Skills Development Day - Atlantis Dunes 12 September 2010
Jeep Skills Development Day - Atlantis Dunes 12 September 2010
We held our first skills development day with 40 vehicles taking part at Atlantis Dunes.
The day started off early with members arriving from 7.45am and the last registered by 9am.
We entered the Dunes, split into 7 teams with 5 vehicles in a team, selected a team leader for each team and departed for a casual drive through the dunes. The Marshall vehicles followed in behind me.
No major mishaps besides two tyres off the rim while learning to drive in the sand. Team Jeep drivers chose the adrenalin pumping route while the standard Jeeps followed a more subdued route to the first rendezvous point. Team Jeep 7 managed to lose their way but were quickly found and re joined the group.
We eventually arrived at the designated points event area and quickly set about giving the teams various obstacles to set up. A quick briefing was held with the ten Marshalls most had never done this before. Congratulations Marshalls you all did a sterling job for the two and half hours in the sun.
Each team had 20 minutes to get their 5 vehicles through each obstacle to avoid additional penalties. Each driver started the obstacle with 100 points and had points deducted for errors made while driving the obstacle. The lowest score a driver could get per obstacle was zero.
The event started slowly as Marshalls had to manoeuvre the teams into place and advise what was required at each obstacle. It wasn’t long and all 7 teams were well into the event.
All obstacles were successfully completed by 1.30pm so we all gathered for lunch and refreshments. After lunch the Team Jeep vehicles which consist of 4”lifts, Larger than life tyres, Metal bumpers, winches etc did an additional obstacle which allowed them to put their vehicles through various obstacles allowing the spectators to see just what these vehicles can do. The spectators had to leap out the way more than once as the Team Jeep vehicles launched themselves out of the obstacle. No one was hurt and no damage to vehicles encountered.
After this excitement most decided to call it a day and slowly left to find the exit of the dunes while others continued to play.
A special mention goes to Owen Kensley a Jeep Club Member who sponsored the handheld radios on the day from Comnet. Visit their website to see the range of radios they support from 29meg, VHF and hand held’s. They also offer GPS monitoring and Factory, office surveillance.
A special mention goes to Deon Venter a Jeep Club Member who sponsored the poles used for the obstacles from REDZ Construction. These will be used at all future events.
Now for the results of the various teams:
Team Jeep
Jeep 1 – Came first and first overall with an average of 474 pts (Well done to Theuns, Ian, Vaughan, Maurice, Mark and your co drivers)
Jeep 2 – Came second and third overall with an average of 435 pts
Standard Jeeps
Jeep 4 – Came first and second overall with an average of 438 pts (John, Doytchin, Stephen, Nico, Fernando and your co drivers)
Jeep 7 – Came second and fourth overall with an average of 434 pts
Jeep 6 – Came third and fifth overall with an average of 428 pts
Jeep 5 – Came fourth and sixth overall with an average of 396 pts
Jeep 3 – Came fifth and seventh overall with an average of 325 pts
Well done to all the teams and the drivers and co drivers you made the day one to remember for 2010. Our next event is planned for early 2011 so see you all there again.
The prizes will be awarded at our next monthly social on the 5th October 2010. More details of this are to follow shortly.
Regards
Craig Parsons
Jeep Club Western Cape
www.jeepclubcape.co.za
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