Muscat – Haitham Soomar, in a Mitsubishi Evo 7, won the second round of the Sprint Rally held at the Al Jafnain and Al Mesfah area.

Soomar finished ahead of Zakaria al Aufi, in a Mitsubishi Evo 9, and Saif Al Harthi, in a Can-Am, after a fierce battle.

Soomar and his renowned navigator Taha Soomar finished the race in 49 minutes and 18 seconds, just 20 seconds ahead of Al Aufi and his navigator Ammar al Balushi.

Saif al Harthi came third, just 33 seconds behind.

The rally, organised by the Oman Automobile Association, included two stages that were repeated three times. Nine competitors participated in the official start. Hafidh al Naamani, competing on a Can-Am bike, finished fourth while Salem al Toqi and his navigator Issa al Wardi took fifth place in a Mitsubishi Evo 7.

Zakaria al Amri came sixth in a Can-Am ahead of Musab Soomar and his navigator Nasr al Qasmi, who finished seventh in a Kia Rio.

Luck was not on the side of veteran rally driver Faisal al Rashidi and his navigator, Yaqdhan al Rashidi, who had to withdraw from the race after their Subaru Impreza suffered technical malfunctions.

Bashar al Qasmi and his navigator, Bassam al Qasmi, also left the race due to technical issues with their Yaris.

The competition was fierce between the leading trio of Soomar, Al Aufi and Al Harthi during the first and second stages in Al Jafnain and Al Mesfah, and Haitham Soomar was able to win by a small margin.

The Royal Oman Amateur Radio Society coordinated the rally’s stages through communications, and the Fazaa team provided safety support and ensured clear paths.

Anwar Ali al Zadjali, advisor to the Oman Automobile Association, crowned the winners and top finishers.