Karting season signs off with prize-giving gala |12 December 2019

Family photo of the drivers, SKA committee members and guests at the gala

The 2019 karting season is now officially closed following the prize-giving gala held on Sunday where drivers were awarded prizes for their efforts during the season and also got together to enjoy the end of a hard season.

At a function attended by youth and sports principal secretary Fabian Palymre, representatives of the main sponsors primarily Gafoor Yakub of Penlac, Dinesh of the AV Group, Hunt Deltel and the PMC group as well a the National Sports Council, drivers were awarded prizes for the championship as well as for podium finishes from the 10 rounds of the National Championships. The sponsors were also rewarded with a small token for their generosity and help during the year, as well as volunteers who assisted during races.

In the end, Mr. Palymre was given the honour of announcing and presenting the prizes to the drivers of the year on behalf of the SKA.

In her opening speech, SKA chairperson Liza Rene-Cosgrow said that this season had been disrupted by bad weather otherwise it went well. She also said the SKA was proud to have accomplished one of its main goals from its last four-year plan which was the purchase of 10 new Biz Le Mans karts to add to the association’s fleet, something she added would have not been achieved without the help of sponsors and especially the government through the budget received annually from NSC which the SKA had used sensibly over the past years in order to achieve this objective. The journey now continues with the aim to try to add six to eight smaller karts for the younger classes, and the SKA is calling on new sponsors to come on board to help.

Principal secretary Palymre commended the association on the role it has been playing in getting youngsters into doing something more interesting and at the same time keeping them away from bad influences, especially when he sees parents accompanying their children at many race events he has casually watched.

He added that the NSC will continue helping the SKA and all other sports federations in any way it can to keep the good development of the sport going forward. He commended the SKA executive committee for being serious in the running of the association especially now that many federations and associations have been termed to be non-compliant.

The climax of the gala was the announcement of the SKA best drivers:

Best male driver of the year 2019: Dean Maillet

Best female driver of the year 2019: Mitra Labrosse

Best young driver of the year 2019: Delroy Lionnet

The class championships for 2019 were as follows:

SF Women: Champion Liza Rene-Cosgrow, runner-up Mitra Labrosse

SF1: Champion Dave Rene, runner-up Liza Rene-Cosgrow

SF2: Champion Damian Bonnelame, runner-up Rennick Bonnelame

SF3: Champion Denilson Melanie, runner-up Loïc Scharfenberg

SF4: Champion Cedric Ah-Time, runner-up Lopez Anacoura

SF5: Champion Dhruvil Varodhia, runner-up Graig Laporte

SF6: Champion Art Shah, runner-up Delroy Lionnet.

Meanwhile, the 2020 season is expected to open with the annual general meeting scheduled for Saturday January 25, and all present members are advised to start renewing their memberships early due to limited space in all classes for next year. Also, anyone wishing to join the association can start registering as from January 5, 2020.

Contributed by the SKA