With the opening round of the Algoa Rally Club’s season opening rally fast approaching teams are hard at work gearing up for the EMI Despatch Rally that kicks off the new season next Saturday. With a week to go before the event there were already 21 confirmed entries, with more expected to join in on the action.

Defending champions Neels Vosloo and navigator Rikus Fourie in their Hella backed VW Polo 250 1600 will be the team to beat after a brilliant regional and national campaign in 2024. Chomping at their heels will be championship runners-up Deon Kretzmann and Jason Schreiber in their Triple L Plant Hire Toyota Etios who continue to impress with consistency and pace and seem to get more confident after every outing.

There have been a few driver and navigator combination changes going into the new season, where 2023 Algoa Rally Club champion Juan “Bollie” van Rooyen is joined by his daughter Cailyn in their Innova backed VW Polo 250 1600, well known national navigator Ingrid Jeacocks joins forces with Border Towing’s Martin van Zummeren, Marius Rautenbach will be navigating for Ruan van Tonder, Martin Kleingeld (Jnr)shifts to the driver seat of his classic Toyota Corolla KE35 1600 and is joined by new navigator Deon Engels, Oliver de man in his rear-wheel drive Ocean Truck Sales Toyota Corolla once again joins forces with Craig Step while Johan Viljoen is joined by Ria Jansen in their 2 litre VW Polo 250.

Des Timm in his four-wheel drive Dirt Africa Subaru Legacy 2L turbo will be joined by Thango Yola Tyikwe who is a candidate attorney originally from East London but now residing in Gqberha. After an impressive one-off appearance at last season’s Steytlerville Rally, where he helped secure a podium finish, he returns with determination and precision to take on the challenges of the Eastern Cape Rally circuit.

Brothers Nico and Juandre Nienaber join Algoa Rally Club for the new season after having relocated from Witbank to Mosselbay and will be competing in a Toyota Etios 1600 backed by Turbo Panelbeaters Witbank while local drawcard and crowd favourite Eddie Banks is set to return with his rear-wheel drive Toyota powered BMW E36 that just loves to go sideways around the corners.

With multiple championship titles behind their backs, Nick Davidson and Ashley Bezuidenhout will be hoping for a change of fortune going into the new season in their quick Stu Davidson & Sons 4 wheel drive Toyota Auris S2000 with Ross and Roxanne Bartle  in their Indyoil sponsored VW Polo 250 2000 also set to feature.

Jeandre’ Marais has decided to take a break from the national main circuit racing scene and has his sights now set on the 2025 Algoa Rally Club championship title. With his girlfiend Tegan Taljaard reading the notes alongside him in his beautifully prepared Motul and Automotive Performance Solutions backed VW Polo 250 1600 that has undergone major upgrades during the off-season, they will no doubt be a team to watch.

The EMI Despatch Rally will be based at Frans Conradie Primary School in Despatch and the first car is set to depart at 10h05. There are many spectator areas with great vantage points where one will be able to view the high speed stages. The opening stage takes place in the open park at the entrance to the town before heading to the flat area around Spiders web near Johnny’s Pit-Stop before proceeding to the Jagvlakte area.