Kalimantan to offer offroaders challenge
Kalimantan to offer offroaders challenge
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Local and foreign four-wheel-drive enthusiasts will get an
opportunity to take on the wilderness of rain forest-blanketed
Kalimantan when they take part in the inaugural Diplomat
Challenge of Indonesia.
The organizers announced that the number of entries would be
restricted to 50 cars in the event that is scheduled to take
place from Dec. 8 to Dec. 18.
Syamsir Alam, challenge technical chief, said that six of the
foreign entries would be allocated automatically for offroad
winners either in Europe and Asia.
"We are still sorting out the shortlist of the champions to be
invited to the event," Syamsir said here on Wednesday.
Foreign participants are expected to come from Australia,
Britain, Brunei, China, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Spain,
Thailand and the United States.
"We are keen to make the event a showcase for Indonesia to
offroad enthusiasts worldwide," Syamsir said.
Justinus Sjahlim, an experienced Indonesian offroader, said
the challenge would be a tough and spectacular 800-kilometer trip
from Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan to Muara Teweh, Central
Kalimantan, and onto Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.
The route will incorporate 15 special competition stages.
"We will be challenged to overcome what is often a difficult
and hazardous track. Our teams will also be tested during the
event," said Justinus, who participated in the International Jeep
Safari in Moab, Utah, last month.
Some local offroaders will have to go through qualifying
events to win places in the challenge. Others can expect
inclusion on wildcards.
The organizers have planned three qualifying events as part of
the Road to the DCI 2005; in Yogyakarta from May 20-22; Makassar
July 1-3 and Malang (East Java) Dec. Aug. 26-28.
"The pre-events take only two days compared to 10 days for the
main event, but the stages will be made as difficult as in the
main event so that we have strong qualifiers," Syamsir said.
The top three finishers in each qualifier will gain entry into
the challenge.