Get ready to get dirty: 4X4 Extreme OffRoad Competition
The Westcoast Challenge is a new event on the Off Roading calendar that Bowater Toyota are involved with, sponsoring a team made up of some hardened off road locals.
It is extreme off road 4X4 action involving a whole lot of mud, some winches and some very brave individuals pushing their vehicles to the limits.
The Westport Challenge is an extreme 4X4 event with teams of 3 vehicles competing over demanding tracks against the clock. bottomless bogs, over bonnet water, steep ascents and descents combined with often Wild West Coast weather make this event a feature for hard core 4 wheelers....
The competition is all set to start 28th & 29th April.
Teamwork is the name of the game with navigators required to guide the vehicles through seemingly impossible terrain, much of which will require winching. 15 teams will represent over the 2 day competition.
The Bowater Toyota Team.
Guy Griffith / John Hodson
Guy, co-owner of Victory Motor Racing, is no stranger to competition, having run a Toyota Racing Series team for the past 8 years.
Four wheel driving started for Guy with the usual scenic club runs but soon developed into more of the hard core trips and eventually the winch style events became an attraction.
Winchman John Hodson brings a huge amount of experience to the team with many years of Four Wheel Driving. An aircraft engineer by trade, John's attention to detail will ensure the very best preparation.
Guy and John will drive their heavily modified 93 swb Toyota Prado. Now petrol powered and cut down to a truck, this vehicle attracts plenty of attention wherever they go!
Mike Holmes / Sherryl Wells
Mike and Sherryl operate a Deer Farm at Mt Rielly in Marlborough. Their passion for Winch Challenge events have seen them travel the South Island extensively over the past 2 years. In 2011 they won the Mainland Series Winch Challenge and never finished outside of the top 3 in all of the rounds. Lately they have also tried their hand at Off road racing with excellent class results.
Mike and Sherryl drive a heavily modified V8 powered Toyota Hilux, with an awesome mix of power, speed and noise!
Karl Townsend / Trevor Prendergast
Karl, a fencing contractor and part time tour operator from Kaikoura, and Trevor, also a fencing contractor living in Reefton, have been competing together for many years. Trevor will take the role of BOSS, controlling winching operations and making the tough calls required to keep them on the move. past winners of the prestigious Reefton Challenge, these guys are always on the pace, very calculation and calm under pressure.
Trevor and Karl drive a modified 3Litre diesel Toyota Hilux.