Tura, Sept 27: The roar of high-powered engines, flying dirt, and an intense wave of adrenaline took over Sella Wari Dodinanggre in West Garo Hills on Saturday as over 100 motocross riders from across the Northeast gathered for the second edition of the West Eastern Motocross Challenge.
Organized by Tribal Nation Riders (TNR), the event brought together competitors from Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim to tackle a gruelling dirt course.
The action on the track began a day earlier, with September 25 reserved for track trials and pre-race practice runs. This gave riders essential time to gauge the terrain and assess the track’s sharp curves and muddy obstacles before the official competitive heats began.
The event catered to a broad mix of machine setups and rider experience levels, spreading participants across multiple competitive classes: Expert, Novice, Beginners, Two-Stroke, Scooty, Open, X-Clan, Ladies, and a newly introduced Royal Enfield category. The Beginner class drew the highest participation with 34 competitors split into three heat groups, followed by 26 riders in Novice, 18 in Scooty, 12 in Two-Stroke, and five riders in the Women’s division.
Navigating the 1.7km Sella Wari circuit demanded technical precision alongside outright speed. Riders had to maintain balance, sharp concentration, and rapid decision-making to navigate the unpredictable, rough surface safely.
For the organizers, the regional turnout highlighted the growing popularity of motorsport in Meghalaya. They expressed satisfaction with the turnout and noted the importance of providing a home platform for local talent. The organizer emphasized that the response has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly with participation expanding across different Northeastern states, which elevates the competitive exposure for local riders who frequently travel elsewhere to race.
Beyond the trophies, TNR highlighted that the core mission of the competition is fostering discipline, confidence, and sportsmanship among the youth through constructive adventure sports. They are also developing future plans to expand the event into a larger scale and include additional racing categories.
Safety remained a top priority throughout the event, with strict adherence to protective gear and safety guidelines required for all participants.
The competition also received formal encouragement from the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and the local MLAs.
Competing riders also expressed immense enthusiasm at the opportunity, with many joining in as newbies and a few experienced riders participating for the thrill. Amo Fachang, a rider from Arunachal Pradesh who has been competing in such motorsports event in many states and has also played in the national level, also brought in some new riders along with him to experience the competitive platform and wished to come in the future editions also. “Next time, I have to think about it as it is a long journey, but I will definitely try to participate again”, said Amo.
When the races concluded, Banteilang Jyrwa delivered an impressive performance to secure first place in the Expert category, while Evander M. Sangma finished second and Banshanlang Kharthang took third. Evander M. Sangma went on to claim both the Open Category victory and the coveted Best Rider award for his dominant performance across the heats.
In the Ladies category, Lawanphyrani Jyrwa took top honors, with Changchame R. Marak and Dikkimchi A. Sangma finishing second and third, respectively. The Novice category was won by Abriale W. Nongkhlan, followed by Walsado Ch. Sangma in second and Elbis L. Lyngkhoi in third. Shaiborlang Marsha clinched first place in the Beginner division, with Enrich K. Sangma and Riko Punyo completing the podium.
Banteilang Jyrwa earned another win in the Two-Stroke category, followed by Veanny Mawrie and Tenzy Sangma. Jayden W. Nongkhlaw dominated the Scooty class, ahead of Aiban Mankaraw Sohtun and Alvin Gareth Khardali. Allewey Sangma made history as the winner of the Royal Enfield class, while Ansrang R. Marak finished first in the X-Clan event, flanked by runner-up Andrian Tengchang S. Marak and third-place finisher Kanam G. Sangma.
The event didn’t just attract riders, but also a huge turnout of spectators gathered to witness the high octane competition, and the roaring sound of revving engines. With the dust settling over Sella Wari and engines silent, the second edition of the challenge established itself as a cornerstone motorsport gathering for the region, leaving riders and spectators eager for the next lap.
