Ladoga Trophy: Hard Play The Russian Way

[Brody]

The Ladoga Trophy Race is a yearly event held in Russia with various classes of rigs. It covers something like 1200 Km and is a 9 day event. All events are timed. Competitors come from all over the world and huge number of makes and models are represented. It makes a lot of the USA held events pale in comparison. Any event where you see the drivers and spotters wearing waders ain't going to be easy:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmk0puT-iIU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG0GokqqH2k&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqjmDU6h_Lw&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPbwAMaAOYc&feature=related

[Jim]

The third vid about 4m30s into it - wow

edit: The Second vid...


You know you're on a tough trail when it's easier to roll your vehicle side-top-side-wheels to get unstuck!!

Puts "the lake" on Coney Flats into perspective :lmao:

[Brody]

I liked how much the driver of the 'let's just roll the thing out of the mud' rig was laughing. That is some really brutal stuff.

I also like how deceptive the bogs are. Looks like a field of grass. Reminded me if when I lived in Washingston state:

Years ago, I lived in Seattle for awhile in the real early 70s. The lady I was with at the time and a lady friend of hers and I were doing some serious partying. They wanted to go and do some wheeling, so we piled into the 4x I had at the time (a Scout, I think) and we headed north at about 1AM to wheel....still partying merrily along. At some point, the road we were on started getting too rough and I decided that we ought to turn around. I pulled off the side of the road onto what looked like a flat green grass section to do this. As soon as the front of the rig went onto the 'green grass', the rig took a serious nose dive and the 'green grass' immediately covered the hood....and the rig was still sinking. The 'green grass' turned out to be an algae covered swamp!

We managed to crawl out of the rig over the top and get back onto the road. The rig stopped sinking when the water line was slightly past the front windshield. We then proceeded to walk all the way back to the pavement, the ladies wearing their 'party clothes' and heels, me with boy o boy boots on and hitched a ride back to Seattle...at about 4AM...I wasn't the 'man of the hour'. I got a hold of a wrecking/tow company that was set up to do off road recovery and rode back with the driver. He had to drive around to the other side of the marshy bog and tow my heap across it to get it out. An expensive and tiring evening...

The marsh looked like something these guys drive through....I am going to do a search for some information on a build up on some of the rigs they use for this. It will probably have some really good information, because if the rigs can survive the stuff in the video, they can probably survive about anything we can through at it in the States....