Last weekend, the Nairobi Racecourse lit up with all manner of pomp, colour and elegance as thousands trickled in for the 2017 Africa CBA Concours d’Elegance.
Generously sponsored by CBA and well organised by Kenya’s Alfa Romeo Owners Club, this made it the 47th running of this event, which has become one of Kenya’s most popular family events.
The beasts were, of course, not horses but the 77 competing cars and the 41 motorcycles. All of them were also beauties, because they were there to be judged for their preparation, their cleanliness and, especially, their elegance after the car owners spent, some of them, many months of rebuilding, repainting, titivating and polishing.
Increasingly, the Concours event is justifying the glory of Africa in its name. This year there were 13 cars from Uganda and 14 motorcycles – 11 from the Uganda Bikers Association, who once again rode in convoy from Kampala. There were three cars from Tanzania and three motorcycles from South Africa. Over the years there have been entrants from as far away as Argentina, Australia, Mexico, England and Germany.
Alongside the competition there were the 28 stands of the Auto Expo (the motor trades stands) a Classic Car and Motorcycle Sale, and the Heritage Collection of old and interesting vehicles, equipment and machinery.
But the event was about much more than just cars. As in previous years, there were live bands, a fly past, a parachute drop, a free and imaginative children’s centre, and plenty of places for eating and drinking – which is why about 11,000 people turn up each year to admire the competing cars and the motorcycles, to show off their fashions, and enjoy themselves.
There were many spectacular vehicles on display, but pride of places went to Diccon Wilcock’s 1934 Railton who was the overall winner of the car classes and Sati’s Classics 1925 DKW who won in the motorcycle class
Clive Mawson, the FIM-Africa Vice President in-charge of Leisure, Touring and Road Safety, attended this year. He was clearly very impressed.
Here are some of the photos showcasing what went down at the event:
