Tag: Leh

Raid de Himalaya 2018: All-women teams set to explore new horizons

The Rana sisters….all set for new challenges.

Shimla, 02 October 2018: Delhi’s Shuchi Thakur, a St Stephen’s alumnus and global number one in extreme cross country high-altitude motorsport racing among women, is again taking on the challenge at the 20th edition of the Raid de Himalaya.

The Raid will start from Leh on October 8, and will finish on October 14. Competitors at Raid 2018 will take on mountain roads, hairpin curves and dangerous drop-offs in Kargil, Zanskar and Ladakh sectors, covering approximately 3,000 Kms every year.

Shuchi has competed at the Raid an astounding 12 times. That is a formidable record, since the Raid is considered among the top ten toughest motorsport rallies of the world. Shuchi, who hails from Dharamshala and now lives at Delhi, first competed in Raid de Himalaya in 2005. She has been racing at the Raid every year since then, except 2016. This makes Shuchi the only woman globally who has raced a 4×4 vehicle over 100,000 Kms of high-altitude dangerous roads in an extreme motorsport event.

Shuchi’s commendable podium finishes include second in T1 category at Raid 2017, first in T2 category at Raid 2015, and second in T2 category at Raid 2013. At the Maruti Suzuki National Autocross Championship 2016-17, she ranked first in North Zone 4-Wheel Drive category.

Shuchi says it is important for a professional rallyist to be fit all the year round. “For cross country endurance rallying, fitness is key. One has to be prepared for long hours of strenuous driving under all kinds of conditions. I run a lot, also do resistance training and high intensity interval workout.”

Shuchi Thakur and her co-driver.

Shuchi works in the advertising industry in the creative section. “Everything else that I do is a means to this end – rallying. I am there to compete, not for a fun drive in the hills. I try to do as many events in a year as possible. Seat time is essential. The more seat time you get, the better you get at your craft,” she says.

Shuchi has been competing in other cross-country rallies in the country like the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm and the SJOBA sub-Himalayan Rally. She also races at autocross events in the country.

The other major woman rallyist in the Xtreme category of the Raid is Anu Rana of Chandigarh. Anu has been competing in Xtreme motorsport racing since 2014. This is the fourth time she is competing at the Raid de Himalaya.

In 2015, Anu was second in the T2 category at the Raid. She bagged the Coup de Dames trophy, given to the all-women team that performs best at the Raid, in 2015 and also 2016. Anu was second in the T2 category at the Dakshin Dare 2015, and first in the women’s category at Dakshin Dare in 2016 and 2017.

Anu, a financial consultant, will compete at the Raid with her sister Poonam Rana as navigator. The duo has won various trophies together.

Anu says the Raid is her favourite motorsport race. “Competitive driving for long hours at high altitudes requires completely different set of training and conditioning of your body. The terrain keeps getting steeper with every turn, and you will not know when you will be racing on loose rocks or even sand, which makes the drive tougher with distance. For a racer like me, the terrain looks tempting, but you should never forget limits of your car,” said Anu, a seasoned rallyist now.

Raid de Himalaya is the flagship event of the country’s premier motorsport club, Shimla-based Himalayan Motorsport. President Himalayan Motorsport Vijay Parmar said women drivers who come to the Raid are are really, really tough. “Their level of dedication, fearlessness and outright driving skill is a world apart. Shuchi Thakur has been coming for the Raid for over a decade. She has always aimed for an overall win, beating men and women in her category. Anu Rana, teaming with her sister, can be a formidable combination in Xtreme 4×4. Interesting times ahead.”

For Raid de Himalaya 2018, motorsport adventure seekers will race on the new pass of Kaldang-Kildang La at an elevation of 4.092m in the Ladakh region. The Raid will also have competitive stretches across the daunting stretches of Photoksar and Sirisir La.

This year’s Raid will run its first stage on the never-before traversed section from Lamayuru, called the moonland of Ladakh, to Photoksar. Competitors are going to race on a newly-upgraded road that was earlier a mule track into Zanskar.

