Indika Sanjaya wins Off Road Challenge

by Lal Gunesekera

MOTAR SPORTS: Land Rover driver of international repute, Indika Sanjaya, and co-driver Navin Marapana, fared exceptionally well to win the Off Road Challenge at the Carlston Supercross at Tissamaharama recently. While the Land Rover Defender driven by Sheran Fernando (CEO of Frontier Automotives) won the Truck and Jeep events. This was staged for the second year.

The Land Rover Off Road Challenge was extremely demanding, testing every aspect of the vehicle and its driver and co-driver's ability.

The track was over a kilometre long with treacherous axel twisters, followed by a series of "bunny hops" aimed at testing the vehicle suspension and articulation. Then it bended into the jungle, giving the competitors a chance to try their vehicle at speed and then coming into the most demanding section of the track - a mud crossing and a very deep water crossing, with water over the bonnet of most vehicles.

A special events for the Tissamaharama Safari drivers was won by Damith Nishanka driving a 30-year-old Land Rover, while R.K. Nimal Ratnayake and M. G. Bandula Ratne, also driving Land Rovers finished a close second and third respectively.

At the Carlston Supercross, the agents (Frontier Automotives Ltd) entered a Land Rover driven by Sheran Fernando and it was an easy win for him for his in the Trucks and Jeep category.