The 2016 Mediacorp Subaru Car Challenge still amazes
Now 15 years strong
MANILA, Philippines – How far would you go to win a brand new Subaru XV? For many Filipino hopefuls, they couldn’t get their hands off the car – literally.
The Mediacorp Subaru Car Challenge, more fondly known in the Philippines as the Subaru Palm Challenge, is an annual endurance competition with a peculiar objective – it requires its participants to lay their palms flat on a Subaru vehicle and keep it there for as long as they can. The last person standing wins the car!
It may sound simple in concept, but the real-life execution is a spectacle in its own right.
Heat, rain, humidity, fatigue and sleep deprivation are only a few among the many factors that work against the brave challengers of the competition. This is because there is no roof, there is no sitting, and there is no snacking. Not unless you’re on your precious five-minute break, that comes only once every six hours, throughout the competition. And historically, all the big winners have stayed in the game anywhere from 62-82 hours nonstop—so any challenger seeking a fair chance of winning should be able to match such that feat.
Now on its 15th year, the competition has evolved from what began as a 120-person match involving three cars on the field into a whopping 400-participant spectacle spread over 10 vehicles. It was only in 2008 that the competition started including regional (from outside Singapore) contestants, and today the championship has become ever so difficult to win, with a more diverse pot of challengers coming not just from Singapore, but also from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and the Philippines.
Singapore locals still dominate the competition as they are allowed 320 slots, while all the other countries mentioned get to send 10 of their best challengers, each. These regional candidates earned their place in the Singapore Finals through winning mini Palm Challenge activities held in their respective countries. In the Philippines, the Subaru Palm Challenge Nationals were held in the cities of Cebu, Davao and Manila.
Our 10 Philippine country representatives for this year are:
8 - Time repeat challenger Alex Neblasca
4 - Time repeat challenger Filmark Bernante
3 - Time repeat challenger Juan Furiscal, Jr.
3 - Time repeat challenger Juntie Guevarra Torres
2 - Time repeat challenger Donn Michael Yap
2 - Time repeat challenger Albert Saguillo
2 - Time repeat challenger Francisco Gomez
Repeat Challenger
Carlo Talahib
Mark Joseph Trinos
Crisencio Sabal
Sadly, in a twist of fate, Crisencio Sabal was unable to make it to Singapore to attend the competition.
Last Saturday, all of this year’s contestants gathered at Ngee Ann City’s Civic Plaza – located right in front of Takashimaya Mall in Singapore – to participate in the 2016 Mediacorp Subaru Car Challenge. A total of 10 Subaru XV’s were parked in a grid in the activity area, and each car was decorated with 40 hand-shaped stickers stuck around it. These hand-shaped decals had corresponding numbers printed on them, and participants were to find their random place in the competition by matching the numbered decal with the number they blind-picked from a ballot box.
At this point, they would familiarize themselves with the specific area of the car where they would have to rest their dominant hand for the next ‘x’ number of hours, as able. And rules are quite strict, as competitors would be immediately disqualified, should their hand even slide off the decal. Executive Director of Tan Chong International Limited – Motor Image Group’s mother company – Glenn Tan describes this annual event as more of ‘a test of mental endurance, rather than just physical.’ Ultimately, the body will start giving way – but from then on, it shall be mind over matter.
This year saw a different layout of the vehicles, as the organizers decided that this new orientation will promote better airflow within the competition grounds. It is also the first time that the event included a ‘Family Relay Fiesta’ which is a concurrent, mini competition meant for willing spectators for the chance to win awesome prizes.
Moreover, every year’s Mediacorp Subaru Car Challenge is made more interesting with unique stories, such as that of this year’s oldest challenger: 62-year old Margaret Ragree, who is the School Principal of Divinity Kindergarten – a school for special children – who joined the competition so that if she won, she would sell the prize car to raise money for the school. Indeed, when one looks closely, every single participant has his own wonderful story to tell.
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