Two top contenders in the Absa Off Road Championship for Production and Special Vehicles have been sidelined for the forthcoming Toyota 1000 Desert Race in Botswana (June 11-13) after breaking bones in two-wheeled incidents.
Former Production Vehicle champion Giniel de Villiers was out training on his mountain bike a week ago when he fell and broke his arm in the elbow joint while Gavin Kelsey, who co-drives for Special Vehicle championship leader Mark Corbett, sustained multiple fractures of his collarbone while riding his motocross bike over the weekend.
“I have been riding the same mountain trail for the past 15 years and for some inexplicable reason I clipped a rock and took a huge tumble,” said de Villiers. “Fortunately it’s a clean break and I’ll know later this week whether or not the elbow has to be pinned or whether it will be allowed to heal naturally.”
Nissan Motorsport manager, Glyn Hall, will stand in for de Villiers in the Proudly South African Nissan Hardbody with Francois Jordaan filling the co-drivers seat. Hall is no stranger to competition and in fact won the 1990 SA National Rally Championship in VW Golf.
“I was training on my motocross bike and came off on a whoop while riding in 1st gear,” said Kelsey. “As in the case of Giniel it was somewhat of a freak accident but it doesn’t alter the fact that my injuries will take at least six weeks to heal so I, like Giniel, have been relegated to the role of spectator on the Toyota 1000 Desert Race.”
Mark Corbett has yet to decide on a replacement co-driver.
