FEDERAL-VESSEL Asia Cross Country Rally 2017 Kick-Off!

This year, international cross country rally , "FEDERAL-VESSEL Asia Cross Country Rally 2017" was kicked off at a luxury resort Pattaya in central Thailand. This year's competition was held from August 14th for six days and the finish was in a neighboring country of Cambodia, Angkor Wat, world heritage. Center in the first half of the rally was coastal routes across the Cambodian border (Koh Kong) southward to Sihanoukville. The second half stretched north from there and it leads to the tourist city Siem Reap through the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh with inland routes structure.

Among them, load section to travel on public roads within the stipulated time (Road Sector) is about 1,167km. The selective Sector is to race the speed on the dirt roads and so on… by time measurement was about 805km. The total length of 2,000km battles was prepared.

The event holder/director Tadayuki Sasa (center) declaring the opening of 21st FEDERAL-VESSEL Asia Cross Country Rally 2016.

This year’s participants were the total of 66 units including 46 Bikes(MOTO) and 20 Car(Auto). Sequentially last year, there were many entries in the MOTO division and it has attracted entrants from a number of countries such as Thailand and Cambodia, also India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Sweden. A wide variety of machines were lined up and manufacturers were not only Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki from Japan but also many Riders used the HUSQVARNA, HUSABERG of Sweden, KTM of Austria and BMW of Germany.

10 units Isuzu D-MAX of the most popular 4WD car within Thailand domestic race, 5 units Toyota Hilux, two units Suzuki Jimny, and one unit Toyota Tacoma were lined up. In addition, there were two units pick-up truck called Xeon of TATA, a first race this year from Indian manufacturers.

♯1 Yoshio IKEMACHI

For MOTO division, ♯1 Yoshio IKEMACHI who won last year's battle, ♯2 Keisuke MAEDA, the winner of 2014, and his team-mate (Team FB Japan),♯3 Tadao EZURE who demonstrated stable strength got attention. How the powerhouse Sweden team and competitors from Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia which have been improving their skills remarkably will battle against these three will be the highlight.

♯101 Nuttapon ANGRITTHANON / Peerapong SOMBUTWONG

In the AUTO division, the main topic will be who can stop consecutive title of ♯101 Nuttapon ANGRITTHANON / Peerapong SOMBUTWONG pair (Isuzu D-MAX) continuing to win the overwhelming strength this year. In addition, the Dakar legend #102 Kenjiro SHINOZUKA / EJ CHIBA (Japan, Suzuki Jimny) debuted last year finished with second place and Tadamitsu NIIHORI / Chupong CHAIWAN (Toyota Hilux Revo) won the battle once although it has been a while to participate should be paid attention to the trend.

♯102 Kenjiro SHINOZUKA / Eiji CHIBA

Tomorrow is the first day competition and has over 200km SS distance, the most long harsh course in this year's rally. Please look forward to the next report how two-wheel and four-wheel entrants will battle in the situation.

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