It proved to be a moment of joy for Gurmeet Virdi and Kirpal Singh Tung as they fought off solid competition to win the 'under 3050cc diesel' category. The team went to finish the Grand Final stage of the main RFC event in Malaysia, being the first ever Indians in doing so.
Overall, they finished 11th, accumulating 1,361 points out of a possible 2,400 points. The deadly duo were also the winners of the 2016 Rainforest Challenge India, which was held in Goa earlier this year. The win automatically confirmed their participation at the main RFC event which recently concluded in Malaysia. Gurmeet has been participating in RFC India ever since it was held the first time in 2014. This was the second time Gurmeet was a part of the main RFC event in Malaysia, while it was a first for Kirpal.
Gurmeet said, "Kirpal and I had decided before coming to Malaysia that we had to concentrate on preserving our vehicle and staying in the competition till the end. Though we definitely dreamt of winning, our focus throughout the week was on avoiding penalties and vehicle breakdown. Now that the final results have been announced, I am finding it hard to believe that our dream has come true. The feeling is yet to sink in!"
2016 Rain Forest Challenge Malaysia Winner
What also makes their achievement more commendable is the fact that their vehicle was a hired one and they even seen the vehicle till a couple of days remained for the competition to start. Knowing the vehicle is extremely important in any motorsport event. Despite the odds, Gurmeet and Kirpal drove really well, battling it out with seasoned off-road veterans from across the world.
Ashish Gupta, founder and director, Cougar Motorsport Pvt. Ltd., the company which organises Rainforest Challenge in India said, "I would like to congratulate Gurmeet and Kirpal on their superb performance in the RFC 2016 Grand Final. We brought RFC to India three years ago with the intent of promoting the latent off-road talent in various parts of the country and help promising Indian offroaders gain recognition not only in our country but also internationally. Having an Indian team on the podium in Malaysia this year is like a mission accomplished."
