4×4 challenge adds spice to Sipitang do
KOTA KINABALU: The central organising committee for this year’s Sipitang International Top Festival (Pesta Gasing) cum 2014 Tamu Besar has decided to include an off-road 4×4 challenge as one of the highlights.
Through the Sipitang District Office, the chairman of the central committee, Datuk Haji Sapawi Ahmad, who is also the Member of Parliament for Sipitang has invited the Whiskey Four Wheel Drive Club (WRS) to organise the two-day 4×4 event to coincide with the annual festivities.
The Yayasan Sabah Chairman, who is also the WRS 4×4 Club patron hopes with the inclusion of the 4×4 challenge in this year’s event, it will act as a crowd puller in making the festival a grander affair, scheduled for August 29-31.
He believes by including the 4×4 off-road challenge this year, it will surely be one of the highlights not only for Sipitang and its surrounding populace to come and witness the event, but also off-road and 4×4 enthusiasts from all over Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei.
He said, visitors, like many of the foreign gasing competitors along with their families and friends will also be able to see the thrills and spills during the 4×4 event, which will be held at a close proximity to the township.
Meanwhile, WRS president Thompson Teo said yesterday, they were proud to be part of this year’s Sipitang festivities and have gladly accepted the invitation from the committee to stage a much bigger event, apart from the last one that they organised in Sipitang two years ago.
“We have met and discussed all the necessary arrangements including inspection of the site with the Sipitang District Officer, Latip Haji Amat (organising chairman) and Haji Jaafar Haji Jalaf (4×4 organising committee) recently,” he said.
He said, the 4×4 challenge will commence at 2pm on August 29 after registration of competitors is complete, and called on all interested participants to register early to avoid delays.
The five-Special Stage (SS) challenge is open to all amateurs or novices (drivers and co-drivers), including those who did not get any of the top three placing (1, 2, 3) in the annual International Borneo Safari challenge.
The top three winners in each of the categories (two-door and four-door) will receive cash prizes of RM3,000, second RM2,000 and third RM1,000 plus trophies, while consolation prizes will also be given away to the fourth to sixth finishers.
All competitors have been reminded that the event is an open event, except that they are not allowed to fit super or axel winches (for safety reasons), but they are allowed to use standard electrical or PTO winches in their vehicles (valid road tax is compulsory).
Source: New Sabah Times
