Simon Parravicino and Andrew Croney won the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) April Safari Round Two of the 2025 Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship recently.
They claimed the Audley Croney Memorial Trophy, named for navigator Andrew’s father, a long-standing member of the BRC and an enthusiastic and skilful competitor in navigational events.
Aboard the Realtors Ltd/Serenity Pest Control Jeep Wrangler, the reigning champions trailed first-round winners Leslie Alleyne and Chris O’Neal (POD Store/Maxxis/Lucky Locks/Flying Fish Sportswear Suzuki Jimny) after the morning route, but fought back in the afternoon to win by a margin of just 10 penalty points. Ben Norris and Kirk Watkins (Jeep Rubicon) were third, a further 493 points behind.
Croney said: “This win really means a lot to me. To finally get my name on the Audley Croney Memorial Trophy feels amazing, especially this month. April marks eight years since my dad passed, so to come out on top now just makes it that much more special. I know he’d be proud. To be honest, neither Simon nor I were expecting to take this one. It was a tough event, and the competition was tight the whole way. In the end, it came down to just a three-minute penalty, which was enough to tip it in our favour. Wild how close it can get!”
Sunday’s challenging event was set by Gary Mendes and 2023 Class B Champions Stephen and Ben Moore with the start and finish at Inchcape. The wide-ranging 100-kilometre route visited St Peter, St Andrew, St Joseph, St James, St George and St Michael, with a lunchtime stopover at the Vaucluse Raceway in St Thomas. In a rare move, crews tackled five methods of navigation — tulip as you see it, 90-degree tulip, grid line, BRC and straight line — and set off at three-minute intervals, rather than the usual one-minute.
After winning Class B for the first time last month, Alexander Gill and Chelsea Clarke (Isuzu D-Max) doubled up on Sunday, finishing fourth overall. Chelsea’s sister Rebecca, currently the only female MudDogs driver, and navigator Austin Barber finished second in their Mitsubishi Pajero iO as they did in the March Safari but cut the margin of victory from 900 to just over 500 penalties.
Reigning class champions George Mendes and Leslie Evanson (G&G Sales and Service Vitara) finished third, ahead of Tyrone Chase and Sameisha Williams (Suzuki Vitara). Charles Clarke and mum Robyn were fifth in their Mitsubishi Pajero, with Chris and Deborah McFarlane sixth on the MudDogs debut of the Megapower Riddara RD6.
Despite finishing last, McFarlane was delighted with the experience: “We entered this event to test the electric 4wd Riddara over roads, gullies and pathways no one will really ever drive on, but what we got in return was a taste of rally excellence, a most friendly family atmosphere, competitive cameraderie and the best marriage-bonding experience in years. We will be back and will bring friends.”
Next up for the MudDogs is the Chefette June Safari, a two-day event on June 28 and 29 which marks the 68th anniversary of the founding of the BRC.
Croney says: “That’s definitely going to be the focus now. The June Rally has always been just out of reach for me. I’ve come close a few times but never managed to seal the deal. Feeling good, feeling ready, and this win’s given me a solid boost heading into it. We coming for it!”
Parravicino added: “The rally was a challenging one, but well set, especially from the aspect of how much of the island was used, incorporating roads that have not been used in some time. The victory was very close and all teams involved were in the running which you want for every rally. Some more mud would have been welcomed but I am sure we will have our fair share of that in the upcoming June.”
(PR)
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