Mother and daughter duo among all-women crew to make Safari history

• Four all women crews participated in the rally
• Tina and Caroline Gatimu were the mother-daughter team
• The four were sponsored by the government

History was made at the WRC Safari Rally last week as four all-female crews took the start of the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Among the trailblazing teams were Tina and Caroline Gatimu – the first mother-daughter crew to tackle the African classic in its 70-edition history – in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Joining them in a trio of Subaru Imprezas were Tash Tundo/Chantal Young, Jennifer Malik/Wangui Mungai and Pauline Sheghu/Linet Ayuko.

All four teams were proudly supported by the Government of Kenya through its Talanta Hela initiative. Aligned with the government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda, Talanta Hela strives to identify, nurture, market, and monetise talent.

Tundo, sister of five-time Safari winner Carl, finished an impressive eighth in the national rally despite breaking a driveshaft on day one.

“We got a great result,” she said, “but I’m really gutted because on the first day my driveshaft broke in Kasarani, so I got a 10-minute penalty. We could’ve been on the podium if not, which is gutting.

“Talanta Hela initially came up with the idea to have four ladies’ teams and we went from there, really. We found other sponsors, I found one and Pauline found another, and we just went that way.”

Sheghu proud of team performance 

Tina and Carolyne Gatimu. PHOTO/WRC

Sheghu, a renowned rally driver, and broadcaster, is the Head of Communication at the Ministry of Sports.

“We are proud of achieving this feat and generally proud of all the ladies and the work they put in to achieve this result. We also thank the Government for their support and we thank everyone who stood behind us,” Sheghu said.

Senior Events Director Simon Larkin emphasised WRC Promoter’s commitment to fostering greater participation in rallying across Africa, adding: “We think the Talanta Hela initiative that CS Namwamba has created is an opportunity and a stepping stone for people to get [to the top] and we are actively supporting a number of drivers.

“This is our attempt to try to make it a bit of a pyramid, if you like, to get more participation, not only at the top level but also with grassroots participation as well.”

Last year, Maxine Wahome, who couldn’t compete this year due to her ongoing legal issues, became the first woman to win a WRC3 event in close to three decades in the rally.

Kenya Motorsports Federation boss Phineas Kimathi, the CEO of the WRC organizing Committee said they were proud to see female drivers take the challenge.

“Now next time we want to have more because they have shown their ability,” he said.

-Additional information courtesy WRC