Land Rover Challenge Includes Remote Terrain, Urban Challenges

Break out your khakis, and your dockers, and start training for the annual Land Rover challenge that will take competitors through New York, Old Quebec, Las Vegas and Cape Town and wilds in between in 2003.
The 2003 Land Rover G4 Challenge will feature competitors from 16 nations competing in an off-road driving and multi-sport challenge against a backdrop of some of the world’s most stunning scenery. The Land Rover G4 Challenge, named because it comprises four consecutive global stages, each in a different time zone, starts in New York City on March 30, 2003, and covers around 4000 miles over five weeks of intense competition.
The Challenge features stages on the East and West Coasts of North America, in addition to Australia and South Africa, traveling through remote areas as well as urban centers such as Quebec, Cape Town, Sydney and Las Vegas.
One competitor from each participating nation will be selected to represent their country in the Challenge from the thousands who are expected to apply when recruitment begins at the end of August 2002. As well as striving for individual success, competitors will have to demonstrate their abilities as bi-national team players by working with a different teammate during each Challenge stage.
“The Land Rover G4 Challenge will be the adventure of a lifetime,” said Bob Dover, managing director of Land Rover. “In line with our philosophy of inspiring and delivering adventure for everyone, entry is free. Although a higher than average standard of physical fitness is important, the Challenge is more about international teamwork, clever strategic thinking and a positive ‘up for it’ attitude than out-and-out strength or stamina.
“It is also about being environmentally responsible,” he continued. “In each Challenge location, we are working closely with environmental agencies, state and local authorities to ensure the impact of our activities is kept to a minimum, preventing conflict with other Land Rover environmental initiatives, such as Tread Lightly. Additionally, much of the competitive activity will take place in urban centers, where the Land Rover G4 Challenge will be accessible to many more people.”
All four Land Rover vehicles — Range Rover, Discovery, Freelander and Defender — painted in specially commissioned ‘Tangiers Orange’, will feature on the Challenge, each demonstrating its world-beating off-road capability to its fullest across daunting terrain.
All the vehicles will be built to standard mechanical specification, with specialist expedition equipment fitted off-line to enable the competitors to ‘live’ in their Land Rover during week-long Challenge stages. The vehicles must also be capable of carrying the multitude of equipment — kayaks, mountain bikes and climbing kit — which the competitors will need to complete the Challenge.