Ootacamund: Country’s motor rally ‘Mahindra Monsoon Rally’ which is in its 9th edition this year ended on a high note here on Sunday, July 7. The rallyists covered little over 600 kilometers which is also the longest route of all the eight editions before.
The winners in three different categories took home prizes worth Rs. 4 lakhs and glittering trophies in a grand prize distribution ceremony hald at Gem Park an uptown hotel in Ootacamund (Ooty) city. Santhosh and Nagaraj the overall champions of the rally were one of the firsts to do podium finish.
The Mahindra Monsoon Rally (formerly Monsoon Challenge) has been put together by the Indian Motor Sports Club and Mahindra Adventure Intitiative co-ordinated by ace rallyists Ashwin Naik and Musa Sherief both Mangalorean born national and international rallyists. “Popularity of the rally was going up every year and this time we had 41 teams. IMSC and Mahindra have given us unflinching support in organising the rally,” Naik and Sherief told.
The monsoon which had taken a lean patch this year did behave well for the motorists who took the most difficult interior routes. Selvin Jose from the Mahindra adventure initiative told that the the vehicles from the Mahindra stables were rugged and reliable and all the rallyists had smooth rallying”.
The three day rally was held on the TSD (Time, Speed, and Distance) format rally will start from mangalore and traveled through Coorg and ends at Mysuru, and again starts from Mysuru and finishes at Ooty. It was flagged off from Fiza Forum Mall, on July 5, at the 5:30 PM ceremonial start. Totally 41 participants across the country took part in this rally. There were 7 different categories that includes, all ladies, couples, corporates, doctors, novice, amatuer and professional class.
