Day 29 - To the Wire

Day 29 - To the Wire

I'm tapping away having arrived in Cape Town - just. Better still, we arrived in the lead and have won by 36 seconds after 29 days of competitive rallying. Pretty tight. 

The first section this morning was always going to be the decider after we took a 3 second lead overnight. This was because it was to the second so if Andy could grab back the lead and could then clean the next 2 sections (which were to the minute - and which he did), we couldn't take any time back and he would win. We had to throw everything at the first section to prevent him re-taking the lead. Despite the creaky state of the car, we had to go for it which is what we did. When he heard at the end of the section that we had been 33 seconds faster than Andy, he must have realised that he was up against it. If we cleared the next 2 sections, we were home and dry. 

The first part of the second section was a sharp mountain climb followed by a rapid decent. Everything was going to plan until the front left damper let go and we lost grip and slid off on a slippy bumpy right-hander and over some rocks. We reversed out (thank goodness for 4x4) and we shot down the rest of the hill (brakes by now fading badly). Bob said we could still clean this if we really go and that's what we did, just making it. 

Straight into the second section with a damaged damper and weak brakes which became a blur of revs, sliding round bends (with extra care due to the damper) and flying over crests. When we arrived at the control within the allocated time (ie cleaned it), we were congratulated. We had done it. Andy was one of the first to congratulate us; another example of his (and Andrew his co-driver's) sporting approach to our battle for the lead. 

What we didn't know was that our fuel gauge was faulty and was showing more fuel than we really had. We had put in 30 litres to top-up to 3/4 the night before and now it showed half. 

50km later we ran out of fuel, with the gauge still showing half a tank. Fortunately, the Land Rover of Nick and David was right behind and we got a tow to a nearby petrol station. Because a few car had passed us, the word at the next control was that we were in trouble and were fighting to fix our car. We were able to give everyone a cheery wave as we arrived at the control well within our allocated time. 

The car now though was struggling in several ways. Both front dampers were damaged, the front brake pads were worn through to metal and a rear wheel bearing was making an horrific noise. The drive to the final control of the rally on the Cape Town sea front was the longest 25km I have ever driven. Owain and Peter in the no 20 Mercedes kindly offered to follow us in (indicative of the real camaraderie that has developed between crews) and we finally made it unassisted to a champagne welcome at the Table Bay Hotel. 

We are here another 2 days so I plan to give a few more considered thoughts about the event which has been just a fantastic experience, visiting some amazing places yet being one of the most arduous marathon motorsport events ever devised since the 1960s. It was a privilege just to take part in such an historic event. The fact that we won it (only earlier today after a few scares) is still sinking in. I am now dropping off the sleep as I type......