RFC extends India chapter till 2019

There was good news for Indian off-roaders on Thursday as it was announced that RFC India, launched in 2014 as the India chapter of the Rainforest Challenge (RFC) of Malaysia and the country's first international off-road motorsport event, is here to stay.

New Delhi-based Cougar Motorsport Pvt. Ltd., which had signed a three-year franchise agreement with RFC founder Luis J.A. Wee in February 2014, has extended the agreement for another three years, thereby retaining the rights for the India chapter till 2019. The 2016 edition, sponsored by Force Motors Ltd., is set to take place in Goa from July 22 to 29.

"When we brought RFC to India, we were apprehensive about its long term success as most other international motorsport events have had very short innings here," Cougar Motorsport founder Ashish Gupta said.

"However, we have had two highly successful editions with the immense support that we have received from the Indian off-roading community, our sponsors and partners, the Government of Goa and members of the media in India."

The recently held RFC mother event in Malaysia was attended by 14 Indian off-roaders who were part of the last couple of editions of RFC India.

"Though it is just two editions old, RFC India is already among the top-three events in the RFC Global Series worldwide. The Cougar Motorsport team has worked rigorously to make the event successful, as is evident from the number of national awards that RFC India won following its launch edition," Wee said.