Day 15 :Feb 15: Pune Mega Event
Text: Sandeep Goswami (Old Fox)
The day of reckoning was finally there, for both us and Castrol India. The first scheduled mega-event was on us. We reached the venue (New English School, Tilak Road, Sadashivpet) at 0930hrs. The school ground had been converted into the competition area, with various stalls and podiums (food n beveerage, selling Castrol oils, promoting the Bike Zones etc, a stage for our 3 bikes and another with a podium flanked by AV screens). Some of the class-rooms had been marked as the Judge’s rooms where we would audition the aspiring contestants. The whole scene looked pretty well set-up and there were already some bikers at the registration desk. We had one pleasant surprise in store though. Ever since Shailay had to head home, we were short of one judge for the events. Fortunately for us, Gaurab Das (aka MG Biker) was incidentally in Pune and had the Sunday relatively free. What more could we ask for but an experienced campaigner like him to join us as the fourth judge.
1000hrs: We ‘four’ had a short meeting, primarily briefing MG about the task ahead and tuning in the finer details of the assessment process. 1030Hrs…the venue assistants started sending in the contestants for the auditions. Seeing such enthusiasm and sincerity towards biking among the contestants, across the board, was a very heartening experience. Each one of them was unique in his/her perception of and attitude towards biking but the common theme was responsible and fun biking. The auditions were a relaxed affair as we were not there to grill the aspirants but rather to get to know them well enough to send them up for further tests.
The slow trickle of morning had turned into a flowing influx. The auditions went on till about 1500hrs. To facilitate the beginning of the rest of the rider’s tests, we split our judges team into two. Sunny and SunilG moved out into the competition area while MG and I continued with the auditions till we were through with the last applicant.
The scene outside, where the riding tests were being held, was a busy one. The emcee was pretty slick, keeping the audience involved, informed and thoroughly entertained. The riding tests were the elimination rounds and began with the ‘figure-of-eight’ test. He riders were given a time span of two minutes to make as many ‘figure-of-eight’s’ as they could. Any foot touching down, touching the centre pylons or going out of the boundary of the test area each incurred a penalty. By the time the test was over, almost every rider was looking towards slow-riding skills with new respect, some even with fear. The second round was the ‘Slow – Biking’. Each biker had to cover a 50ft long track in the max possible time, putting a foot down or getting a wheel out of the track markers incurring penalty points (certain time being subtracted from their total time). This was an elimination round and the final twenty riders were selected from this.
Now began smething very interesting. This was the ’stage-presence’ round where each of the twenty finalists were invited on stage by the emcee and given a minute to speakout their ‘Biking passion story’ for the audience. They were given points for how relevant, how passionate and how well presented their story was. All twenty were petty articulate and emotions for biking ran high. Interestingly, only two girls ad registered themselves for the competition and one of them made it to the final twenty.
Stage presence displayed, the riders were back on their steeds, this time for the ’slalom round’ Six pylons were put up in a straight line, at reducing distances and the bikers were to slalom through them , going once and coming back the same way in the minimum time. Penalty seconds were added to their timing each time they put their foot down, touched the marking pylons or got a wheel out of the test area.
Skill and enthusiasm levels were high and that made the job of picking out a clear winner very difficult. He results tally brought up an unexpected tie between the top 4 riders. A tie breaker was the only solution and only a test involving pure riding skills would have been appropriate as the tie breaker. So ’slow biking’ was chosen as the test, primarily because it evened out most bikes’ advantages and disadvantages relating to turning circle and maneuverability.
The contest was two competing against each other, the respective winners in turn competing, giving us a clear final winner. The atmosphere was electric, waiting for the show-down. The crowd cheered wildly for the two winners of the tie-breaker and then came the final. Between the crowd’s favourite Baljeet Singh astride his 500 Bullet (of the Roadshakers of Pune) and Piroz Firodia on his black ZMA-R. The ‘go’ for the start was followed by a roaring Enfield engine, the characteristic quiet whirr of the Honda and the rhythmic chanting of the surrounding crowd. It was a close fight and Piroz , an unassuming young man who, self-admittedly, did not think in his wildest dreams that he would get chosen as the ‘Most Passionate Biker from Pune’ indisputably won the crown.
Each of the twenty finalists were given a gift hamper by Castrol India, the four who got to the tie breaker getting additional gifts while Piroz carried away the prized ‘Most Passionate Biker of Pune’ trophy home. Whew! What a day and what an evening. We were tired but very satisfied with the way things had gone through the day. And since this was the first event of a series, it was also a learning experience for all involved. Looking forward to some great biking actions in weeks to come see you tomorrow.
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