Hard-core off-roading is a thrill which is not for the faint hearted. The treacherous terrain, the ever changing weather patterns and the rush for adrenaline will make the week scramble away to safety.
Add to all this, an icing fun of the colossal monsoon rains. The torrential rain tearing down the windscreen and the powerful gusts of wind which can even uproot trees! Does all of this sound interesting to you? Well this story is just for you then.
Cougar Motorsports Pvt Ltd is organizing the first edition of the Rainforest Challenge (RFC) in India this August from the 8th to the 14th. Participants from India as well as from around the world will be battling it out in a 250km stretch, from South to North Goa for six days in the peak of the monsoons. The competition will be in lines of the original Malaysian RFC, started in 1977.
Considered to be one of the top ten toughest motorsport events in the world, the RFC has a strong presence in Italy, Russia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tunisia, China and Australia, apart from its parent country Malaysia.
58 year old Ramessh Belaaram Ahuja, and his teammate, 32 year old Daulatram Chaudhary will be slugging it out against 49 other teams. Mr Ahuja, hailing from Pune, an avid off-roader is going to try his hand out of wooing the esteemed winner’s position, his dream for the better part of the last two years.
He has not let his age come between him and his passion for off-roading. He is aiming for not just a good position but win the Challenge which will guarantee a direct entry to Malaysia RFC. He has been a part of a number of such off-roading trips and rallies, including the Mahindra Great Escape, Gokak Challenge and a number of local off-road events organised all over Maharashtra.
He has been following the various RFC’s for the last 5 years, in his self-owned Toyota Land Cruiser FJ 40. He has been modified his car to suit the specifications of the RFC India.
Anyone with a road registered 4-wheel drive or an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) can take part in this challenge. There are in all 50 slots of which 40 have been reserved for Indians and 10 for foreigners.
We wish Mr Ahuja and his teammate the best for the upcoming rally.
Pics from Malaysian RFC Site
