THE 4X4 CLUB - ZIMBABWE

THE 4X4 CLUB - ZIMBABWE
Newsletter No: 72
FEBRUARY 2010

P O Box HG 641 Highlands Harare Zimbabwe

The Chairman and Editorial Team:
CHAIRMAN: Tim Thorburn 498723 / 0912.645.518 So what happened at the dung beetle Turnout was lower than usual due to a number of regulars being called away. 4 contenders from Harare did make it namely, Peter Benzon (LR); Baz Downey (LR); Ray Walker (Daihatsu); Mass Kirk & Mark Benzon (Cournil Courna-Korna). This left 4 locals and 4 visitors on the day after Panyoti's jeep blew the motor Friday night.The courses were challenging and fun, gradually getting tougher which gave us a chance to ease into it. Thanks to Michael Maas who was responsible for the courses this year. Weather was great, overcast and cool but moist for some ideal traction. The four morning courses went well with two cars limping in to lunch break with ailments. Roger Barry’s Jeep broke a front diff; we managed to change the axle. Peter Doprops broke a half shaft but all was repaired for the extreme courses. One particular cross axle climb caught many of us napping, V8s included, having to give it a number of attempts and then ending up in a tree. Hot Contenders from Mutare were Michael Maas (V8 jeep); Peter Doprop (V8 Landy); Costa Doprop (V8 Jeep) and Roger Barry (V6 Jeep). Needless to say we had a fight on our hands to drill that lot with Courna-Korna. We won the special class but Michael beat us overall.Now to the extreme! It was an epic Battle!!The two courses were set in the river gully at the Quarry (wet and steep) lucky us we were first in and just before the big climb we were churning mud in the river failing to pull ourselves out, we gave it a couple of different approaches and eventually slipped in against the bank and the tree, I could see the crowd had given up on us and were looking around for a vehicle to extricate us from our dilemma. However!! Courna-Korna is multi maneuverable and as the crowd looked in disbelief we locked it in full crab steer and popped ourselves out of that hole which got us out the river and we completed the course. In the final extreme which was a unique, partly man made course with a bridge that doubled back on itself round in circles several times. It was down to the wire between Roger and Peter Doprop. Both drove brilliantly and it was a tie! They were given the option of a tie breaker, re-run the section in reverse direction or leave it a tie. They decided to go for it and it was Peter first all cool till the final exit, just too steep. The V8 bellowed, dirt flew and the rear diff went bang; game over. The Jeep got through to the exit and bogged in Peter’s holes. In a last ditch all or nothing run the Jeep bounced and bucked out the channel and leapt up onto the exit anthill and stopped - no drive on the front wheels. Only the nose was through the exit gate! Roger called for human assist which would have clinched a win, but as hard as we tried we could not push it up the hill and so the result remained a draw. The atmosphere was unbeatable, guys were fired up with all the action, this is what I love about 4x4 competition.
Well done to the competitors. Yours in mud and dust! Till next time Mass Kirk


CALENDAR CHANGES
Feb 12/14 Bulawayo Jamboree has been cancelled
Feb 28th A trail Drive to Cross Kopje
March 1 Hopefully we will be able to arrange a “Night Extreme Drive” at Donnybrook, then a camp out to be at the AGM the next day.
March 26/28 The Eco Challenge
June 25/27 Mangura Bush Bash
July 16/18 Sanyati Expedition
Aug 6 /10 The Long Weekend - We have Booked Aberfoyle.
July The Crocodile Crawl has been put into moth balls, but not forgotten

PROPOSED CALENDAR FOR 2010
These dates will change as the year progresses, but flyers will be sent out before each event. This is a very full calendar and there are still a number of events we would like to add.
Feb 28 Trail Drive to Cross Kopje Day
March 13 TBC Night Drive
March 14 AGM Day
March 26-28 Eco Challenge Away
April 11 Day Event Day
May 8-9 Course Building Week-end
May 21-23 HARARE JAMBOREE Week-end
June 25-27 Mangura Bush Bash Away
July 16-18 Sanyati Expedition Away
August 6-10 Aberfoyle has been booked Away
Sept 10-12 Bush Pig Away
October TBA Three Hills Away
Nov 20-22 Mutare Dungbeetle Away
Dec 5 Christmas Run Day
** Note Changes

School Terms
1st Term Opens 7 January - ends 31 March - half term 18 Feb
2nd Term Opens `10 May - ends 5 Aug - half term 17 Jun
3rd Term Opens 6 Sept - ends 2 Dec - half term 14 Oct

DONNYBROOK
To enter Donnybrook on a non-event day it will cost you $1 per car, providing you have you membership card. Non-members will be charged $5 per car. You must sign the book at the gate and put your name, you Club and membership number. Do not pay without signing the book.