Better the Second Time Around

MANILA, Philippines - The mammoth Micro Tiles monitor situated at the heart of the Jaguar/Land Rover dealership in Makati wasn’t lying. This more than 60-inch screen merely amplified the sequence being shown at the press con. In front of the members of the motoring media was a video clip of a competition scarred Land Rover Defender 90 about to descend a 50 degree embankment roughly 30 feet from the ground. Digest on that for a few seconds. Do you know how steep 50 degrees is? It’s how you’d feel on the down part of a roller coaster ride. If they made a manual on how to damage your vehicle’s suspension, this maneuver would definitely be in it!

But this was no cheap stunt being shown to those at hand. It was merely an account of what the Philippine contingent would have to go through as they aim for victory in the 2nd China Sanya Off-Road Rainforest Challenge. Dubbed as the “Summer Rainforce Challenge,” this grueling jungle race is scheduled to commence from August 18-24, 2010 in Hainan, which is China’s southernmost city. The event follows the same format as the Rainforest Challenge in Malaysia, the world’s most internationally represented 4x4 competition.

“We call it the Summer RFC (Rainforest Challenge) because it takes place in August and apart from its tourism potential, it’s a good time to test man, machine, endurance, and preparation before December, where RFC will take place in Malaysia,” explains Luis J.A. Wee, the Founder/Creator of the RFC.

LRPhils Motors Inc., the exclusive distributor of Land Rover jeeps in the country, is backing an all Filipino team for the second year in a row. Officially entered as Team Land Rover Philippines, LRPhils will be fielding the tried and proven Land Rover Defender 90 4x4 as team Philippines’ official vehicle. Worth mentioning of course is the fact that Land Rover Philippines is the only distributor/importer that supports international off-road motorsports, especially in a period where manufacturer support is almost non-existent.

Team Land Rover Philippines is comprised of Hilario “Larry” Mendiola, the team’s official driver. Larry is a well accomplished off roader as proven by his numerous AAP “Driver of the Year (4x4 category)” awards, the most recent being in 2004. He was behind the wheel last year as they bagged 5th overall in the inaugural event. Sergio “Atoy” Jamila III is the team’s co-driver. Apart from helping the team that got the “Overall Champion in the Electric Winch Category” in the 2009 Rainforest Challenge (RFC), he is also the most seasoned member having done the RFC in 2000, 2005, and 2006. Hirryan Mendiola is the official team mechanic, who happens to be a professional mechanic in Formula Sports Inc. Son of driver Larry Mendiola, he is one of the promising talents to watch out for in the off road scene.

Guiding Team Land Rover Philippines are off-roading fanatics, namely Atty. Robby Consunji, who is the official RFC Representative for the Philippines. Also, Marc Soong will be representing the official team sponsor Land Rover Philippines.

“We believe in the ability of the Filipino off-road racers to excel in international extreme off-road adventure competitions. This is a passion for living out the 4x4 adventure. We are joining this race in China not only to compete, but to showcase the driving abilities of our Filipino off-road racers and to bring pride to our country and our sponsors,” says Atty. Consunji, who is also an active member of the Land Rover Club of the Philippines.

Notwithstanding the hardships of last year’s campaign, Marc Soong of Land Rover Philippines shares his enthusiasm, “We have a great car and a great team. We look forward to representing the country again in this international event.” It’s quite encouraging to see the high spirits, most surprising after Soong shared with us stories of torturous days of sleepless nights, cold canned food, and leech bitten body parts.

The Land Rover Defender 90 used by the team is powered by a 3.9 liter V8 petrol engine. Aside from a few bolt-on modifications to the engine and suspension, and using taller off road tires, the race vehicle is virtually identical to the one offered in the dealership. This is a true testament to the Land Rover’s true off-road prowess.

Last year, Team Land Rover Philippines achieved notable success, namely: Overall Champion in the Electric Winch Category, First Island Entry Award, and ranked 5th in the Overall Official Results (Out of 40 competitors). This 2010, the team will strive for gold as they rough it out the second time around.