Salem hopes to regain Al Hussein Rumman Hill Climb title

AMMAN — Al Hussein Rumman Hill Climb, one of the most challenging auto sports events in the region, kicks off on Friday with the participation of 34 drivers.

The Hill Climb course is exactly 3km in length and 3 metres wide with an average rise of 8.5 per cent. There are a total of 24 bends and corners including four hairpin bends. The course is situated 2km north of Rumman.

Husam Salem will be heading the Jordanian delegation with hopes to repeat his victory in 2012.

“I am hoping for the best performance I can give in this challenging event. I believe I have the chance and will to do what I did in 2012, and win the event again,” Salem told
The Jordan Times.

In 2012, Salem won the hill by clocking 1m49.88s to beat the 21 strong drivers, followed by Syria’s Fadi Hamadah (1m50.61s) and Ahmad Zeidan (1m54.30s).

“The list of participants is truly impressive and anyone has a good chance to win it and that is why I need to focus more and have a good strategy,” Salem added.

Last year, Lebanon’s Roger Feghali deprived Salem from taking the first place after clocking 1m51.78s in his Mitsubishi EVO Proto while Salem settled in second place after a disappointing 2m00.51s in the top 10 round.

This year’s event will witness three women drivers taking part headed by veteran driver Nancy Majali.

“I am happy to be part of this event this year too. There are two other drivers who will be competing for the women’s cup which makes it really challenging,” Majali said.

“Every year, we are having more drivers challenging the hill and hopefully we can have a Jordanian at the podium and maybe it will be a women,” she added.

Lina Hadidi and Marina Habaybeh will join Majali in the event.

The event, which started as a competition among friends until it was officially organised in 1955, consists of three rounds and the total of best time achieved in two rounds for the best 10 drivers will be calculated.

HM King Hussein opened the Royal Automobile Club of Jordan in 1953 and took part in the first ever Rumman Hill Climb in 1956.