By Our Reporter
Shillong: Preparing for their upcoming big challenge, two Shillongites are all set to take part in the Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya, India’s toughest and most demanding motorsport rally.
The only team from the region selected to take part in the “world’s highest motorsport battle arena,” the pair of Andrew Ropmay and his brother Alex has been going through extensive practice to take on more than sixty other teams in the challenge.
The Raid-de-Himalaya is one of the oldest international motorsport events organised in the country, and is the only Indian event listed on the off-road rally calendar of the International Motorcycling Federation.
The motorsport event is a 10-day rally that will cover a distance of 2,500 kilometres from Shimla to Jammu and Kashmir.
Excited over the upcoming adventure, the Ropmay brothers said that they are thrilled at having to drive through some of the world’s highest motorable roads and passes in the Himalayas like Jalori Pass, Rohtang Pass, Kunzum La, Baralacha La, Tanglang La and through the inhospitable terrain of the Lahual and Spiti valleys in the Ladakh region.
“Most of the drive is through boulders, snow-capped peaks, gushing streams and at times, temperature below -20 degrees Celsius and we are excited,” Andrew Ropmay, who will be driving for Team Steroid, said.
While elaborating on the route of the rally, Andrew said “On an average, we would be able to cover a distance of three hundred kilometres every day in this week-long motoring event, and we are ready to see the adventure.”
“It will be a new experience for us and a once in a lifetime opportunity to see new challenges like never before,” chimed in Alex.
With determination, the team from Shillong stated that this is just a beginning and there will be no turning back, win or lose.
Andrew also said that if more sponsors come forward, “there is no doubt we will do our best to bring laurels to our state.”
For this rally, Team Steroid is powered by Purple Rain Entertainment, and sponsored by Meghalaya Tourism.