Land Rover G4 Challenge International Selection
The Best Job ...
Rob Howard / 02.02.2006
Niki Davies is the Director of the Land Rover G4 Challenge, overseeing the whole grand project from devising the G4 concept to delivering ‘the ultimate global adventure’. While making sure the International Selections run smoothly under the watchful eye of more than 70 of the world’s media, she has to plan ahead for the challenge itself, surely the biggest 4x4 and adventure sport event on the planet. But she’s not complaining, she knows she has one of the best jobs in the world!“I joined Land Rover in 2001,� she said while we chatted in the event marquee, “and my brief was to develop a new event to replace the Camel Trophy. I’d never claim the G4 concept is my idea, we have a talented and imaginative team who all contribute ideas, and the Challenge is always evolving.�
“We like to let the locations work for us, so they determine the nature of the Challenge, and this time it’s more competitive, with more head to head racing. Also on the urban stages in Bangkok and Rio we’ll have competition arenas, so there will be more pressure on the competitors. We’re in the developing world this time too, so there is virtually no tarmac. It’s much more extreme than the 2003 event – we are really out in the wilds.�
“We’ve even picked a time of year with unpredictable weather in the locations, so we are not sure what will happen. There was one logging track in Laos which we just could not pass on a recce trip at Christmas, but we’re fairly sure it will be OK in April ... In Bolivia we are at a height where only one type of helicopter could land if we had an emergency, but that unpredictability is part of what the Challenge is all about. We do have contingency plans of course and full communications and medical back-up, including 5 doctors who travel with us.�
“We’ve spent 2 years working on this challenge, from the first recces at the start of 2004.� I asked how times she had been to Thailand/Laos and Brazil/Bolivia in that time and she was stuck for an answer. “I’m not honestly sure, but I guess about 5 times to each and the trips are a mixture of meetings or negotiations, and route planning.�
“The hardest part of the job is it’s scope. I could get calls about the web site, T-shirt designs, vehicle shipping or political issues at the locations. My role is to keep all the balls in the air and the whole project moving forward, but I love it. I wouldn’t change a thing! I go to fantastic locations, and work with like minded people who love adventure. It can be very stressful at times, and is a lot of responsibility, but is so rewarding.�See All Event Posts
