Pretoria - Few things beat a crackling campfire and the sound of laughter as groups of families and friends discuss and compare the day’s events at one of South Africa’s biggest 4x4 events.
And such was the atmosphere at the recent Rust de Winter 4x4 Jamboree marking, the 41st event that resumed after a two-year Covid hiatus, and the 29th successive event in partnership with Toyota.
There were 135 vehicles in total that entered and 54 of these were Toyotas ranging from significantly modified Land Cruisers and Hiluxes to stock standard vehicles from the Toyota fleet that a group of motoring journalists contested with.
On arrival you immediately feel the family atmosphere of the event with youngsters running about or pedalling on their bicycles on their way to the children’s play area set-up that was in place to keep them entertained for the weekend.
A laager of caravans greeted us at the Toyota site and soon after unloading our bags, we registered and received our competitor numbers from the professional set-up at the big Toyota admin truck.
Friday evening saw competitors put the final touches on their vehicles and muted discussions about what to expect the next day at the gymkhana before an early evening to get a decent night’s sleep before dust and mud would dominate.
A 5am recorded fish eagle cry had us stumbling out of bed before a hearty breakfast and the sound of engines starting up before getting in line for the day’s activities.
The organisers had meticulously set out 10 various obstacles in a spectator friendly area that would not only test vehicles and body but also parts of your cranium with various activities all the while, while in motion.
My partner and I had been allocated a Hilux 2.8GD-6 double cab 4x4 automatic in Sand Beige that really looked the part. The side-steps had been removed to prevent them from becoming crinkle cut over the obstacles because we would be needing all of its 286mm ground clearance as well as the approach angle of 29 degrees and departure angle of 26 degrees.
Many of the obstacles featured mud and so it was that on one obstacle a number of navigators drew the line at being towed behind a 4x4 on an open sleigh through deep puddles while throwing rings over cones set out along the obstacle. After watching swamp things unstrapping themselves from the sleigh I fully understood their hesitation.
What I really enjoyed about the event was that while competition was stiff no one took themselves too seriously as kids in the back laughed at their parents trying to solve a puzzle, throw tyres over a stake, keep a bucket of water from spilling, driving the speed route or trying to manoeuvre four balls into place while negotiating the obstacles.
There were the usual jibes about various vehicle choices but all of it was handed out and accepted in good humour.
The obstacles too were tight but fair and if you chose your line carefully, didn’t touch the tape or had to do a roll-back your odds on scoring a high mark were good whether you were in a Prado, Fortuner, Hilux or Suzuki Jimny.
Our second last obstacle of the day had me seriously hesitant but ultimately very impressed with our Hilux.
A deep muddy horseshoe-shaped bend followed by a steep slippery sand hill that had seen many competitors needing to be recovered or failing to make it up the slope made worse after cars with massive mud tyres had spun their way through on the rev limiter.
I was concerned about the road-biased tyres but after some advice from long-time Toyota specialist Anthony Clifton, I locked the rear diff, shifted to second gear low range and entered the first axle twister cautiously with my foot gently on the accelerator.
Up and over the last incline before shifting to third gear and flooring it as I hit the water using all of the 150kW and 500Nm at my disposal.
With the muddy water almost covering the bonnet we slid out before changing back to second gear again and over the hill. Full marks, combined with high fives and loud whoops.
Back in camp with fires, family and friends and the odd spanner being called on by some competitors our crew compared notes and laughed about the day’s activities before settling in before tackling day two.
With the fish eagle cry still fresh we started our steeds and headed for the 30km mountain challenge.
Competitors again had to test their vehicles and general knowledge about Africa, various vehicle logos and steep rocky inclines that needed lots of concentration not to damage vehicles or egos.
I let my long-suffering 4x4 passenger and partner drive her first challenge to get an idea of why I often have a 4x4 route in mind when asked what the plans for the weekend are.
My own vehicle is a modified TD5 Land Rover Defender 90 that’s good for serious rock climbing but also kitted for overlanding. At the best of times it’s a challenge to drive with no electronic aids to speak of so unless it’s a slow flat piece of dirt with baby obstacles, she prefers not to be behind the wheel.
Not so with the Hilux with every possible aid including downhill descent control to keep things safe within the parameters of the obstacle I guided and advised her up and down mountain faces and shale covered inclines. She came out the other side unscathed, with slightly damp hands and a Cheshire cat grin.
All too soon it was over and up to the judges to tally the scores and announce a winner at the prize-giving on Monday morning.
It was husband and wife team Philip and Alecia Volschenk who dominated the mountain route and scored well in the gymkhana that walked away as the Toyota Rust de Winter 4x4 Jamboree champions that apart from bragging rights and the trophy also won the chance to compete in the Atlantis 4x4 Fun Day in the Western Cape later this year courtesy of Toyota.
“It is always great to interact with our customers and to experience the loyalty that many of them have towards our brand,” said Toyota SA’s General Manager for Marketing Communications, Lettie Labuschagne.
“We are the overall market leaders, but we are especially proud of our 4x4 range and how they perform on the sales charts each month, and one only needs to cast an eye over the campsite at Rust de Winter to see how that translates into the real world.”