borneo4x4.com

HEART OF BORNEO SAFARI 2007

[home] [ main page ] [day -1]  [ flag off and SS 1 & 2 ] [what you didn't see] [awards night]
  Everyone was informed to be at the flag off by 7am and the flag off was scheduled for 10 am. And yes, everyone was there like clockwork at around 7.30.. the treat of not having a parking space was the main reason. The best part of the flag off is being in 4x4 central where cars of all shape and sizes are dressed in their Sunday best. Competition cars were all clean and so were the drivers and all the tag-on had every equipment in place.

It was heavy overcast, and the skies threatened to release rain but it never did except for a very short spell during the SS in Penampang. The drive to the SS site was short with Police escorts making way. At the site, competitors were separated from the tag-ons and the show started under the command of James Wong, the event director.

At the end of day, it was not clear who was leading Kudat Kuin smoked SS1 only to blow a value clip, resulting in an engine overhaul at the track. Wong Chai made a horrendous entry into the swamp to be delayed by the winching where he fell a tree. #45 Mak Chee Ming and #53 Liew Fui King in a Daihatsu Rocky were the front runners after day.

We asked Toshi Urabe about the prospect of the Japanese team in the international race category.. he could only comment that at least one team would definitely win a prize.

Gaya Street becomes the 4X4 central again where the top off road vehicles show themselves off the world. A number of foreigners who were walking along Gaya Street came to watch the flag off.

 

These recovery and official cars were painted in Kevlar brakes colours and they looked super cool. There was this BJ60 recovery car with 2 JZ and a gear box that could snatch vehicles out of the bogg all day and not break a sweat.

 

 

In Malaysia everything starts with song and dance and here the dancers pose with Tengku Zainal Adlin - the tourism strongman of Sabah, James Wong - event director and Malcolm of Borneo4x4  (with raised hand) and key officials.

 

 

This the Fire department's refurbished Land Rover. This rig and its crew has been with the Borneo Safari for 6 years. Borneo 4 WD was the supplier to many of its upgrade including King Springs that could take the load, OME shocks, a Warn 8274-50 winch.

 

 

Picture with friends from the start L-R: Eunice, Mary and husband Borneo Lim, Kevin Yueng and Malcolm of Borneo4x4

 

 

The famous 00 car belonging to James Wong. HID lights, leather trimming including the Recaro leather seats, front and back Warn 8274 winches, Super Swamper tyres on OZ Racing rims, 3 radios - 2 VHF and 1 HAM, tweaked suspension with twin shocks and the works. Down side of this car? You cannot improve it any further...

 

 


Competitors walking the track before the start of SS 1. Here the Chang brothers in red makes a point to each other.

 

 

Harahiku (left) is Japan's top 4X4 driver. He won the Land Rover 4X4 Competition in Japan. He can be seen advising and guiding other Japanese drivers on the finer points of tackling the Bornean special stage.

 

 

 

This is the wicked entry into SS1. There are big rocks in the mud and hugging the hard ground too far left will see a roll over. Here Japanese driver Tomohiri goes for it but only to see him DNF because he ran over the 18 mins time limit.

 

 

 

No, that's not a face mask. It's the result of a trip that sent Ah Soon (co-driver to Kopi Leong) face first into the mud. He tried very hard to get the ground anchor to stick but they DNF this stage because they ran out of time.

 

 

 

No, no, stop.. but this young Japanese driver Toshimoto could not hear his co-driver and snaps his winch cable to DHF this stage. But he bounced back to compelete SS 2 without incident.

 

 

 

Swamp things.. this was SS1, an obstacle course by the swamp. The water and the poolside in the back ground is deceiving and has a hard base. It was the pits that were soft and had all forms of surprises for drivers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kudat Kuin was one of the two drivers who managed to drive through this first sector in SS1. He clocked he fastest time. However, bad luck struck him in the simpler SS 2 where he DNF due to a failing valve clip.

 

 

 

Wong Chai and his imported co-driver Yoshimoto had a hard time in SS 1 and finished mid table. But SS2 went well and he climbed the event standings. Yoshimoto has represented Japan in the G4 challenge n 2004. Suffice to say that he has the skills and fitness for this type of an event. Here they are caught between a rock (near front left tyre) and a hard place.