Manali: The competitive leg of the 15th edition of Maruti Suzuki Raid-De-Himalaya comprising three super stages, began from Shimla today morning. 153 cars and bikes commenced their tryst with the mighty Himalayas for the most coveted motorsports trophy.
Challenging the eight time winner, Manali’s Suresh Rana (Navigator Ashwin Naik), is Delhi’s Amanpreet Ahluwalia (Navigator Venuramesh) who won the Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare in August this year. Suresh/Ashwin have come together after their win in 2011 and are driving a Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, while challenger Amanpreet/Venuramesh are competing in their Maruti Suzuki Gypsy.
In the Raid X-Treme Bikes and Moto Quad category, CS Santosh, the defending champion, has a tough fight from Austrian Helmut Frauwallner, the winner two years ago and German Stephan Rausch, both breathing down his neck today. Meanwhile, Raj Singh Rathore of Japiur driving the only moto quad crashed out during the first leg itself after fuel problems with his vehicle.
Earlier in the wee hours of morning, the X-treme cars and bikes started off from Shimla to head towards Manali, Luhri, Behna, Chimni, Khanag. Three competitive super stages were planned between Dalog and Chamola (33.41 kms), Luhri and Behna (21.32 kms) Chimni and Khanag (19.57 kms) totaling an overall 312 kms including transport stages.
The motorsport enthusiasts traversed the most beautiful and varying countryside, complete with Chir and Deonar trees sliced by streams and rivulets flowing through the rally tracks to join Sutlej and Beas rivers. The terrain was largely dirt with some parts suddenly turning rocky while the rally went through drops and rises from lowland scrub to alpine meadows. While it was very foggy in the morning and at times low lying rainfed clouds kissed the tracks, the drivers were lucky that rains did not mar the day.
Tomorrow, the second leg will start from Manali and head towards Kaza via Gramphoo and Losar. It will cross over Rohtang Pass in an iconic Himalayan adventure.
There are five competitive categories in the 15th edition of Maruti Suzuki Raid-De-Himalaya. Raid X-Treme (4X4) and Raid X-Treme (Motorcycles and Quads) are two all-out speed categories, Raid X-Treme (Alpine): This is a high-speed category for bikers competing for the first time in the Raid, Raid Adventure Trial follows the Time-Speed-Distance format and for the first time, Raid X-Treme (Scooters has been introduced to enable scooters to take on the rough mountain terrain.
Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya is one of the two Indian motorsport events listed amongst the 12 off-road rallies calendar of FIA (Federation Internationale Automobile and FIM (Federation Internationale Motorcyclisme) Geneva, Switzerland. The six day mountain adventure began from Shimla and will traverse the difficult stretches of Kaza and the Monastery Necklace, Khardung La and Wari La, and the temperamental Nubra Valley. Enroute, the Raid will go through some of the highest motorable passes and human settlements in the world. These include Darcha (3360 m), Keylong (3440 m), Leh (3524 m), Kaza (3650 m), Dhankar (3894 m), Losar (4079 m), Rumtse (4300 m), Kunzum La (4551 m), Komik (4587 m) and Pang (4600 m). It will draw to a close at Leh on Oct 12.
