Crono website - https://www.cronorally.co.za/
With no navigational roadbook rallies planned in 2022 in South Africa, Crono organizer Sean Kriel stepped up to fill the void.
Crono asked us (Electronic Rally Services) to do the roadbooks, timing and tracking for the rally.
The process started in Dec 2021 already with Sean laying out the routes and then us riding the routes in April to make the roadbooks.
The rally was to have one central bivouac, from which we do 3 loops, each stage with 2 Cross Roads (CP’s) per day, where you could refuel, redcharge and do medical checks.
The rally proper started on Fri 29 July at the Kokerboom Motel just outside of Springbok in the Northern Cape of South Africa with around 24 entrants.
The first day was spent scrutineering bikes, fitting tracking units and doing a short prologue to get the start order for stage 1 on a motocross track outside of town.
Stage 1 was the south western loop of this clover leaf rally.
598 km of fast hard pack roads that transitioned into a very nice special of deep sand along the Atlantic Ocean, before looping back over the mountains back to Springbok.
Stage 2 made up the north western end of the clover. Heading due north on the third (very cold) morning took riders to the Orange river and the border of Namibia and South Africa. Here they turned west to travel through the rockiest stage of the rally, through the Richtersveld back to the Atlantic Ocean, where they turned south following the coast to eventually head back inland from Port Nolloth back to Springbok on wide open gravel roads, a long day at 616 km.
By the morning of Stage 3 everybody had had enough of the forced 5am Thunderstruck wake up call. As the Final Countdown was blaring over the speakers, riders rolled out of their beds looking forward to the last 545 km of the last stage of the first ever Crono rally.
Stage 3 completed the North Eastern loop of the clover. The route veered East to Klein Pella, through Pofadder and then back through the Boesmanland to Springbok.
Overall it was a very good event.
The food as amazing. For accommodation, entrants had their own rooms at the motel, included in the entry, and there was an on site DJ making sure there was always good gees.
There was a great spirit between all riders with a healthy dose of competition, creating for some close interesting days out racing.
Congratulations to the orga team, as well as each and every finisher, we look forward to next year.
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