PANAJI
Chow Ujjal Namshum from Arunachal Pradesh and co-driver Chethan Chengappa from Karnataka topped the provisional leaderboard in the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category with 380 out of 400 points at the end of Day 1 of the 11th edition of the Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India in Quepem. The duo scored perfect points in two of the four completed Special Stages (SS) and finished second in the remaining two.
Bijender Singh (co-driver Gajender Singh) from Delhi placed second with 349 points. Maharashtra’s Aniruddha Shete (Amrut Kadam) and Germany’s Erec Benny (Sirajudheen RV) tied for third with 329 points.
“Day 1 was intense right from the start. The first stage was a blind speed run for everyone, but we had a strong start and secured 100 points. From there, the stages became more technical," Namshum said. "Despite the setbacks, we maintained our pace and ended up topping the scoreboard. That feels incredibly satisfying,” Namshum said.
He added: “When I first participated in RFC India in 2018, I used to focus on preserving my vehicle during the initial stages. But there is no room for that anymore… we are here to give it everything we have got.”
Scrutiny for the 22 teams in the ‘4x4 Modified’ category concluded on Wednesday, with their competition set to begin Thursday. RFC India 2025 continues, with 22 more stages remaining before the final standings are determined.
