SVMs win Rust de Winter

The 27^th running of this very popular annual event, held at the ATV Organisation?s Rust de Winter campsite, north of Pretoria, attracted 111 competitors for two days of tough competition.

Frans and Andre Prins, in an SVM, took overall victory. They were also the winners of the "main route" section.

The other two podium positions went to Rudi and Yolaine van der Merwe and Philippe Kalkwarf and Ken Fisher in another two SVMs.

Special Vehicle Manufacturers built the first, Jeep-like SVM in 1987 and the company?s founder, off-road racer Cliff Barker, sold the company to Land Rover distributor AAD in 1991.

Production ceased in 1997 and in this time more than 300 of these unique South African off-roaders were manufactured.

Founder member

Interestingly, Cliff Barker, a founder member of the Jeep Club that started the Rust de Winter Jamboree in 1978, is a previous winner of this event, having taken the honours in 1980, driving a Jeep.

Arno Drenth and his wife, Estelle, who took victory in 2002 and 2003 in a Land Cruiser, could only finish 31^st overall this year.

Last year they had been second overall in a Toyota Hilux.

This year Corne and Riani Lombard drove the highest placed Toyota, in fourth place overall and third on the "main route" section of the event, which was won by Stefan and Nanette Wintershoven in a Toyota Hilux.

The annual Toyota Rust de Winter 4x4 Jamboree consists of competitors driving a demanding 4x4 route on the first day and then competing in a variety of gymkhana driving tests on the second day.

Vehicle of choice

Toyota was the vehicle of choice for the majority of competitors for the fifth time in the 27-year history of the event. Previously Jeeps had dominated the entry lists.

Most of the Toyotas were Hiluxes, but there were also many Land Cruisers.

There were 49 Toyotas in the field of 111 four-wheel drive vehicles, compared to 28 Jeeps.

Other makes represented were: Land Rover/Range Rover (9), Suzuki (4), Nissan (5), Ford (2), SVM (6), Colt and Isuzu (3 of each), with one representative each of Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen and International Scout.

This was the 15^th year that Toyota has been the sponsor of this event which is organised by the ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) 4x4 Organisation (formerly the SA Jeep Club).

The name change came about in 2002 to reflect the fact that many club members drove vehicles other than Jeeps.

Besides the entry of 111 competing vehicles thousands of people camped at the Rust de Winter site or attended the event as spectators over the public holiday weekend.

Results

Overall:

1, Frans and Andre Prins (SVM), 728,72 points; 2, Rudi and Yolaine van der Merwe (SVM), 717,64 points; 3, Philippe Kalkwarf and Ken Fisher (SVM), 709,74 points; 4, Corne and Riani Lombard (Toyota), 701,45 points.

Main Route:

1, Stefan and Nanette Wintershoven (Toyota Hilux), 547,44 points; 2, Len and Anina Nel (Toyota Hilux); 3, Corne and Riani Lombard (Toyota), 567,5 points.

Gymkhana:

1, Philippe Kalkwarf and Ken Fisher (SVM), 222,3 points; 2, Renier and Werner Fourie (Willys Jeep), 221,4 points; 3, Rudi and Yolaine van der Merwe (SVM), 217,8 points.

Best presented

vehicles:1, Neels van Emmenis (Jeep Wrangler), 141 points; 2, B. Donaldson (Jeep CJ7), 138,5 points; 3, Paul Perreira (Toyota Hilux V8), 129,5 points.