Red Bull Tuk It 2018 – Weliweriya booms through finish line to clinch title!

A total of 155 teams comprising 465 participants gathered at the Moonemale Estate at Kaluaggala on the bright and sunny morning of 7 April to test their strength and endurance to clinch the champion’s title of the 2nd edition of Red Bull Tuk It.

The event tested all teams equally as they battled fatigue, emotions, challenges and most of all the terrain of Sri Lanka, which proved it is one to be reckoned with.

Stage one of this year’s Red Bull Tuk It put the participants through an initial obstacle course that was designed to mimic the conditions of the terrain that would follow through in the second stage. Lasting for more than 36 hours and crossing more than 15 cities over a distance of 200 km from Kaluaggala to Negombo through a challenging route that involved hill climbs, river crossings, mud pits and extreme weather.

Many of the returning teams from 2017 knew what was to be expected of Red Bull Tuk It, and were very well prepared to get through more than 35 hours through Sri Lanka’s most extreme tuk-tuk challenge. Even though being a new team, ‘Weliweriya Boom 6’ got a hold of survival tips quickly by conversing with the returning teams, coupled with great round one points lead and patient navigational instruction through the second, led them to claim the top spot in the podium.

Team Nipun Baja from Negombo and Weliweriya Boom 3 also were able to end up with podium finishes at 2nd and 3rd places respectively, after careful tracking of the unforgiving terrain through sheer patience and efficient teamwork. It is also a point to note that all three podium finishes this year were new teams.The most creative tuk-tuk award was won by Team No. 067 from Nuwara Eliya for the most original design using the Red Bull can.

“We were really excited to be a part of such a great event like Red Bull Tuk It. We had some idea of what it would be like, from talking to last year’s teams. But in reality the route was tougher than we expected, but in the same time it also showed us how beautiful our country really is, with all the views we got from the mountaintops until we hit the beach park in Negombo. We are definitely looking forward for next year’s Red Bull Tuk It in order to try and defend our champion’s title from this year,” said Weliweriya Boom 6, the winning team of Red Bull Tuk It 2018. 

Red Bull Tuk It is a rally style challenge that utilises Sri Lanka’s most used form of transportation – the tuk-tuk, while allowing teams to take in the iconic beauty of Sri Lanka. The course is not necessarily physical, but by accomplishing tasks, which are a combination of active adventure, getting to grips with tasks of local traditions and then the ultimate satisfaction of reaching the end brings the essence of what the project is about.

The rally does not stop there. For all the latest information from the event please visit the Facebook Page – Red Bull Tuk It or visit Red Bull Content Pool for the latest pictures and videos from the event.