When the comfort zone disappears: up close and personal with the Defender Trophy

Many, many years ago, I was an extremely active young man who wouldn’t think twice about carrying a pack for a week-long hike, played rugby into my mid-30s, played water polo, participated in fun runs and half marathons, almost became a divemaster and jumped onto my bicycle at every opportunity.

Fast forward a couple of decades, let’s just say, if I can’t get there with four wheels and park off with a smoke and whiskey, you’re not going to get much out of me.

So, when I agreed to take part in the Defender Trophy Media Challenge, it was with some trepidation that I stepped out at the Land Rover Experience in Lone Hill. 

So much so, in fact, that I jokingly, not joking, told my partner that if she gets a call from an unknown number, she should answer because it could very well be from the back of an ambulance.

Here we go

Jaguar Land Rover South Africa (JLR) had invited 24 of us to compete in the same challenge that two rotations previously had been to select the 12 South African finalists that had been whittled down from an initial entry of 600 hopefuls.

Seventy-five other countries are doing the same, and we will select the best two and a reserve to send to the finals in October somewhere on the continent.

Granted, our challenges wouldn't have the same intensity, but they were only adapted in terms of time allowed and distance.

You may recall that the Camel Trophy, as it was called in the 80’s (when I was young and fit) was an extreme adventure in Defenders and Discoveries that crossed jungles and some of the harshest terrain across the globe.

If you were to put that proposal forward in these times, the health and safety people’s heads would implode. It petered out in the early 2000s and has now been reignited and rebranded as the Defender Trophy. 

As with all the previous Trophy Challenges, there is a humanitarian angle to the event, this time partnering with the Tusk Wildlife Trust.

Defender Trophy Edition

We would be in Trophy Edition Defenders, which are finished either in Keswick Green or, in our case, the highly recognisable Deep Sandglow Yellow

It has gloss black 20-inch alloys shod with all-terrain tyres, Trophy decals on the bonnet and C-pillar graphic, along with Trophy rear badging and illuminated tread plates.

A snorkel intake, expedition roof rack, lockable side carrier, and retractable side ladder add to the off-road character.

Inside, it’s adorned with Ebony Windsor Leather seats, while the exposed cross-car beam is finished in the same colour as the exterior and features unique laser-etched endcaps with Trophy branding.

Powering it is a 3.0-litre straight six turbodiesel with 257kW and 700Nm coupled to an eight-speed transmission driving all four wheels with Intelligent Terrain Response.

The air suspension can be raised, depending on the mode, up to almost 400mm and with a wading depth of 900mm, it’s highly capable.

First challenges 

At the introductory briefing, veteran South African Camel trophy competitor Mark Collins stressed that you won’t regain the fitness you used to have in a matter of hours, so don’t try.

He wasn’t joking.

I was given a bib with a number, and from then on I would only be No 56. 

Lessons in ropework, orienteering and 4x4 driving were followed before we were thrown into the deep end.

It was a refresher course for me because, as a scout and during my time as a conscript in the SADF, I had used these techniques often, and as far as driving is concerned, I’d like to think that I’m pretty capable off-road.

Our first task was to find various points using the orienteering skills we were taught, followed by building an impossible puzzle and then using the 110 Trophy Edition Defenders to move a layered pyramid between three pallets using only the pulleys attached to the car.

Finally, we were able to get behind the wheel of the Defender, heading out towards a farm close to Bronkhorstspruit via cryptic clues we had to input into the GPS.

From here, we were continually monitored by instructors armed with clipboards, taking notes as they assessed us both individually and in group situations and to see whether we would be worthy Defender ambassadors.

Building bridges and more

Of course, there would be a twist as we headed into camp along muddy roads after continuous rain with a tractor and trailer “blocking” our way over the river.

Using 400kg poles lashed together, we had to build a bridge and guide the Defenders over before a late-night arrival with coffee and a freeze-dried camp meal.

We rose with the sun and, after a brief breakfast, were divided into teams of four with an instructor and headed to the first challenge. 

I like water, so I was comfortable with a dam and a paddleboard. The Invisible Maze was a 5x5 grid of buoys that we had to navigate using the map provided to paddle a set course, not in numerical order, mind you.

Communication

The Claw required good communication and teamwork as we each stood in a corner of a large square and manoeuvred stumps with a pulley and a single hook to place them on scoring markers.  

Team six did remarkably well as we began to feel the energy.

This was followed by Wide Load that had an offset pole attached to the back bumper of the Defender. On the face of it, it looked easy enough, but the pole was longer than the demarcated course. With guidance and turning instructions, we twisted our way through, not completely successful but close enough, we thought.

I’m not sure why it was called Photobomb, but it turns out we had to memorise an orientation map and head out to find as many control points as possible to punch our cards to prove we were at the right one. 

The first three were fine, but repeated returns trying to figure out where the points were saw me punch only seven of the 12, not helped by years of nicotine addiction, I’m sure.

Auto Test was an interesting one that tested your memory and communication with teammates. 

Two of us had to memorise directions N, S, E and W through gates A-F, sending instructions through to the driver and navigator to go through the gates. After each round, we would rotate, and the list would become longer. 

Like studying, making a sentence or acronym saved the day here.

If you think trying to park in a minimum spec shopping centre parking bay in a large SUV is difficult, it has nothing on the Ring Fence Challenge. The Defender had to be driven into a small circular fenced-off area just big enough for the car and then turned 360 degrees before heading out. 

As with every other team on the day, we didn’t have great success.

During lunch, we constructed owl boxes so that the owls in the area have a safe space, which we attached to poles and planted around the farm.

Let’s get physical

For team six, most of the rest of the day, we were being tested physically.

I can’t remember the last time I did an obstacle course, but there I was going over and under. 

Pulling a tyre running with a pole connected to a fulcrum and climbing a rope was not something that I had in my plans, but there we were.

Building a tripod with poles and a rope to zipline someone across a river proved to be very satisfying, but roping together a flag pole proved to be less so.

Duck and Dive required two flags to be planted at a dedicated waypoint at the edge of a dam, and then lining the same flags on the opposite crest would provide a line along which a submerged buoy with a code had to be memorised.

As I said, I’m comfortable in water, so I offered to do the diving bit while a colleague paddled along the imaginary line.

Tired and wet

But that’s not all.

There had to be a grand finale which involved running around a set point, crossing a river, climbing up a steep muddy bank, running around the farmhouse, collecting your number, hooking it on a washing line and then swimming/ walking through a dam.

By that stage, my lungs were screaming, and I could feel every bit of exertion I had done over the two days.

It was almost over as we moved the Defender inch by inch along a pole on one side and moved stumps for the wheels to drive over on the other before crossing the finish line.

It was extremely intense, even in a “watered-down” version.

It’s been a long time since I had been tested like this, both physically and mentally, without any time in between to regroup and regather my thoughts and actions.

But I would like to state for the record that these old bones didn’t flinch once, and there wasn’t a challenge that I skipped or hesitated to participate in.