Mahindra Off-Roading Trophy 2018-19: Final Round

How far can you go? It was almost as if the courses were taunting the drivers as only a few were able to complete all the obstacles on time. Set in 19 Degrees North, Lonavala, the participants had to navigate their way through four different off-road courses, two of which were dry and dusty, while one comprised of a water crossing and the other was covered in slush. The common denominator among them was the fact they were all very difficult to tackle, let alone complete them in the given time. The rules were similar to the finals we covered last year - you get points for every flag picked, negative points for cones hit and judges points for vehicle preservation. There was a ‘super flag’ on each course which carried double the points but was placed in a very tricky location. And while all participants had to tackle the same course, they were classified into 'Modified' and 'Stock' category while judging.

The first course was a triple-climb on a dry and rocky bed. The first climb was a steep incline on which choosing the correct path with the right momentum was key. Participants who opted to take the centre path were left struggling for grip and had to back out. The next part was a slight right over a crest, which wasn't much of an issue. However, it posed a challenge for the next climb as the participants had to line up for the final and the steepest climb of the three.

In the narrow space there was, participants had to back up as far as possible and then gather enough momentum to take on the final stretch. The super flag here was placed right at the top of the course, which made it almost impossible for many to even get to it. In the group we were with, only one of the 10 participants was able to get their SUV on top. Others had to be winched out or were forced to back out of the course in reverse!

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

The second course was a water crossing. What looked like a simple dip-in and crawl-out scenario, was again made tricky with the placement of the super flag. Participants had to get a run-up in the water and then power out onto an embankment before climbing a steep incline with wet tyres to get to the flag. A lot of participants went in too hot and as a result, launched the front wheels several feet into the air (watch the video below).

Once there, they had to lock their vehicle in position, get out of the car and retrieve the flag from the bonnet. After that, they had to reverse their way out and head for the exit. This twist in the path made it really interesting for the participants as they tried different strategies to get to the forbidden fruit. Where the first course was rocky and participants had to navigate through them, the second was packed with slush, forcing the drivers to try different techniques within three attempts to get out of the zone without using the winch.

The third and fourth stages were less terrain-intensive but tested the manoeuvrability and car placement skill of the participants. Both courses had a narrow path up a hill, followed by a U-turn and a narrow exit.

The best part, however, was reserved for last. Here, the participants had to drive over an almost vertical step in order to get to the super flag. This resulted in some spectacular front-end lifts and at times, the SUVs just had one wheel on the ground fighting for traction. The only women who attempted this stage - Dr Vani Parmar - almost reached the top in her modified Thar but was unable to get her vehicle to stay there. This obstacle even resulted in two Thars sacrificing their front axles in an attempt to get to the super flag.

WInners of the final round of the 2018-19 Mahindra Off-Roading Trophy are as follows.

Winner Stock Category - Mr Ravi Bhalla
Winner Modified Category - Mr Digvijay Singh Parmar
Winner Women’s Category - Dr. Vani Parmar

These winners, along with the winners from Goa, Sakleshpur, Wayanad, Ranchi, Hyderabad and Chandigarh will meet in Igatpuri for the finals of the Off-Roading Trophy 2018-19. The winner of the event will get to drive home a brand new Thar!