Pune: Ravi Bhalla negotiated obstacles and earned least penalty points in the rugged Sahayadri ranges in Lonavala to win the Off-road trophy round of 156th Mahindra Great Escape and qualified for the final to be held later this year in Igatpuri.
Bhalla won in the stock category, while it was Digvijay Singh Parmar who took the honours in Modified category and Vani Parmar won the Ladies category. As many as 21 Mahindra SUVs including Boleros, Scorpios and Thar 4X4s that took part in the trophy event and negotiated challenging obstacles at 19 Degree North.
The Sahayadri terrain offered an appealing and beguiling experience of the naturalistic environment that is encompassed by thick woods, waterfalls, dam close to the lakes.
The Mahindra Great Escape was first conceptualized in 1996 as a non-competitive, off-road rally meant to encourage Mahindra customers to test the strength and performance of their vehicles on terrain other than tarmac.
Over the years, the Great Escape has developed the reputation of being one of India’s most thrilling off-road events with each edition seeing enthusiastic participation from die-hard Mahindra fans and customers alike.
Five winners from the this round will compete for the grand prize; a new Thar 4x4 at the Off-Roading Trophy which will be held at the Mahindra Off-Roading Academy, Igatpuri.
Results:
Stock category: Ravi Bhalla
Modified category: Digvijay Singh Parmar
Ladies category: Vani Parmar