ALEX Neblasca, veteran Subaru Challenge competitor, is all smiles on the second day as he gives a thumbs up.
MOTOR Image Enterprises, the Asean distributor for Subaru vehicles under the Fuji Heavy Industries Group, and MediaCorp, one of the largest media groups in the world, recently concluded their 15th MediaCorp Subaru Car Challenge regional finals held at Ngee Ann City at the posh Orchard Road district in Singapore.
2015 was a big year for the event, as it was the first time that a non-Singaporean won, with a time of 77 hours and 58 minutes.
The winner is Nguyen Phuoc Huynh, an engineer who hails from Vietnam. He took home the grand prize of a Subaru XV, besting 400 other participants from other countries like Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Singapore.
The Philippines’ eight-time veteran Subaru car challenge competitor, Alex Neblasca, bowed out minutes after the 72nd-hour break, complaining of intense pain from his legs and joints. He came in fifth overall with a time of 72 hours and 23 minutes.
Alex took home the prize of Singapore $1,000 for being the Philippine country winner, the last Filipino standing in this event.
With the haze problem from Indonesia reaching as far northwest of Malaysia and Singapore, the event organizers decided to envelope the venue in a massive tent and install blowers to help circulate fresh air should the haze pose a problem.
Thankfully, the Singapore skies were clear. The haze, however, created a different sort of problem: The tent kept the lights at a constant level, and with the mostly overcast three-plus days of competition, sleep deprivation took its toll on the competitors.
The air was also stale and muggy inside the tented area, which posed a new problem on the competitors.
Other noteworthy competitors were Elizabeth Chua, a 38-year-old Singaporean who bowed out after 73 hours and 17 minutes, making her the last female standing at the said event.
Abdul Hamid Jonid, a personal driver and part-time martial arts instructor, was the oldest participant to clock in the longest time of 74 hours and 44 minutes. Jonid was dazed and confused, and apparently switched out his hand on the spot in a moment of confusion.
He was held back from the competition area by family, friends and marshals after being distraught and emotional, and was confined to a wheelchair afterwards.
THE TENTED Civic Center at Ngee Ann City on Orchard Road, venue for the MediaCorp Subaru Challenge
Nguyen Phuoc Huynh also clinched the prize for Asian Winner, being the last regional contestant. He got an additional Singapore $5,000.
Participants from Malaysia collectively got the Team/
Country win for achieving the longest combined time of all 10 participants at 518 hours and 45 minutes.
The 10-man Malaysian contingent will share the Singapore $10,000 prize.
The 15th iteration of the MediaCorp Subaru Car Challenge was previously always won by Singaporeans, who enjoyed support from family and friends, and had the home-court advantage.
To spice things up, MediaCorp and Motor Image also provided the COE for any winning Singaporean, as the COE is a substantial cost of vehicle ownership in Singapore.
Previously, many Singaporean winners would simply sell back their Subaru vehicle prize and get cash in return, as the COE was oftentimes too expensive for the winners.
Thanfully, the COE was included in this year’s prize in the event that a Singaporean would win again.
Shell Fuels also gave a hefty Singapore $5,000 worth of fuel to the winning Singaporean. Unfortunately, these added incentives did not apply to non-Singaporean winners.
Glenn Tan, group chief executive of Motor Image Enterprises Singapore and executive director of Tan Chong International Ltd., was visibly pleased with the event.
At an interview with the Philippine media contingent, he said: “It has always been a challenge growing the Subaru brand in Asean; there’s always challenges facing us.
“Buying a Subaru vehicle also means facing the challenge, driving it in all sorts of difficult terrain which it is made for. Competing in the MediaCorp Subaru Car Challenge is also a challenge, testing your mental and physical stamina.
“And we’ve always tried to keep the event fresh so it’s always exciting. It’s always about facing challenges and rising above them.
“For the first time ever, a regional contestant has won the challenge. Four hundred strong participants entered the arena to battle it out for the grand prize.
“Although the cool weather coupled with the tent caused participants to fall asleep faster, Nguyen Phuoc Huynh kept his eyes wide open and outlasted everyone.
“As a result of his tenacity and perseverance, I am extremely happy that a regional contestant has upped the ante and beat 320 Singaporeans.”
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