Press Conference to announce the Great Malnad Challenege
Giant Starkenn partners SBI for Great Malnad Challenge race for bikers
by EVENTFAQS Bureau Marketing | October 2, 2014 | News
Giant Starkenn State Bank of India Great Malnad Challenge Sport Marketing Pravin Patil
Bengaluru is all set to witness one of the most premier cycling races of India, the SBI-Great Malnad Challenge (SBI-GMC 2014), a 650+ km long bicycle trip across the Western Ghats, that starts from Madikeri on October 11 and will end at Marwanthe, a seaside town near Udupi on October 17. The race is organized by Giant Starkenn, the sole Indian distributor for Giant Bicycles and is intended largely for corporates. Wildcraft and Fever 104 FM are some of the other sponsors for this challenge.
The SBI-Great Malnad Challenge 2014 is particularly challenging and requires tremendous physical endurance and psychological preparedness. In the 5th edition of the SBI-GMC 2014, the cyclists will scale some of the highest peaks in Karnataka like the Mullayanagiri, Bababudangiri and Kundadri. Though uphill, cycling is a major feature in the SBI-GMC 2014 trail and the cyclists will pass through some beautiful locales like Kemmangundi and Kudremukha. This route also goes through thick forests and sprawling estates that make cycling a pleasure.
The SBI-Great Malnad Challenge has received overwhelming response in the past editions and will see 50 cyclists battle it out in the track to become the best cycling team and the best cyclist of SBI-GMC 2014. The cyclists in SBI-GMC 2014 are mostly from the corporate fraternity and most of them are quite new to cycling. However, the support provided by the organisers will make the journey an extremely memorable one for new cycling enthusiasts.
Commenting on the initiative, Pravin Patil, MD & CEO Giant Starkenn bikes said, "We are glad to see so many cycling races entering the shores of India. Giant Starkenn is putting in great efforts towards supporting these formats and we remain committed to promoting cycling in India. We are delighted to partner with SBI to conduct an event of this scale and give a wonderful biking experience to the new cycling enthusiasts. It is going to be a great challenge yet a delight for cyclists to traverse over natural terrain with a striking view and good weather conditions. Our effort is to promote cycling not only amongst professional cyclists but also amongst the general public and enthusiasts."
To mark the occasion, State Bank of India on this occasion will present a cheque of Rs. 2,00,000/- (rupees two lakhs only) to Sandeep Seva Nilayam, an NGO based in Nelamangala. Sandeep Seva Nilayam has been very influential in eradicating leprosy in that region.
Ashwini Mehra, Deputy Managing Director and CDO, State Bank of India, sponsor of this cycling event said, "We are delighted to launch the 5th edition of SBI-GMC 2014 for our cycle enthusiasts. We have received an overwhelming response from many partners across verticals who have come forward to support and encourage the GMC concept in Karnataka. We want to encourage the bikers/cyclists of our country by organizing a mega rally passing through different terrains and to honour them by awarding medals/prizes. With this initiative, we aim at making cycling a part of a popular sporting culture in the country thereby, encouraging budding cycling icons by providing them with a platform and a chance to convert their talent into a real-life profession."
This 650 km long bicycling trip passes through scenic Western Ghats and is crafted to test human endurance.