Rhino Charge

Rhino Charge 2007

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Rhino Charge Action

Rhino Charge is an annual rally raid held in Kenya, in which the competitors have to compete on a gruelling cross-country course in off-road vehicles. All funds raised by this event are donated to Rhino Ark, a Kenyan charity set up to help to conserve the Aberdare Conservation area. RHINO CHARGE OVERVIEW The Rhino Charge is an off-road event in which competitors are required to visit 13 points scattered over approximately 100 square km of rough terrain within a 10 hour period. Competitors are supplied with a 1:50,000 scale map of the venue, co-ordinates of the 13 Control Points and their Start position (at one of the Controls). Each competitor must plot the Control Points on the map and decide his/her route. Navigation is by compass/GPS and the winner is the competitor who visits the most controls in the shortest distance (GPS measured). The event is organised to raise funds for the Rhino Ark Charitable Trust. Competitors are required to raise the minimum sponsorship set by the organising committee. Most however raise considerably more - the record to date being Kshs 11,509,015 in 2011 from Car No.5 led by Alan McKittrick. Long-time supporters such as Sarah and (the late) Mike Higgins have raised a total of Kshs 39,604,399 over the last 20 years.

To negate environmental damage entries to the Charge are limited to less than 60 vehicles. The popularity of the Charge is such that the organisers have introduced a preferential entry strategy favouring high value fund raisers because would-be entrants far exceed available places in the event.

There is a similar, if somewhat tamer, event held annually in Sussex, England. The UK Rhino Charge has been going since 1997. Because of environmental constraints and the choice of 4x4 events in the UK the event is neither as big nor as arduous as its’ big brother in Kenya but it does allow all types of 4x4 and entrants from enthusiastic novices to hardened experts to enjoy a very different type of day out in the country. Part navigation and 4x4 orienteering, part 4x4 trial and part command task exercise, this unique medley of any event has something for everyone, with harder, optional Tiger Lines thrown in if you don’t mind a few dents and scratches on your vehicle. Because of the varied tasks and sections the UK Rhino Charge has been won by vehicles as big as a Land Rover 110 and as small as a Yamaha Rhino ATV. Teams can be made up of 2 to 6 people so long as the vehicle can accommodate them, teamwork can be as important and off-road ability and common sense more valuable than horsepower!

Other events held to support Rhino Ark are the Quattro Charge (a 4x4 trials event) and the Hog Charge for children using mountain bikes.

External links

• http://www.rhinocharge.co.ke The official Rhino Charge Website
• http://www.rhinoark.org Rhino Ark are the Charity behind the Rhino Charge, includes Rhino Charge information
• http://www.strangerover.org.uk The Braeburn Strange Rover Team in Car 4
• http://www.ourrhinocharge.co.uk Car 9 on 2012 Rhino Charge