Shillong, Sept 17: Two boys from Meghalaya are all set to take on more than sixty other teams in theMaruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya, India’s toughest and most demanding motorsport rally.
The Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya is one of the oldest international motorsport events organised in the country, and is the only Indian motorsport event listed on the off-road rallies calendar of Federation Internationale Motorcyclisme (FIM), Geneva, Switzerland.
Team Steroid from Shillong, also the only one from the region, consists of Andrew Ropmay and his Brother Alex who have been extensively preparing for the “world’s highest motorsport battle arena,” in the 10-day rally that will cover the distance of 2500 kilometers from Shimla to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Ropmay brothers are all excited at having to drive through some of the world’s highest motorable roads and passes in the Himalayas like Jalori Pass, Rohtang Pass, Kunzum La, Baralacha La, Tanglang La & Khardung La, through the inhospitable terrains in the Lahual and Spiti valleys in the Ladakh region.
Speaking to www.ohmeghalaya.com Team Steroid driver Andrew Ropmay said, “Most of the drive is through boulders, snow capped peaks, gushing streams and at times, temperature below -20 degree Celsius, and we are excited.”
While elaborating on the route of the rally, Andrew said, “On an average, we would be able to cover a distance of three hundred kilometers every day in this week-long motoring event, and we are ready to see the adventure.”
“It will be a new experience for us and a once in a life time opportunity to see new challenges like never before,” Andrew’s co-driver Alex added.
Andrew said as for Team Steroid this is just the beginning and whether they win or lose, there will be no turning back.
“Next year we will have more teams so with more cars in the competition, we would have more chances of winning the rally,” Andrew said adding that if more sponsors come forward, “there is no doubt we will do our best to bring laurels to our state.”
For this rally, team Steroid is powered by Purple Rain Entertainment, and sponsored by Meghalaya Tourism.
The Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya runs in three separate categories, the “Xtreme,” which is the toughest of the lot and is open only to those 4-wheeler drivers who have prior rallying experience and have competed in one of the earlier editions of the Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya or Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm Rally.
The second being the Adventure Trial, which is open to those motorsports enthusiasts who would like to take on the Himalayas but without the tough competition, difficulty and stress involved in the “Xtreme.”
Then there is the “Bikes Xtreme,” for bikes of all types and makes. By Our Reporter
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