Rainforest Challenge is among the top 10 toughest and the most internationally represented motor races in the world. An Indian version of this daunting and grueling championship, Force Gurkha RFC India2014 was launched by Cougar Motorsport Pvt. Ltd and tested the off-road driving and vehicle recovery skills of the 22 competing teams under extreme off-roading conditions.



With the first edition of Force Gurkha RFC India 2014 being a massive success expectations are higher from the 2^nd edition of the motorsport extravaganza which is set to take place in Goa from 24^th to 31^st July 2015. EE caught up with Mr. Ashish Gupta, Founder &Director, Cougar Motorsport on the second edition of the challenge, its highlights and so much more.



Q-How did you come up with the idea of launching the India Chapter of the iconic Rainforest Challenge?



A-I had the opportunity to witness the Rainforest Challenge Mother Event in Malaysia in 2013. Surviving in the jungle for over a week amidst constant rain while you are surrounded by all kinds of unpredictable natural elements is not a joke. The additional daily task of completing off-road challenges that tested the competitors’ off-road driving and vehicle recovery skills under extremely tough conditions made me realize that RFC is not meant for the faint hearted. However, the camaraderie that I witnessed among various teams despite the fierce competition going on between them and the sense of achievement that we had when the event got over was unbelievable. Everyone, no matter whether he got a podium finish or not, was a winner just because he had finished the event and that is what I loved about the entire concept.



I realized that there was no international level event in the off-road motorsport space being conducted in India despite the growing number of off-roading enthusiasts and clubs in various parts of the country who required just a small push to make a mark on the international off-road motorsport platform. Moreover, the diverse topography and weather conditions of our country made it quite easy for us to conduct an RFC-like event here. Hence, I had a detailed discussion with the RFC Founder Luis J.A. Wee who agreed to give us the rights for the India Chapter of RFC and thereafter we launched the Force Gurkha RFC India in August last year.



Q-What were the key challenges that you faced while organizing the Force Gurkha RFC India 2014?



A-The major challenge was securing sponsorships despite the fact that it is India’s only international event in the off-road motorsport space and is part of a renowned global franchise. I have realized in the last couple of years that it is very tough for an offbeat sport like ours to attract brands and make them come forward as partners. That may be because there is a very niche target audience that an off-road motorsport event would attract. What the marketers need to understand is that RFC is an adventure sports event and any brand which offers products for the outdoors or off-roading or even for boosting energy will find the perfect synergy with RFC India.



We have Force Motors Ltd as the title sponsors and with their support we conducted an immensely successful first edition. Now, for the 2015 edition, we are in talks with some major tyre and automobile accessories companies as well as a couple of outdoor gear brands for coming onboard as co-sponsors and associate sponsors. I hope that in the coming years, we will see more companies coming forward to support the event.



Q-Any special marketing strategy that you devised to generate awareness about the challenge and better market it?



A-Last year, we used magazine advertisements, radio spots, OOH and Google Adverts as the major means of generating awareness. In Goa, extensive outdoor campaign was executed closer to the event so as to create a buzz among the locals. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter were used to connect with our domestic and international audience. Another marketing tool that we used extensively was PR wherein we got editorial coverage on the participants from different cities in the leading newspapers of their respective cities.



This helped us in connecting with people nationally. Force Motors also did extensive branding in their dealer showrooms across the country. Post the event, we partnered with Snapdeal for selling the RFC India merchandise including the calendar, caps, t-shirts and a special DVD of the event.



Q-How is the 2^nd edition of this extravaganza going to be different from the first one?



A-While last year we only had six months to organize the event after getting the rights for RFC India, the preparation for this year’s edition started immediately after the 2014 edition got over. With so much time in hand, we have ensured that no stone is left unturned to make the second edition of RFC India bigger, tougher and badder than the first one. Force Gurkha RFC India 2014 was an eye opener for the entire off-roading community of the country. The kind of event that we had organized has changed the way people in India perceive off-road motorsport. This year the task is to take the adventure quotient one step further with more challenges and surprises in store for the competitors.



Moreover, we had a separate foreign entry category last year as we felt that it would not be fair for Indian teams to compete with international teams which had prior experience of such intense and tough competitions and therefore would have been much more prepared to handle the challenges. However, the excellent performance of the Indian competitors made us realize that this year they will be so prepared that they will be able to give any international team a very fierce competition. Hence, we have a single category for competitors this year for Indian and international teams.



Q-What is the response received in terms of registration so far?



A-We only have 40 slots for competitors as it takes 15 minutes for every team to complete each Special Stage. Moreover, you have to be prepared for delays because of the continuous rain and other situations that might arise while you are at an off-road location away from the city. Hence, we can’t accommodate more than 40 teams in a week-long event. This year, participation won’t be a problem at all. The biggest problem will be saying no to people after the 40 slots have been filled. Just to give you an example, last year only one team from Hyderabad competed in the event while this year, we already have 4 confirmed teams from the city and we still have almost two months left for the event! However, those who miss the competitor slots, can always register for the touring adventurer category and be a part of the thrill and action packed event.



Q-What are the pros and cons of launching an adventure sports IP in India?



A-I think doing our bit to raise the profile of off-road motorsport in India as well as to bring the best off-road motorsport talent of the country on a global platform is the best aspect of bringing RFC to India. Earlier, there were numerous regional events that were being organized by different off-road clubs. However, there was no international level platform where the enthusiasts from across the country could converge and compete. I am very happy about the fact that RFC India, as India’s only international off-road motorsport event, has given such a platform to the off-roaders of our country.



The biggest challenge when you are launching an adventure or offbeat sport in India is that it is not given the due importance. In our country, if you are organizing a cricket tournament, then you can expect support from all quarters but convincing people and brands to lend support to this kind of an event is a big challenge. What is all the more sad is that, while internationally off-road motorsport attracts a lot of media attention and respect, a large section of Indian sports media does not consider it to be a sport at all! I hope that over the years this perception will change and we will have greater support coming our way.



Q-How fruitful is the event in terms of return on investment?



A-I knew from the very beginning that I should not expect to make any profit from this initiative in the first couple of years. Being a motorsport enthusiast, I just wanted to bring RFC to India and was prepared to face financial challenges along the way. Though it is not a profitable enterprise as yet, we managed to cover the costs of event execution and promotion with the sponsorship and participation fee. This year should be better as a lot of material that we had to buy last year in order to adhere to the RFC International standards can be reused and also there is an increase in the participation.



Q-Given the complete support of resources, is there any other sporting challenge or championship you would like to introduce in the country?



A-No. My interest lies purely in self-driving and motorsport. Moreover, our hands are full with the Cougar Motorsport Signature Dashes, the events that we execute for various automobile manufacturers and the Force Gurkha RFC India. So, I will leave it to others to look at bringing other interesting sporting events to India.