RUF ’N’ TUF LIVED UP TO ITS NAME

The Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) recently-concluded Ruf 'n' Tuf Navigational Championship, sponsored by Barbados Industries Ltd, was a great success . . . and that’s official! Competitors, organisers and the sponsor are in agreement that the championship’s first year exceeded all expectations.
Ninety-nine competitors saw action over the championship’s four qualifying events, which ran between March and November, with a high level of competition in both Pro and Novice classes. An impressive array of year-end awards will be presented at the end of the week during the BRC’s Annual Prizegiving, which is being held at the Barbados Golf Club, Durants, Christchurch, on Friday (November 19) at 8.00pm.
Series sponsor Mark Sabga, an off-road enthusiast of many years standing, reflected happily this week on the championship’s first season: “Now that the year is over, it has not only proven to be everything I thought it could be, but has gone much further than my wildest imagination! It has been my absolute pleasure and honour to sponsor this championship!
“I think we have developed a strong following, and proved a point to some of the older generation of the BRC, who doubted that such a 4 x 4 championship could be a success. I have been impressed with the young blood we have in the Club, and would especially like to mention Lindsay Farmer, who has proven to be a serious driving force in organising some great events.
“When we created the navigational championship and named it after one of my brand name products - ‘Ruf 'N' Tuf’ working uniforms - it was meant to live up to it's sponsorship name . . . and I think it has.”
One of the main aims of the championship was to attract newcomers to the sport; the art of navigation is at the very heart of rallying, the starting point for co-drivers the world over. Among the awards to be presented this week are those specifically aimed at the novice competitors.
The Highest-placed Novice Navigator is Warren Gollop. He said: ”The championship was great fun overall, with each event having its own distinct character and peculiarities. Just when I thought I had experienced everything possible in a 4x4 vehicle, my driver would find a new challenge . . . such as sticking us up to the car seats in water!”
And the Navigational Championship was not an all-male preserve by any means. Runner-up in the Navigators Championship – after the tie-break rules were used to resolve a draw – was Anna-Lee Alleyne, who sat alongside husband Leslie on each event.
Meanwhile, the Highest-placed Female Driver was Keri-Dawn Watkins. Of her first season in the Pro class, with navigator Lisa Roett, she said: ”This year was definitely a learning experience, being in the Pro class for the first time. We didn't do as well as we had hoped at first, although we'd expected that, being up against all the more experienced drivers and navigators.
“They have all been really supportive of us, as the only all girl team, and have always offered any help and advice that might make getting through just a bit easier. The last event was definitely my favourite as a driver. Due to the conditions, I thought it gave the drivers a chance to show their skills a bit more and I hope that it proved to at least a few people, that it's not always just the vehicle that gets you through the course!
“The girls will be back next year with – hopefully - some better results as we get the hang of things!”
The final word goes to Lindsay Farmer who, with fellow members of the BRC’s navigational committee, has been responsible for running the championship: “As I said back in March, this was going to be a learning year, and we have made a few mistakes . . . but we are acting to fix them for 2005. All in all, I think the Ruf ‘n’ Tuf’ Navigational Championship was a huge success in it's first year, and I hope it will continue to go from strength to strength.”

2004 Ruf 'n' Tuf Navigational Championship
Final positions
Navigators
1st Kenney Croney, 37pts
2nd Anna-Lee Alleyne, 37pts
3rd Kevyn Yearwood, 30pts
4th Robert Warren, 27pts
5th Jason Downey, 25pts etc

Drivers
1st Derek Gill, 55pts
2nd Philip McConney, 37pts
3rd Leslie Alleyne, 37pts
4th Brett Barber, 32pts
5th Ian Warren, 27pts etc

Highest-placed Novice Navigator Warren Gollop (9th overall)
Highest-placed Novice Driver Jamal Brathwaite (7th overall)

Highest-placed Female Navigator Anna-Lee Alleyne (2nd overall)
Highest-placed Female Driver Keri-Dawn Watkins (12th overall)

For further information, robin@bradfax.com