Wahisin, Jasmin grab overall prize (Tamparuli Challenge) – sportamore

Fitness and teamwork enabled hardcore off-roaders in Wahisin Juhian and Jasmin Udih to grab the overall champion’s title over several seasones campaihners at the New Year 4×4 Challenge in Tamparuli. The inaugural event, organised by the Tamparuli Adventure 4×4 Club saw several entries of hardcore off-road competitors in their souped-up 4wd, including 15 participants in the novice category as well. The Keningau team of Wahisin and Jasmin in their Suzuki brushed off all odds to overcome the challenges from ex-Borneo Safari champions in highly modified petrol-powered 1JZ engines of Lo Fui Min/Thien Yet Way and Kok Sin Yee/Yap Swee Siong, who came in second and third respectively. Lo, an experienced off-road competitior and former Borneo Safari champion took the top prize in the Kundasang 4×4 Pesta Kubis last year. A few experienced Kinabalu Four Wheel Drive Club (KFWDC) officials were on hand to assist in designing both the tracks for hardcore and novice categories. In the Novice category, Juli Laman and Belson Bingku in their standard Suzuki emerged champions, followed by Lawrence/Yunus in their Daihatsu and Danny Badin/Dan Farly also in a Suzuki.

Courtesy of F. Leong, NST

* Pics updated! check out the gallery!

New Year 4X4 Challenge – sportamore

Tamparuli Adventist Four Wheel Drive Club (TA4XDC) will be organising New Year 2007 Challenge in conjuncion with the new year on Jan 1.

     Its president, Janih Bangud, said the event, divided into two categories, namely Standard and Modified, will be held at Kg. Bawang, Tamparuli, starting at 7.30 am. He said the Standard category would comprise participants who mostly use 4×4 vehicles that have not undergone major modification, adding that the event is aimed at inculcating a stronger bond among TA4XDC members as well as to promote off-road activities.

     According to him, the club was formed after some church members from the Seventh Day Adventist denomination exppressed the need for such club to represent their aims and motivation. Theis passion for rough off road activities also was another factor that spurred the formation of the club, he said. To date, Janih said the club has conducted several trips to interior for off-road activities and helped build churches as well as for welfare reason. ” We hope to conduct more activities next year not only to benefit members of the club but also church members as well as the public, he said.

He said involving in welfare and off-road activities help to steer the members away from social ills, drugs, alcohol and illicit sex. In this respect, he hoped more people would consider joining the club. Meanwhile, he said the New Year 2007 Challenge offers cash prizes to the top three participants in each category.

For more details, call Achley (019 8413661), Heron (0198716807), Janih (0198716312) and Nasco (0198616016)

courtesy of Daily Express

Subarashii – sportamore

Yeap, after months and months of waiting, finally, a new baby of mine has born. Erm… I mean, my new ride. It takes nearly 11 months for this FJ-43 soft-top to transform into a competitor spec, thanks to fellow Sabahmotorsports loyal supporters like Montis F1 and Maefare 4×4. Well, of all the tears, sweat, blood, and of course money (hehe), this 2B- turbocharged is already in “stable condition” after major surgery and has proven its mettle during my site visit in Kg. Telaga, Pitas, where even vehicles equipped with 4WD have 50-50 chance to pass through the “teh – tarik” look- alike soil.

I was learned that this place has no clean water, no telephone signal, no electricity and I have to stay there for at least two years until the project completes. Worst still, according to my guide, this place is home to Tambadau (wild buffalo) and any disturbance by humans on its “den” provokes attack. But the good sides are that:

    Able to meet new people, their way of life

    Able to learn new dialects

    Able to fish Barramundi and Red Snapper right behind my rented house’s balcony after work

    Able to go night safari for FREE

    Last but not least, 4WD EVERYDAY!!

Sorry for being personal here, but heck, didn’t I posted in “Kedai Kopi Chat” category? :p Till then, happy wheeling!! Vehicle spec: 2B bolt – on Turbo, Pto winch, Coil springs front, S.O.A( spring over axle) back, West Coast Suspension absorbers, Roll cage, 16′X 35 centipede with 2.5′ customised offset rims, 3 inch stainless steel with Safari snorkel, 3 inch sidepipe exhaust

Borneo Safari 2006 winners – sportamore

The champion team in their BJ 43 Land Cruiser Wong Kok Phin and Ho Vui Khiong emerged as the overall champions with 366 points, proving their Rain Forest Challenge and Australian Outback Challenge triumphs were no fluke. Second place went to another hardcore team of Chung Horng Ru and Minion Kotidis from Papar with 364 points in their totally souped up Suzuki followed by Keningau’s Lee Chuin Ping and Jasmin Udin in their turbocharged Nissan.

     Special awards were also given to individuals and teams who contributed immensly to the success of the event. The Best Team Spirit Award was given to the Penampang Team, while the Jungle Man Award went to co-driver Khoo Chai Koh from Keningau, The Environmental Award to hardcore and Chief Scout Voo Ken Yin, Foul up of the Year Award to Leong Chee Min (Kopi Leong), and Stephen Wong the Vehicle of the Year Award (V-8, Land Rover 110)

Courtesy of F.Leong, NST

Bigger event on the cards next year! – sportamore

The annual International Borneo Safari 4×4 Off Road Challenge is one of the major events being highlighted and promoted in the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) and Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia) Visit Malaysia Year 2007 calender of events. Both the government’s tourism arms are hoping to sell the event through their aggresive marketing strategies to lure tourists to visit Sabah and the country in general, particularly adventure tourists and offroad enthusiasts from foreign countries. STB Chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin said the now popular Borneo Safari had successfully lured many foreign participants, while hoping that the next year’s Visit Malaysia Year campaign, more enthusiastic foreign off-roaders would sign up for the event.

     He said off-road challenges around the world are gaining popularity and foreign or local enthusiasts alike have taken it as a hobby. “Off-road events have long been established here and also around the world and both STB’s and Tourism Malaysia’s efforts to lure more foreign participants to coincide with the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 is very timely”, said Tengku Adlin. He also called on the Kinabalu Four Wheel Drive Club (KFWDC) to take next year’s campaign seriously, urging them to act fast by sending invitations to foreign participants well in advance, while on their part, they would air the recorded event on CDs worldwide as part of their marketing strategies. He was optimistic that the Borneo Safari , which had entered its 16th edition would become one of the world’s best off-road challenges. “Since Sabah is the venue for the world ranking International Climbathon, where world champions are crowned, i see no reason why the Borneo Safari could not be escalated to such a status and I am confident with the well managed KFWDC, it could be achieved starting from next year. For a start, KFWDC should move ahead by inviting their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan and STB would be behind them all the way to add the boost, but for this materialize, they must act early in order to give participants time to prepare and plan for the event,” added tengku Adlin.

     ” I was given to understand that you all had to spend three nights inside the Deramakot Forest Reserve with participants tackling the tough track until 3 AM, which forced the organisers to change their original route back to Sabah’s second highest peak , Mount Trusmadi before getting out of the wilderness. With the team work and good team spirit, all the 180 participants in 70 vehicles managed to overcome their numerous obstacles. I congratulate them and they are all champions in their own right’, said Tengku Adlin. The event is expected to be aired on RTM1 by the end of this month.

Courtesy of F. Leong, NST