Since I started offroading, about a decade ago, two events have been on everyone's lips. In rally raid class, the unforgiving Dakar, that is going on as we speak. But, in the extreme challenge class, the infamous Malaysian Rainforest Challenge. Everyone knew it and all spoke of the legend it had become over the years, the tough Malay mud, deep rivers and thick jungles peppered with tiger tracks. Normally, I grew up with an unquenchable desire to go to South East Asia and take part in it. Years passed and I finally got invited to attend, as official media. I had no idea what was in store for me ...
We got together at the Istana Hotel, on the morning of the 27th of November. I instantly felt like home. The lobby was full of people in boots, wearing either RFC t-shirts or logos from various races across the globe. Why? the answer is simple: for years, this has been the most internationally attended competition in the challenge world. It felt like our old Transilvania Adventure Trophy back home, where people literally high-jacked an entire hotel, off road trucks parked in front and all. As I checked in, meeting the famous Italian photographer Paolo Baraldi, I thought to myself: "This is going to be an epic week". I got a chance to meet the team and the brains behind it: Luis Wee and David Metcalfe.
The following morning, we rolled out. Dozens of off road trucks, media, race and organizers poured out of the overflowing parking lot and into the crowded Kuala Lumpur streets. A swarm of police officers on motorbikes helped us through the city, as we made our way towards the outskirts and down south. After the official start, we drove towards the hotel and set everything up for the trial day. Now, for those of you who don't know, the RFC patented a very interesting competition format. The day consists of several Special Stages, which test the car's and driver's abilities in the most extreme ways possible.
For an entire day, trucks have struggled through the 5 SS that the marshals thought up, plowing through mud and ruts that were skillfully designed. Inevitably, cars rolled over, got a little trashed and the racers got a first taste of what the next week will be like. As dusk approached, two more SS were laid out for the night: one speed SS and a challenge with a deep waterhole and slippery slide slopes. Everyone stayed up close to 3 am, cheering and watching the incredible machines tackle these last two bits of the day.
Come morning, the long convoy was again set in motion and as we headed out towards Predator 1 Camp. I couldn't wait to finally be in the jungle, with all the guys I spent years reading about. It's a well known fact that the road towards the RFC camps is usually a difficult one. But the true level of difficulty of this trip only dawned on me when I saw the off road ambulance roll over in front of us. It got me to make friends with the driver, Mustafa, and get a glimpse of the Malay calm: though the truck was rolled on its side, the guys took their sweet time taking group shot before setting it back on its wheels and changing the engine oil. Come nightfall, we reached the camp, after a great deal of winching and maneuvering. Everyone was dead tired, as we slept under a delightful tarp, in the mosquito-free 30 degree warm jungle night.
Finally, the competitors got a taste of the real RFC. Another 5 SS were marked down and teams were distributed. In the spirit of efficiency, each group of racers were assigned an SS and, as they finished, they would move over to the next one. All day long, engines have been revved up to the max. We got to see one of the teams I was rooting for in action: an American-Italian team. The American was none other than JT Taylor, founding father of King of the Hammers competition and overall off road legend. The Italian side of the story was Thomas Tonicello, who's been one of the top names in European off road and an awesome guy. It takes a special kind of guy to get "I was born for extreme off road" tattooed on your arm. He means business and he delivered.
Alongside them, the Maxxis Team and their cars stood out, with a blue/white buggy from Sabat flying over all obstacles and simply defying the laws of physics. Portal axles, Simex, Maxxis and Swamper tires and God winches - these were the ingredients for anyone tackling the breathtaking SS.
From there on, the group split. Media and Organizer cars took the easy route while the racers headed out to the Twilight Zone. This grueling section that puts the fear of God into competitors is a daylong stage, unlike the rest. This year, it took 48 hours for all the teams to finish the 12km long TZ, winching up and down the face of a mountain. Again, the Russians, the Maxxis teams and the Austrian/Australian teams made it just fine, scoring rather high on the overall charts. This was a section that claimed JT and Thomas' Land Cruiser 70, abandoned deep in the Twilight Zone due to irreparable damage to the steering system.
Again, we set out towards Terminator camp, after fixing, welding and replacing all the broken bits on the vehicles. This camp and the SS that followed created a make-it-or-break-it atmosphere among the teams. with each stage, the cars went faster, jumped higher and inevitably rolled over a lot more. At one point it looked like each stage had a truck stuck or rolled over somewhere inside the ruts, spinning its tires helplessly. Along with other difficult areas, these days focused a lot on river sections, forcing the copilots to constantly be waist-deep in water and waving uncontrollably at the truck and driver.
It felt almost surreal, a week packed with octane-fueled off road action and amazing people. The event drew to a majestic close and the winners emerged. At the end of the dream-come-true that is the Malaysian Rainforest Challenge, what we were left with were great friendships, lasting memories and a seriously cool set of photographs from deep in the Malay jungle
