Aside the main event as a purpose of my visit to India, I have to say again that this country never stops to amaze me. Its kind and cheerful people are always fully cooperative and the vivid colors on the streets are every photographer’s dream. Though majority of the population live in poverty, every single person I’ve talked to has a smiley face and not a single negative emotion. Combinig this positive human quality and adrenaline we have a race named Red Bull Soapbox!
The residents of India’s bustling metropolis Mumbai got a shot of adrenaline on a lazy Sunday afternoon as they witnessed everything from pizza slices and snails to pirate ships race down Mount Mary Road at the country’s first ever Red Bull Soapbox Race. Nearly 10,000 people lined the iconic street in the district of Bandra’s to cheer the craziest “road race” the nation has ever seen! Judged by actor and model Lisa Hayden, actor and youth icon Rannvijay Singh, theatre and TV personality Kunal Vijaykar, Indian rugby spearhead Nasser Hussain and 1983 Cricket World Cup winner Balwinder Singh Sandhu, 53 soapboxes battled it out for the title on Mount Mary Road.
Following a day full of song, dance, creativity and bumpy rides, Dabbawallas, Team Tritech and Feni Talks bagged first, second and third places respectively. Dabbawallas from Mumbai blew away the judges with their colourful soapbox ferrying the quintessential lunchbox-style containers known throughout Mumbai as dabbas. Team Tritech and Feni Talks also left the crowds roaring, riding in their radio-controlled-car-inspired soapbox and tricycle shaped feni bottle respectively.
The four-member winning team receives a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the world of Red Bull in Salzburg, Austria coupled with a jaw-dropping visit to Hangar 7 and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM, German Touring Car Masters) Series. The runner-up wins a fully paid trip to Sunburn Goa 2012, Asia’s biggest dance music festival, with the third-placed crew being rewarded with free entry to the most happening New Year’s Eve party in town along with a group of friends. The fastest driver of the day rode off with a 36V Electric Trikke.
Fuelled by creativity and competitive fun, the Red Bull Soapbox Race is a unique non-motorised racing event which challenges both experienced racers and amateurs alike. The task for the teams is to design and build imaginative, human-powered soapbox machines and compete against the clock on a downhill course featuring jumps, bumps and curves. The Red Bull Soapbox Race had taken place in 77 cities across 40 countries before making its debut in Mumbai, India on December 2012.