Ventkhana 2016 – Epic Scout Motorsport!

The first two months of the WA State Rally championship are a little crazy for us. With three rallies to contest in 45 days, time is tight to turn everything around and there is little time to wind down from one event to the next.

At the end of April, only four days after our return from the Quit Forest Rally we found some time to run Ventkhana for 2016. This event was run exclusively for Scouts (Venturers) between the ages of 14 & 17 and open to all Venturer Units in WA. Ventkhana is a weekend of camping, team work and motorsport, where the kids prepare and race their own cars.

Ventkhana_2016_group_shotThis year we had members from eight units, totalling 38 which were divided into seven teams of three of four Venturers and a leader. Some of the Venturers had been to several motorsport events and others had never driven a car before at all.

On Friday evening units started to arrive at our venue and set up camp. The Perth forecast was for rain and storms, being a little further out we hoped the weather would hold.

Ventkhan_2016_Team_5Saturday morning dawned overcast and cool, however no rain had fallen overnight and there was a general buzz of activity as paperwork was checked and cars were scrutineered ready to start racing. After the driver’s briefing, we were into the first test.

To easy into the racing, we started out on our figure eight track to let the kids get to grips, particularly for those that had never driven before. Each Venturer whether an experienced driver or not, had an adult leader alongside them in the cars for the duration of the weekend. It didn’t take long for everyone to get into the routine and soon we’d completed the first four tests.

Next we moved down to our salt flat to run a popular Motorkhana test called the open slalom. The test was a series of cones set out in an open area. The idea is to drive around the course without knocking down any cones in the quickest time possible. It is a good way to learn car control, positioning of the car and awareness of your surroundings. The kids all did well and then we threw in a leader’s race to add to the team tally. By lunchtime we’d already run 9 tests.Ventkhan_2016_Team_4

With some good basic skills under their belts, the afternoon was a time to move onto more complicated tests in the form of some of our Khanacross tracks. Khanacross has more of a defined track and whilst there is a correct route to take and markers in places, the tests take on more of a “mini rally” feel, especially with the leaders alongside coaching and navigating.

Weaving through our salt bush plantings, we ran two different tracks which totalled eight more tests before we linked both tracks together and gave the leaders another run. With late afternoon approaching we had one more special test up our sleeve.

For the final test for the day, we’d implemented a water challenge. The task was to a fill a container with water and then one of the Venturers in each team had to hold the open container on their lap in the passengers’ seat whilst the leader drove around a Khanacross track. The whole task was timed, however the amount of water that remained in the container when the test was finished was carefully measured. The more remaining water, the more time we deducted. Tactics played into this task and it was an opportunity for a slower team to gain an advantage and move up a few places. Some teams arrived at the stop point with nearly a full container, at least one team had very little water left and looked like they’d taken a shower with their clothes on.

Ventkhan_2016_Team_7Sunday dawned to another overcast day with occasional sunny periods. We started back on the salt flat with another four tests, using part of the slalom with a longer added section. As the driving was improving, the car control and confidence was increasing. Listening to the various groups, the conversation could have been that of any club motorsport event.

As mid morning approached we moved up to our final Khanacross track to run another 12 tests with the Venturers. The final test of the weekend was a leader’s race which finished off around midday.

After 32 tests we added in the times from the last few tests and worked out the final results.

Team 3 took their green Nissan Pulsar to seventh place, with team 4 coming home in sixth in their blue Holden Astra. Team 7 cracked the top five in fifth place in their dotted Daewoo Lanos and team six took fourth in their Yellow/blue Hyundai Excel (painted to resemble a Minion). The white Daihatsu Charade of team 5 drove well to a podium place in third. Taking second place was team 1 in their Blue Hyundai Excel and winning the event was team 2 in their white Hyundai Excel.

Click Here for results

The next event in the Venturer Motorsport calendar is RallyVent, due to run on the 6-7th of August.

1 Comment

  • David / Dingo

    Reply Reply 23/02/2023

    Hello

    Is there Ventkhana happening this year.

    David

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