Competitors at the Raid will also on the road leading to Umba La, a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.496 meters above sea level. This is one of the most spectacular stretches globally, and is listed on dangerousroads.org. Crossing the Sirisir La at a height of 4,805 meters above sea level, the 20th Raid De Himalaya is going to enter totally unchartered territory.

October 2, 2018
Raid de Himalaya 2018: Two amputees to compete on motor-bikes, a global first!

Vinod Rawat…..all set for a new challenge in his life.

Shimla, 30 September 2018: In a global first, two amputees are going to compete on motorcycles in the World’s highest cross-country rally raid, the Raid de Himalaya. Setting this global record are Vinod Rawat of Mumbai and Ashok Munne of Nagpur. What makes these amputees take on a rally that is the litmus test for motorsport adventure seekers in the country? The four words that people have thrown at them over the years. ‘You can’t do it’.

The Raid is considered among the top ten toughest rallies of the World. It will take off from Leh on October 8 this year, and finish on October 14. Over 200 competitors participating in Raid de Himalaya 2018 will race over some of the most challenging roads in the Kargil, Zanskar and Ladakh sectors, speeding over rocks, gravel and dust.

The amputees, Vinod Rawat and Ashok Munne are competing in the toughest category at the Raid – Xtreme Moto. Racing motorcycles at high-altitude roads and mountain passes is a task few can accomplish.

Munne is a Nagpur man, and nobody who knows him is surprised that he is going to compete at the Raid de Himalaya. Munne is a para-athlete whose achievements can dazzle any able-bodied individual. The 34-year-old is a mountaineer, an expert para glider, a scuba diver, a marathon runner, a black belt in martial arts, a skilled gymnast and kayaker, yoga expert and ace swimmer.

Munne climbed the Everest in 2016, and is planning to repeat the feat in 2019. He lost his leg in a train accident in 2008, but didn’t let the handicap limit his life. His current passion is finishing the Raid de Himalaya. “I was 24 when I lost my leg in a train mishap. People said my life was over. I proved to people that I can and will do everything in life. There is no physical limitation. I will live my life the way I want to.”

Ashok Munne…..living his dream

Munne, who uses a blade leg, is the brand ambassador for two multi-national artificial limbs companies. He climbed the Mera Peak in Nepal, at a height of 6,476 meters, without oxygen. In 2013, he rode 3,000 Kms through Ladakh on his motorcycle. He is ecstatic, he says, to be fulfilling his dream of participating in the Raid de Himalaya.

“Now everything is a surprise in life. Everything is a new joy. It feels so wonderful that I am competing in the Raid this year. I had never thought I would live such an exciting life,” said Munne.

Rawat has lived the Raid dream in his head for nine years. His leg was amputated when he was child. He got his driving license in the year 2000, and has been an avid motorcyclist since. “I came to know about the Raid in 2010. Since then, it has been my most cherished dream to compete at the Raid and finish it,” he said.

Rawat was not the one to take his Raid dream lightly. He has been going to Leh since 2011 at least once a year, practicing motorcycling there so that his body got used to the demands of high-altitude terrain.

In 2017, as part of his Raid preparation, Rawat went to Leh on a cycle all the way from Manali via Khardung La. Rawat says he undertook the rally to check his stability and stamina. “Like we test the power of the bike, I wanted to test myself. Machine doesn’t take the man. The man takes the machine,” said Rawat.

Rawat is driving a 150cc four-stroke Indian bike at the Raid. Experienced motorsport champions know that finishing the Raid successfully is a challenge. Rawat is confident that he will be a Raid finisher. “You may call it overconfidence, but I believe in it 100 per cent. For 18 years, ever since I became a motorcyclist, people scared me because I am an amputee. I have always stood my ground. I will prove them wrong this time too,” said the determined 43-year-old.

Rawat’s Raid dream is being sponsored by Jaipur Foot, the artificial-limb providing company that gave him the rubber-based prosthetic leg to enable normal movement. “We want to reach the disabled and fill them with hope,” said Rawat. “When I compete at the Raid, people with disabilities will know that they don’t have to live restricted, fearful lives,” said Rawat.

