Edition Seven of the Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India took place in the interior of Goa from 28 August to 4 September.
After a break of one year, due to the pandemic, the Delhi-based Cougar Motorsport hosted the motor sport event in which 21 teams from all over India participated.
The Rainforest Challenge (RFC) of Malaysia is an extreme off-road motor sport competition that is ranked third in the “Five Toughest Off-Road Races in the World” as ranked by Škoda Motorsport (2018). The India Edition of RFC was initiated by Cougar Motorsport back in 2014. Today, RFC India is considered among the top two RFC global events out of the 51 Editions held across 21 countries around the world. The event has its cult following in the Indian and international off-roading community.
The event this year was pushed forward from the usual peak monsoon season around July due to the lockdown curbs. Yet, contrary to expectations and despite it being the end of August, heavy showers of rain did help keep the excitement up and competition alive during RFC 2021.
The last-minute approvals meant a relatively short time for the organizers to prepare for the event and for the competitors to put together their vehicles and reach Goa. Even so, 21 teams from across the country, each comprising a driver and a co-driver, made it to the coveted off-road motor sport championship.
The competitors had to overcome 26 Special Stages or challenges that tested their driving and vehicle recovery skills, team spirit, as well as their physical and mental endurance under extreme off-road conditions. The event followed a point system, wherein the team with maximum points at the end claimed the “RFC India” championship.
With a total score of 2,155 out of 2,600, Kabir Waraich and co-driver Dushyant Khosla of Gerrari Offroaders, Chandigarh clinched the coveted Overall Champions Trophy at the Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India 2021. The second position was secured by Anand V Manjooran and co-driver Vishnu Raj of KTM Jeepers of Kerala with 2,144 points and, with 2,014 points, third on the podium, stood Dr Mohammad Fahed VP and co-driver Rajeev Lal of Team Gulf First from Kerala.
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Story: Cherry Mathew Roy
