Another tough day takes its toll on 2009 Safari winner Jacob Smith

Competitors arriving back to the camp in Norseman in the south east of Western Australia today for a mid-leg service were glad to just make it back after two morning stages.
Last year’s winner Jacob Smith was the first bike out today from Coolgardie, but came into trouble in the second stage of the day, coming off his bike and requiring a helicopter transfer to Kalgoorlie Hospital with a suspected broken leg and injured shoulder.

Competitors arriving back to the camp in Norseman in the south east of Western Australia today for a mid-leg service were glad to just make it back after two morning stages.
Last year’s winner Jacob Smith was the first bike out today from Coolgardie, but came into trouble in the second stage of the day, coming off his bike and requiring a helicopter transfer to Kalgoorlie Hospital with a suspected broken leg and injured shoulder.

The group of top riders following him, including his brother Todd, stopped to assist him and a provision for compassionate time will be discussed by officials at the end of today’s racing.

The difficulty of the course is a double-edged sword for competitors. As hard as it is, most would not have it any other way.

Brazilian competitor Ze Helio said it was a hard morning with the track zig-zagging in the first two stages.

“I didn’t really know what to expect before coming here for the Safari, but it is harder than what I am used to in competitions in Brazil.

“It is really good training for Dakar as I plan to compete for the second time at the end of the year.”

The autos have completed the first two stages with Craig Lowndes in the Holden Colorado and Bruce Garland in the Isuzu DMAX reporting a trouble-free morning as they prepared for the final three stages of the day.

Lowndes said he thought he and co-driver Kees Weel were several minutes in the lead The clutch trouble that was slowing them down yesterday was fixed in overnight service yesterday.

Overnight, compassionate time taken off some auto results has put Lowndes and Weel in the lead from yesterday by two and a half minutes over Harrington, Denham and Green.

The Denhams have had better days with their support crew reporting they had been stuck behind another car and, were travelling in their dust, they hit a hole, damaging the front of the vehicle. They had to complete the last stage with only two-wheel drive so will be working hard to get the Mitsubishi Triton back in competition form tomorrow.

The landscape is changing as the event heads towards the southern coast, with the vibrant colours of the red dirt and pink-barked salmon gums contrasting against the clear blue skies competitors have enjoyed all week.

Considered one of the world’s great endurance events, the Australasian Safari is travelling from Southern Cross in the wheatbelt through to the historic Western Australian goldfields, desert, rugged bush and coastal sand dunes, finishing at Esperance.

Results are still to be confirmed for the day and will be available on www.rallyresults.com.au/safari2010

Follow the event action at www.australasiansafari.com.au