The Mumbai man admits that he could have chosen to be the first amputee globally to participate on a motorcycle in a rally as formidable as the Raid de Himalaya. “But I thought I should take another amputee along who is a high-achiever. This would be such amazing inspiration for the disabled,” he said.

Raid de Himalaya is the flagship event of the country’s premier motorsport club, Shimla-based Himalayan Motorsport. President Himalayan Motorsport Vijay Parmar said that their club has always promoted the spirit of excellence in life, of achieving against all odds, by supporting para-athletes like Deepa Malik, Arun Bareja and now Ashok Munne and Vinod Rawat. “At the end of the day, without the possibility of an impossible challenge the human being is nothing at all! We are amazed by their determination, and what they have achieved,” said Parmar.

September 30, 2018
Raid de Himalaya 2018: New section will challenge the best of men and machine

Shimla, 28 September 2018: On the most impossible roads of the Kargil, Zanskar and Ladakh sectors, motorsport titans of India are going to clash at the 20th edition of the Raid de Himalaya, the World’s highest cross-country motorsport challenge. The Raid 2018 will run from October 8 to October 14. It will begin and finish at Leh.

A total of 31 teams for Xtreme cars and trucks, 37 teams for Xtreme motorcycles and quads, 12 bikers in the Alpine two-wheeler category, and 31 teams in Adventure Trail, which follows the Time-Speed-Distance format, are going to race on the highest reaches of the Himalayas.

This year’s Raid will run its first stage on the never-before traversed section from Lamayuru, called the Moonland of Ladakh, to Photoksar. Rallyists are going to race on a newly-upgraded road that was earlier a mule track into Zanskar. Crossing the Sirisir La at a height of 4,805 meters above sea level, the 20th Raid De Himalaya is going to enter totally unchartered territory.

Raid 2018 is all set for the clash between motorsport titans Philippos Mathai and Amittrajit Ghosh of Team Mahindra, Raid winner 2015 Lhakpa Tsering, Raid 2017 runners-up Sanjay Razdan and Sanjay Agarwal, Raid 2017 third overall.

The choice of vehicles for these motorsport champions is diverse. The gruelling Raid de Himalaya 2018 is going to feature Mathai and Ghosh driving the XUV 500, Sanjay Razdan driving the Maruti Gypsy, Sanjay Agarwal driving the Grand Vitara, and Lakhpa Tsering of Arunachal Pradesh challenging them all with the Polaris RZR 1000 Turbo Dynamix.

Raid 2018 will see competitors racing to Umba La, a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.496 meters above sea level. This is one of the most spectacular stretches globally, and is listed on dangerousroads.org. The high mountain road features more than 50 hairpin curves and dangerous drop-offs.

Lhakpa Tsering, Raid Winner 2015, said it takes guts to race at the heights and the roads that form part of the Raid de Himalaya. “Rallying is not cricket or tennis where you have 17-18 year olds as champions. Competitive high-altitude racing needs maturity, brains and physical fitness, and tremendous grit,” said Lakhpa, 45, who has been in motorsport for 20 years.

The Raid is considered among the top ten toughest rallies of the World. The Raid was established in 1999, and those in the motorsport circuit admit that it’s made grown men cry ever since.

In 20 years, the Raid has mapped a total of 13.23 lakh kilometres over the highest motorable roads of the Himalayas, including route reconnaissance and transport stages. Competitors driving four wheelers, two wheelers and scarabs have raced over 41,570 kilometers in two decades.

Raid de Himalaya, India’s most formidable motorsport race, is the flagship rally of the country’s leading motorsport club, Himalayan Motorsport. Vijay Parmar, President of Himalayan Motorsport, said that it has been the Raid’s tradition to open new areas every year to adventure tourism.

“Raid 2018 offers new winding high-altitude dirt roads as extremely challenging stages on the worlds’ highest cross-country challenge. We have been discovering new routes every year. For the 20th anniversary of our epic rally, there had to be something special. Racing on the new pass of Kaldang-Kildang La at an elevation of 4.092m in the Ladakh region, and the daunting stretches of Photoksar and Sirisir La promises to make Raid 2018 a nail-biting finish,” said Parmar.

September 28, 2018