By Luis J.A.Wee, founder of the RFC
This year, it’s about returning “home,” so to speak, for the Rainforest Challenge (RFC). The event’s association with the state of Terengganu on the east coast of peninsula Malaysia, goes back to the very beginning of RFC in 1997, where we traversed through part of routes from Hulu Terengganu to Tasik Kenyir.
It’s a state not only with a fearsome reputation for its demanding tracks, but also one which faces the direct onslaught of the North East Monson. The punishing terrain plus the unpredictability of the monsoon makes the going in and out a very arduous task for both man and machine in the years 1997 to 2000.
It was also in this state that the foreign media dubbed the RFC as an “extra-ordinary event for extra-ordinary adventurers, set in an extra-ordinary season – the monsoon.”
This reputation was further strengthened into legend in the world of 4WD with the “infamous” 2007 RFC where the relentlessly monsoon rains rendered the terrain impossible, and when the water level of the river rose dangerously, helicopters were called in, teams had to race across hastily laid pontoon bridges and eventually boats were called upon to evacuate the teams.
With the RFC entry into the league of Top 10 World’s Toughest Motor Races, it will be bringing along both new and seasoned campaigners in extreme off-road along with their respective media in lifestyle, motoring and adventure for an experience of Terengganu in the coming 10 days from 30 Nov to 9 Dec.
In tandem with the aspirations of emerging talent and OEM vehicle manufacturers out to prove their point of having taken on the RFC, two new classes have been created in the competition category: Production Pickup 4x4 and Modified Pickup 4x4.
Both classes will be for stock standard vehicles with factory fitted parts only, with further upgrading allowed in the modified class. They will be taking selected special stages (SS) suited to their category.
Another new format will be the presentation day in Kuala Lumpur in which all competitor teams must be assembled for media and public viewing. The event officially starts in the capital city of Malaysia on November 28. The official opening ceremony will take place in Kuala Terengganu on November 30 followed by the prologue SS on the same day and spilling over to December1
The Malaysian RFC is the grand finale in the RFC Global Series of calendar for 2013. It is the mother event in the series. Earlier in the year from April to Oct, we have held a series of affiliated events from Europe to Asia, and now everyone is here for the ultimate showdown.
Website: www.rainforest-challenge.com
