Kanniyakumari – Rickshaw Challenge

Rickshaw Challenge Classic Run Days 9 & 10

David — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 00:41:25 +0000

The final two days of the Rickshaw Challenge Classic Run featured monkey business, breakdowns, and then the classic run winners were announced!

Days 9 and 10 of the Rickshaw Challenge Classic Run saw teams leave Tirunelveli and make the journey South to Kanniyakumari before heading North-West to Trivandrum, the final destination! It wasn’t all plain sailing, but all teams made it in time for the Classic Run winners to be announced.

Day 9: Monkey Business

Leaving Tirunelveli, the route quickly became quite a challenge, with the many hills to climb. There were plenty stunning views to admire, but participants had to concentrate on keeping their rickshaws (and their weak engines!). Narrow roads and tight turns tested the teams to the limit, and some of the vehicles couldn’t handle the pressure. However, the breakdowns were quickly fixed by the ever-reliable Chennai Garage boys.
The teams were heading to India’s Southern tip at Kanyakumari. On the way they stopped at Sorumutthu, where participants were instructed to take a photo; not the easiest task, when the place was filled with pilgrims. After this everyone headed to the Papanasam Dam and then on to Manumuthar Falls, a traditional spot where locals bathe. Teams had to be careful though; leaving their rickshaws unattended to even a brief moment meant risking the chance of hijack by monkey! These tricky characters seemed very keen on the team’s brightly coloured vehicles, searching for food and even trying to snatch a first aid kit!
And finally they reached Kanyakumari, famous for its “Sunset Point”, where it’s possible to watch the setting sun or rising moon behind three seas at once: the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal. Reaching the tip of a continent is always a special moment, but the teams couldn’t relax yet: they still had one day left to go.

Day 10: Superman to the rescue

And so on Day 10 the Classic Run teams headed North-West towards Trivandrum (officially named Thiruvananthapuram) the capital of the beautiful state of Kerala. However, the state unfortunately has recently banned all alcohol, meaning no champagne at the finish line, and thorough checks at the border. The day’s journey, a rather short 90km, was mainly along stunning beach road. There were several breakdowns along the way, but all were swiftly dealt with, including the miraculous arrival (pictured above) of “Cooperman”, ready to save the day at the last moment! When teams arrived they were surprisingly confronted with a pack of journalists. However, the Classic Run wasn’t the reason for the media frenzy, it turned out Kerala’s Chief Minister was holding a meeting nearby.

And so the Classic Run was over: congratulations to all the teams! We hope you had an incredible time, and maybe we’ll see you on a Travel Scientists adventure some time in the future. But first, the results from the final award ceremony…

Classic Run Winners: Magic Bird

Throughout the Classic Run teams were set many tasks to earn points, as well as being rewarded for inventive and extravagant costumes. The winners of the overall prize where Team Magic Bird, a newly-wed couple from the United States, who continually impressed with their various outfits and commitment to the challenges! Their title of Rickshaw Challenge Classic Run 2017 champions was well deserved.

Bonkers Award Winners: Cock & Pullet

However, that wasn’t the only award given out. Equally cherished is the Bonkers Award, for the team who are just that little bit crazier than the rest. There was tough competition, but nobody can doubt that the Cock and Pullet team, from Australia, livened up each day with their very recognizable costumes! If travelling 1000 km in Southern India dressed as a cock isn’t bonkers… what is?!

Charity Winners: World Teacher Aid

The final prize of the Rickshaw Challenge Classic Run was the Charity Award which was deservedly run by Team World Teacher Aid. Amy, Carey, and Irene (from Canada, the US, and Kenya) raised an astonishing $12,0000 for charity. Amy is the founder of World Teacher Aid (a Canadian charity dedicated to improving education in the developing world), Carey is the charity’s Operations Manager, while Irene is the founder and director of World Teacher Aid’s Kenyan partner organisation VICDA. Many congratulations to their team, and everyone else on the challenge who raised money for charity. It’s great that the Rickshaw Challenge was not only a fun adventure, but will help the lives of children in India and elsewhere!

Are you crazy enough to come along for the ride? Then join us on the next Rickshaw Challenge. Get a team together and let’s see you at the starting line! If you want to join us in spirit, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagramto keep up with our latest antics.

The Indian Swiftlets

admin — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:16:43 +0000

Check out Heather and Kate (aka The Indian Swiftlets) driving their fabulous pimped out pink rickshaw in the last Classic Run – the new year rickshaw challenge from Chennai to Kanniyakumari. There is 2 of them below, a bit short but to the point, plus there is nothing better than driving a pink rickshaw in India and jamming to MJ.

They are cool and can navigate like the Swiftlets…

BTW – Guy with the glasses is neither Heather or Kate…

Fasten your seat belts!

MJ – Billie Jean

Adrenaline, Charity, And Auto Rickshaws – Southern India To Witness Another Epic Motor Challenge!

admin — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:05:45 +0000

Fourteen teams of world travelers will kick of the New Year 2009 with an epic 11-day endurance race which will see them making their way across southern India in auto rickshaws.
In what is hailed as “An amazing race for the clinically insane“, the 2009 Classic Run is an endurance motor rally organized by Chennai Event Management Services (CEMS). The rally will see 27 like-minded adventurers from the US, UK, and Ireland form 14 separate teams and work their way across southern India in small, three-wheeled auto rickshaws. The rally will last for 11 days, and the participants will cover over 1000 kilometers of road, starting from Chennai and passing through every imaginable landscape, from modern and bustling cities to rural farmland and costal oases. The finish line is in Kanniyakumari, a city on the southern tip of India.
Autorickshaws are not fast vehicles, and are not designed to travel great distances – this makes the Classic Run- 2009 a race of endurance, not speed. In previous years, teams have worked to customize their rickshaws with everything from new paint jobs and rear spoilers to fancy, multi-speaker sound systems.
Charity has also played a big role in past races, and this year is no exception. The event’s official charity partner is Madras Midtown Round Table – 42 (MMRT-42 ), a Chennai-based group whose major project is “Freedom through Education”. Through the Rickshaw Challenge’s adopt-a-village program, teams will be bringing school supplies, medical supplies, toys, and other basic items to villages throughout the route.
This will be the fifth Rickshaw Challenge in India since CEMS pioneered the event in 2006. Each year the event attracts more and more followers, and this year the public is eagerly awaiting the rally. CEMS is also responsible for similar rallies throughout Europe and Asia, including the Rainbow Rampage, the Caucasian Challenge, and the Bus Number 7 adventure race.