's Gate in Naivasha will offer us 25 hours of quality live broadcast footage.
" The footage will be aired live by 155plus television markets. This is a major boost to Kenya given that WRC commands a total viewership of 850million," Kimathi said.
The live WRC TV production at Hell's Gate National Park will also showcase the scenic view of the country's geothermal energy plant in Naivasha.The Safari will take place in Nairobi through to the Great Rift Valley, around Lake region and Elmenteita with the Service Park being at the KWS Training Institute, Naivasha on the main Nairobi to Nakuru Road.
Administrative checks will begin on Monday June 21 in Naivasha with reconnaissance starting later that day at 1100hrs. Reconnaissance will continue until Wednesday lunchtime followed by Wednesday June 23 Shakedown which will take place from 1301hrs within the Ndulele Conservancy presenting a breathtaking backdrop of Lake Naivasha.
It will be the first time a modern-day WRC Rally car will have set foot on African soil in 19 years.Thursday June 24 will see the world rally teams do a reconnaissance of the Kasarani Spectator Stage (SS1) in their WRC cars from 07.30hrs.
Kenyatta International Convention Centre will be the place for flag off as the WRC Safari Rally returns to its more traditional start, in the heart of the capital city, Nairobi.SS16 Malewa (9.71kms) on Sunday 27 will indeed be the event's toughest stretch presenting a rocky terrain, with a lot of ninety-degree junctions across its hilly terrain.
It is of a different character to the Friday and Saturday special stages. The loose surface will make those drivers who are looking to preserve their tyres in the best conditions for the Power Stage think carefully about their driving lines.
