Gurmeet Virdi And Kirpal Singh Tung Win 2016 Rainforest Challenge

While I am not the biggest fan of races held on a track but off-roading is something that has always caught my fancy. And this is the reason, for the third year in a row; I landed in Goa for the 2016 edition of the Rainforest Challenge in Goa.

One has seen the event grow in terms of execution and participation. Tougher special stages, increased number of participation and much better prepared cars than seen in the last two editions, this year, the RFC had it all. As usual there were 4 legs namely the Prologue, Predator, Terminator and the Twilight. While the Prologue leg had 12 special stages (SS), which were kind of an easing in stages for the participants, the Predator stages cranked up the heat and the Terminator stages, well as the name suggests, were quite close to terminating quite a few competitors from the overall scheme of things. The Prologue stages were held in Dona Paula while the Predator and the Terminator stages were held in a rundown stone quarry at Quepem (Cavorem), Goa.

(One of the participants barely avoids a topple on a steep incline )

As the stages grew tougher, they separated the grain from the chaff. There were a few instances of vehicles toppling too, but in all cases, the driver and the navigator were safe, with no injuries or such. Also, the growing difficulty levels meant that the teams had to put special emphasis on preserving their vehicles instead of going out all guns blazing. The stages needed a very fine balance to be maintained between aggression and restraint and well, most of participants showed that level of composure.

(A participants' vehicle breaks down in the middle of the slush pool)

Just to give you an idea of the level of difficulty on one of the Special stages of the Terminator leg, the participants had to wade through bonnet deep pool of water, winch the vehicle up a 2 and a half feet vertical wall and then drive through the muddy course, loop around, and winch the vehicle up again towards the end, before wading out of the water. 11 participants could not finish this one.

The Twilight zone was 7km route through thick foliage, cliffs, water crossings and what not! The participants were given a total of 10 hours to finish. One can only imagine the level of difficulty. This was a stage wherein the participants were allowed to help each other and try and get to the finish line. There were two special stages after the Twilight zone, which the participants could only attempt if they finished the Twilight zone.

(Gurmeet Virdi and Kirpal Singh Tung raising the Indian Flag after winning 2016 RFC)

In the end, it was Gurmeet Virdi and his co-driver Kirpal Singh Tung from Gerrari Off-Roaders, who were crowned champions of 2016 Rainforest Challenge India. This is the first time that an Indian team has won the RFC in India. Merwyn Lim and Hamizan Bin Abdul Hamid from Malaysia came second and their compatriots Tan Eng Joo and Tan Choo Hong took the third position overall. Gurmeet and Kirpal were driving a modified Maruti Gypsy while the Malaysian teams had an RFC prepped Force Gurkha as their vehicles. Gurmeet and Kirpal will be travelling to Malaysia for the Mother Event that is the Rainforest Challenge.

(This participating Thar had a 5.3-litre V8 engine and was running 40-inch off-road tyres)

A special mention to Cougar Motorsport and its team, who were brilliant in organisation and execution of the entire event. And just so you know, the dates for the 2017 edition of the Rainforest Challenge India have already been announced. It will be held from 21st July to 28th July, 2017. Cannot wait to be there already!