Driving, rather ploughing through unchartered, tough terrain while blinding rains threaten to tear the top of your 4×4 down sound like fun? Well, that’s all set to happen this August (8-14) in Goa. Far from the beaches, deep down the lush hills and enchanting valleys ripe with greenery just after the rains lean, the Force Gurkha RFC (Rainforest Challenge) India 2014 shall run its course through the Goan countryside. Touted to be the first international off-road motorsport event on Indian soil, it will be a shot in the arm for India’s off-roading community as a platform to flaunt credible talent.
This off-roading event will be a part of Malaysia’s Rainforest Challenge, which is one of the toughest and the most internationally represented off-roading motorsport events in the world. With seven editions held across different parts of the world, India is the eighth country to join the international chapters of the RFC. There will be more than 40 teams, both domestic and international, who’ll be aspiring for top guns in the event, not to mention countless adventure tourists and hundreds of enthusiasts representing most of the off-roading clubs and communities across India, whose presence is also expected at the event.
The Government of Goa, more appropriately Goa Tourism, sees this as a massive opportunity to boost influx of tourists during monsoon and especially after hosting internationally acclaimed events like SunBurn, Goa Fest and India Bike Week, they’ve decided to team up with RFC as the Tourism Partner and lend support as it fits perfectly with Goa Tourism’s plans of promoting Goa as a destination for adventure tourism. As per Mr. Nikhil Desai, Director-Tourism, Government of Goa, “We are very excited to have the first edition of Force Gurkha RFC India in Goa. It has a synergy with our aim of promoting Goa as a destination for adventure tourists. I wish the organizers the very best for the upcoming motorsport challenge.”
Of course, care will be taken to preserve Goa’s flora and fauna as the course has been designed away from protected forest territory and wildlife sanctuaries, on a combination of private and government land. To celebrate this belief and commitment, an ‘Environmental Award’ will be given to the individual or team that shows the utmost care and attention towards the preservation of the environment.
Mr. Ashish Gupta, Founder and Director, Cougar Motorsport Pvt. Ltd., the company responsible for bring the event to India says, “We are delighted to have Goa Tourism as our tourism partner. It is a matter of great pride for India and the state of Goa in particular that an international event of this stature is going to be held here. Goa is such a beautiful place during the monsoons; the adventure sports scene is thriving during this season. During the planning stages of the event we contemplated about many locations, but due to the specificity of our needs such as the course terrain and connectivity, Goa was an obvious choice. The wild monsoons of Goa will be the perfect backdrop for the Force Gurkha RFC India, giving adventure lovers something to look forward to and also generate good revenue for the tourism industry in Goa. I pray the magical monsoons are kind and pour down on us really hard!”
