Zambian Pair Win 2022 African Rally Championship Title

Following this weekend’s rally on home soil, Zambian husband and wife pairing Leroy and Urshlla Gomes are the 2022 African Rally Champions.

Entering the race with a 21-point advantage over their closest rival, Karan Patal of Kenya, Leroy and Urshlla only needed to finish in the top 9 to clinch the title.

The Kenyan crew won the race in Lusaka but with the Zambians finishing 2nd it was not enough to pip them to the title.

Across the season Leroy and Urshlla were only victorious once, in the Ivory Coast, but had five 2nd place finishes to keep them at the top. By contrast, the Kenyans won four races but a 10th-placed finish in Uganda proved very costly.

They now become the fifth Zambian team to win the ARC title since its inception in 1981 and in the process, they end seven years of Kenyan dominance in the competition.

The couple operates well together in the car, with Urshlla navigating and Leroy driving they claim to have built up an understanding that gives them an advantage. Speaking ahead of the final they spoke to the BBC: “there’s such a high level of trust that comes being in the vehicle with him. He understands my comfort levels and I understand how far to push him in the car,” Urshlla commented. Leroy echoed these sentiments; “I wouldn’t ask anyone else to be in the same car with me other than my wife, especially what we could achieve at this rally. I wouldn’t want to share that moment with anyone else.”

President Hichilema congratulated the couple via Twitter: “We’re African Champions again! This time, in the African Rally Championship. The husband & wife team of Leroy and Urshlla Gomes emerged victorious to wrap the African circuit as champions. Thanks to our Zambian sportsmen & women who are flying our flag high.”