Ron Ng from Singapore and Kiwi, Charles Murray will go on to represent Asia-Pacific at global final in Africa this year, following their win at the regional finals in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Kaohsiung, Taiwan – Singaporean, Ron Ng and New Zealander, Charles Murray topped 22 other competitors during the gruelling Asia-Pacific leg of the Defender Trophy.

Singaporean, Ron Ng (left) and New Zealander, Charles Murray (right) will go on to compete at the Defender Trophy Global Final in Africa

The competition, set against the rugged mountainous terrain of Kaohsiung, in southern Taiwan, is a nod to the Camel Trophy which was held from 1980 to 2000. The latter saw teams of two slug it out using period Land Rover Defenders, to navigate some of the most challenging locations on the planet.

The Defender Trophy event saw competitors traverse a series of vehicle-based, adventure and physical challenges; where the driving stages required technical vehicle control through tight obstacle courses under time pressure, while adventure tasks saw teams collaborate to transport heavy equipment, construct functional solutions in demanding terrain and even complete night driving missions.

Giving the mini Defender Trophy challenge a go

Placed into a team of which included fellow journalists from South and Southeast Asia, I had the opportunity to sample some of the challenges that the Defender Trophy participants would have to face. Our organisers made the right choice of providing us with an extremely watered-down version of the competition, so that none of us non-healthy sorts would physically break.

Driving stages, included timed challenges like driving into a small space, u-turning the Defender before exiting, required teamwork and accuracy.

There was also a terrain course which tested your precision and understanding of the vehicle, where you needed your mirrors to come into contact with special green-coloured suspended balls.

There were also timed team events which required us to raise and secure a flagpole, and a pyramid re-arranging puzzle, where two Defenders were central to the arrangement.

Garth Turnbull, Managing Director, JLR Asia Pacific, said: “Asia Pacific is one of the most diverse and dynamic regions in the world, and that breadth was clearly reflected in the calibre of competitors we saw in Taiwan. Defender Trophy is about more than technical capability; it’s about resilience, teamwork and a shared respect for the environments we explore.

We are proud to see our Asia-Pacific winners represent the region at the Global Final in Africa. They embody the spirit of adventure and purpose that defines Defender, and we look forward to seeing them compete on the world stage in support of our long-standing conservation partner, Tusk.”

The Defender Trophy marks Defender’s return to global challenge events – a new series of competitions designed not only to test human capability, but to leave a positive legacy for the people and places it touches.

Qualification rounds continue this month with the North American Finals in British Columbia, Canada.

Ron Ng and Charles Murray will next compete at the Defender Trophy Global Final in Africa, hosted in partnership with Defender conservation partner Tusk.

Photos: Defender