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Big-time marathon, back in India
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Get set for the excitement of the Indian leg of the London Sydney Marathon. And, see an assortment of cars traversing South India for the first time
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COME JUNE 16 and South Indians will get to witness the most adventurous motor sport event in the world - the London Sydney Marathon (LSM). The event promises a great new Indian experience for the 70-odd participants, who embarked on their journey from London on June 5.
The drivers will traverse through rural France, over the Alps and all the way down Italy to the southern most part of the country. Then, the entire set of cars and crew will be transported to Greece following which another ferry transport will be undertaken to Turkey.
After driving through Turkey, the cars will be transported by a chartered Antonov aircraft to Kochi, while the crew will come by a chartered Jumbo jet.
The event will then go through Munnar, Coimbatore, Mysore, and return to Kochi, where a waiting aircraft will fly them to Alice Springs in Australia, from where the event proceeds to finish at Sydney. It's not going to be a flat road, 10,000-mile blast for the drivers all the way.
They will be forced to zip through roads that are rough, tough and sometimes (rarely!) smooth. Event Director, Nick Brittan says the race will be "a chilling and thrilling drive for the participants."
"The drivers have got a good chance to learn or experience many a new thing when it comes to the Indian leg," said Nick, who was in Coimbatore. "Ever raced through 250-windmill farms or traversed heartbreaking hair pin bends? Well, there's a first time for everything," he added.
The Indian leg of the event is being organised by Coimbatore-based Spitfire Motor Sports Private Ltd. Spitfire has already organised various national and international motor sport events, including the Indian round of the Asian zone rally championship and the MRF India Rally 2002, a contender event of the Asia Pacific rally championship.
The stages at Munnar run through the TATA tea estates. In Coimbatore, the stages are through the windmill farms near Palladam, which have been the stages for many an Indian national rally championship and the Asian zone rally. At Mysore, the event is to pass through the Chamundi Hillsi.
Almost two years of planning have gone into the organising of the event. It is quite rare to see an event of this magnitude and adventure in India.
The event, acclaimed to be the ultimate test of endurance and adventure for participants, will see an assortment of cars, right from those made in 1960 to modern ones straight off the showroom.
RAYAN ROZARIO
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