Central Zone Club Truck Challenge 2023 round 3 Wellington
By Andrew Gee

In a terrible start to the year, many Kiwis have suffered from extreme weather events.  It has been great to see 4WD clubs and individuals out there helping people. Ralph and Georgie Dobson from Cross Country Vehicle Club (CCVC) headed to Napier and volunteered their labour to whoever needed it, while Brent Ward loaned his digger to the people of Tinui for the flood clean-up with help from Scott Donald who delivered the digger to the town. CCVC had an emergency callout of club vehicles to the South Coast when it looked like the Interislander might run ashore. They were stood down after two hours of waiting when the Kaitaki got running again. The Auckland Anniversary weekend storm cancelled round two of the Club Truck Challenge (CTC) in Wairarapa when access to the site was under water.

When Wellington Jeep Club took on the running of this event they used Capital City styles: first, form a subcommittee (Dave, Bruce and Andrew), second, ask for an RFT, and three, engage overpriced contractors. They had a good man in charge because the event ran perfectly.  Thanks to Malcolm and Sue for access to a new part of their farm that had heaps of potential with odd shaped bumps and lumps, rock strewn slopes and huge open space for a massive speed section.  A number of techniques were used in making the hazards to test the drivers, hillclimbs with no run up, off-camber corners that sent vehicles out of the course and short sharp humps that required entry at an angle to avoid clearance issues. Hazards eight and nine used the old off-camber corner trick to fire people off the course and then require recovery before they rolled over.  Steve Stewart’s Nissan was a tough pull-out of the hazard, needing a train of two trucks to get enough traction to move him.

My own recovery from the last hill was close to a roll over but skill and a lot of luck kept the Jeep rubber side down to let us finish the day with a speed section.

Hayden Foott joined the comp in his very tidy built-up Nissan Patrol cut down to a ute.  He was getting into the swing of 4WD trials but was let down by a few mechanic issues. Hopefully he will attend to them and be a force to be reckoned with next time out. Ross Gregory bought out his Jeep and had a few laughs driving over the hills. It was good to see him out in the traps but maybe bring a little more petrol with you next time?

All in all a good event at a new location.