Land Rover G4 Challenge UK Selections
The first cut is the deepest.
Pyro / 29.11.2008
The UK selection event began on Thursday at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire. Of the 800 UK applicants, from a huge mix of athletic backgrounds, only 60 were selected to come to Eastnor, the home of the Land Rover Experience. Those lucky few were given a grid reference and the instruction “Be there by 7.00am, 27th November� - of the 60, 48 made it on time. Two very unlucky souls had made the long journey in vain - one arriving at 7:02, the other at 7:30, only to be turned away. Not all of the selection would be so harsh, but the first hurdle was most definitely a steep one.
The 48 survivors had a very harsh first day. Those new to the off-road driving were given the perfect induction, the original Land Rover test track, where the original Range Rover classic and every subsequent Range Rover and Land Rover model has met its sternest test. After that, a 1hr physical test; a ‘circuits session on steroids’: First, running on a giant cable reel, then throwing a wooden triangle end-over-end. Next, carrying an anchored log around a tree, climbing another tree as many times as possible, and a shuttle run ringing a bell at either end. The grand finale was the ‘Tyred Out’ load lift - using a block and tackle to lift and lower a Land Rover Wheel as many times as possible in 2 minutes. The unholy combination of muscle groups this one worked eliciting grunts, grimaces and roars of pain from almost everyone. “But� claimed Simon Fisher “everyone is on their best behaviour, so there’s a distinct lack of swearing�. The competitors know that they are judged on their personalities as much as their strength and driving ability, so everyone is minding their Ps and Qs.
After the physical test, a round of initiative tests, mountain biking, navigation and one last challenge before the big event of the afternoon. The competitors were split in half teams, and the two teams had to race head to head, but not in the way they’re used to. This time, the teams had to lift the back end of a Land Rover Discovery clear of the ground and onto barrels. While this wasn’t actually scored, it brought the event nicely up to 4pm.
It was always known that the cut had to come, and at 4pm it did, and the 48 were cut in half. The disappointed half retired home to lick their wounds and hopefully come back next time. The big news of the cut was the as-yet unnamed couple who came to the event with the thought that either both would make the first cut or neither would. When one did and one didn’t, the atmosphere was, apparently “a little frosty�.
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