The 2009 Land Rover G4 Challenge is an exciting global adventure competition with driving at its core, run in the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The program begins with a grueling series of selections and culminates in the Challenge Finals, when teams of two competitors from each of the 18 entered nations will compete for victory.

The Challenge Finals will take place in some of the world's most spectacular locations and will pit competing teams against each other in tests of driving skill, initiative, strategic thinking and physical fitness.

"The Land Rover G4 Challenge is the ultimate adventure," notes Gary Moyer, president Land Rover Canada. "It adds a fresh, thoroughly modern chapter to Land Rover's already storied history of adventure competitions, and importantly, a new humanitarian effort with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies."

History of the Land Rover G4 Challenge

Rooted in Land Rover's lasting heritage of adventure, the G4 Challenge is a global competition that was inaugurated in 2003, with a thrilling four-week competition that saw Belgian fighter pilot Rudi Thoelen emerge victorious from a cliff hanging finale in Moab, Utah.

The next Challenge, in 2006, went deep into rugged, remote locations in Thailand, Laos, Brazil and Bolivia, coming to an end at an altitude of over 13,000 feet with South Africa's Martin Dreyer emerging victorious.

The "G" stands for "Global", as the Challenge takes place in a variety of global locations, and the competitors represent nations from across the globe. The "4" is an abbreviation for "4x4" - one of the most important facets of the Challenge.

Land Rover G4 Challenge (2008) - picture 1 of 5
Land Rover G4 Challenge (2008) - picture 2 of 5
Land Rover G4 Challenge (2008) - picture 3 of 5
Land Rover G4 Challenge (2008) - picture 4 of 5
Land Rover G4 Challenge (2008) - picture 5 of 5

The 2009 Land Rover G4 Global Competition

Canadian National Selections - June 2008
For the 2009 Land Rover G4 Challenge, Land Rover Canada, in conjunction with the Quest for a Cure, will select a number of amateur athletes from around the country to compete in the Land Rover G4 Challenge/Quest for a Cure. The adventure competition, June 20-22, will serve as the Canadian national selection event for Land Rover's Global G4 Challenge, taking place at the Fairmont le Chateau Montebello in Quebec, also home of one of the world's best Land Rover Experience Driving Schools.

Participants will be selected from a pool of applicants entered online at www.landroverg4challenge.com based on athletic background and off-road driving experience. Deadline for entries is June 3, 2008.

Each team will race through the sprawling land in Montebello, competing in driving challenges and outdoor adventure activities designed to test teamwork and skills such as off-road driving, navigating, trail running, mountain biking and kayaking.

International Selections - Early 2009
The top two teams from the national competition in Montebello will advance to the international selection event in England in early 2009, where one team will be selected to represent Canada in the final challenge in Asia.

G4 Challenge Finals - Early 2009
The successful competitors will travel to spectacular remote locations in Asia where off-road driving will be mixed with sporting challenges to test the team's strength, stamina and strategic awareness. In a major competitive change to past Challenges, each country in next year's Challenge Finals will have its own national vehicle with two competitors - one male and one female - working together as a team. This will double the number of participants and will foster a much stronger national element, with competitor vehicles displaying highly visible country flags.

The nations represented in the 2009 Land Rover G4 Challenge are Australia, Austria, Belgium/Luxemburg, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway/Sweden, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the USA.

As a part of the International Federation partnership, Land Rover will donate a vehicle to the National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society associated with the winning team in the Challenge Finals.

The 2009 Challenge will follow Land Rover's brand-wide environmental program and will be fully CO2 offset, supporting specifically identified global projects through Land Rover's partner Climate Care. This program, coupled with considerate competition design, will ensure the event has neutral environmental impact while leaving a positive humanitarian legacy with International Federation projects around the world.