The second round of the Madagascar Rally Championship kicks off this Friday with the launch of the 8th Rallye Jovena. The Amoronakona spectator slalom will conclude the first leg this evening.
Three days of excitement and suspense have officially begun. The 8th edition of the Rallye Jovena, serving as the second leg of the Madagascar Rally Championship, will run from Friday to Sunday in the areas surrounding Anjeva, Masindray, Miadamanjaka, and Androrohoro. Thirty-six crews are registered to compete in the season’s first three-day rally.
A fierce battle is expected, especially among the top contenders, following the intense competition during the first round—the two-day Rallye Sprint organized by the FMMSAM club just over a month ago. The ASACM crew of Mathieu Andrianjafy and Nathanaël Young, driving a Subaru Impreza and winners of that inaugural round, only managed to turn the tide during the final two special stages.
The first rally of the season was nearly dominated by the ASACM duo of Olivier and Ny Anjara in a Mitsubishi Evo X. The crew set the fastest times in the first six special stages. However, due to a fuel pump issue, Olivier lost significant time in the final two stages and was forced to relinquish the lead.
The ASACM crew of Aro Kiady and Cheynne, driving a Subaru STI R4, ranks among the major challengers for this upcoming rally.
Spectator Stages
A regular on the podium, Aro Kiady was forced to retire in the penultimate stage due to a sensor problem. In his first season and his second outing with the Mitsubishi Yas, Frédéric Rabekoto, alongside co-driver Andry Tahina, narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth in the inaugural round.
Competitors will face fourteen timed special stages covering a total of 103.08 km. Including liaison sections (113.20 km), the total distance of the race is 216.28 km. The ASACM club has also scheduled four spectator-friendly special stages at the Fisandratana station in Amoronakona for this 8th Rallye Jovena. Three special stages are on the menu for today; the first spectator slalom will be a night race that concludes the first leg. Six special stages are planned for Saturday, with the final two held as super-spectator stages. The same slalom in Amoronakona will conclude the rally on Sunday.
By Serge Rasanda
Captured & Published at: 2026-06-19 07:00:01 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/06/rallye-jovena-la-bataille-entre-cadors.html