The 1st Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge 2023

1st Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge 2023

These 4x4 are ready for action for the 1st Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge

The 1st Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge also boosts Cavinti Eco-Tourism

Leave Approved! As soon as I heard the news about an awesome event invite, I decided to file a leave of absence from the office just to witness the Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge! The said event started from January 27 to 29, 2023 at Cavinti, Laguna. I am a fan of adventure, but this time is different. I have to watch how the 4x4 competes in different challenges/stages live and real time.

How did we go there? Our friend Herald, who is from Laguna, invited us to go over to Cavinti to watch the 1st ever Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge. Azrael, our team leader instructed us to be there at JAC Liner Buendia, Makati Bus station for the 3:00 morning trip so we could travel as a group going to the venue.

My wife and I arrived at the meeting place around 2:45 AM and soon onboarded the bus. As expected, the bus leave the terminal at exactly 3AM. Since there is no traffic at that time, we safely arrived in Sta. Cruz at around 4:30 AM. We just grab some morning snacks/food/ coffee to fill our empty stomachs at the Tagpuan (just across the bus station) while waiting for our ride to arrive.

In just a few minutes, Herald arrived at the meeting place and he personally drives us from Sta. Cruz to Cavinti and dropped at a gymnasium \ basketball court near the municipal hall of Cavinti, Laguna, where all the 4x4 cars/trucks are parked. So, we can have the opportunity to have a closer look + selfies with the 4x4 vehicles moments before the flag-off begins.

Watch this clip! As you can see, no one is in the area except for the competition officials.

Around 7:30 in the morning, we were advised to head on to the area of Cavinti Municipal Hall. To get ready for Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge FlagOff.

Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge
Driver and Co-driver of the participating prototype and modified 4x4 vehicles

Snaps from the Flagoff

Here's the map for the competition and location of the special stages. Also, these are locations are top destinations for visitors/tourists who would like to visit Cavinti just like the famous *Cavinti Falls. But not only that, With Cavinturismo's 4x4 challenge, they are also introducing the other destinations to visit in Cavinti aside from the famous "Falls" (*formerly Pagsanjan Falls).

The first location was in Pueblo El Salvador Nature's Park and Picnic Grove.Others are in Las Caidas, Paowin, and Caliraya Ecoville Resort

photo from Cavinturismo Extreme 4x4 Challenge's facebook page

Cavinti's weather is not those days were so sunny. There is some rain drizzle or downpour, so the land area is a wet, muddy and slippery. The first stage challenge was hard for the competitors. You need to exert effort and mastery of driving skills need to get points. . There are 2 people in the inside the vehicle (the driver and the co-driver). You'll notice from the video the importance of communication, timing, and coordination between the driver and co-driver to successfully pass on the track. Once off-track and hit something you will get a negative point (deductible from the total points you will during the entire competition).

We were not able to watching all the participating vehicles on this stage as we have some participants did had a hard time completing each stages resulting to the event schedules to push back. Not complaining tho because this just add more challenge to everyone. Moving on to our next location, is our lunch reservation at Las Caidas Wellness Resort this is a 5 to 10-minute drive from the venue. Las Caidas is also Cavinturismo's SS2. Then, after having a sumptuous meal, we headed to the glamping site where we will be staying over the weekend. It's a nice spot because we will cross the lake get there!

We enjoyed the staycation at Kalahi Lakeshore Camp, as well as the activities being offered at these beautiful glamping site. Aside from that, we also explore nearby islands and other places in this municipality.

Back to the Cavinturismo Action, here are the top 3 per category.