/ -- The Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit (MSADC) held in Hyderabad on October 13, 2019 was a sold out, smashing success and showed how well the city had taken to this innovative running format. This was the third race of the eighth season of Asia's Toughest Obstacle Race-the earlier two having been held in Chennai and Bengaluru last month. MSADC-Hyderabad witnessed a participation of over 6,000 running enthusiasts from around the country, the US, and Europe, with crowds reaching the venue as early as 5AM for their race that was to begin at 7AM. What started as India's first obstacle running series-created and conceptualised by Volano Entertainment Pvt Ltd (a company that specialises in creating IP led properties in the space of disruptive participative sports) in 2012-has now become a nationwide phenomenon. At MSADC, a 5-Km racetrack is interspersed with 15 military-style obstacles, giving even the most amateur participants a true test of their own fitness and stamina. Each season that begins in September, travels through multiple cities before culminating in a grand finale at the company's home-ground-Delhi NCR. The current season began on the 8th of September in Chennai and after Hyderabad will head to Mumbai and Mohali before reaching NCR in March 2020.
The Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit has the honour of nurturing the biggest and most engaged community of runners across the country who refer to themselves as being a part of 'The Tribe of Swiftdevilslayers' and this is testament to the incredible experience each participant has at each edition. The DC Village which offers an afterparty at the finish line ensures participants and spectators alike stay on for hours post the race, soaking in the incredible ambience, dancing to the beats of an in-house DJ and following the moves of a team of skilled dancers. The more sports inclined amongst them find their space in either the custom-built Swift Football Zone or the Apollo Tyres Fitness Zone- each hosting competitions and giving away prizes through the day.
As always, the first wave in Hyderabad on October 13 was dedicated to the Legends Cup category of participants. The Legends Cup is an all-city obstacle race for pro-athletes, fitness enthusiasts, as well as army professionals who compete for the biggest prize in the amateur sports space in Asia. Two Maruti Suzuki Swift cars are reserved for top finishers in the men's and women's categories at the end of the Season, while the top five runners receive cash prizes worth INR 5,00,000. Legends Cup being one of the most prestigious leagues in the country, often sees participants from the previous years, aiming to defend their titles. The Hyderabad Edition always sees the scores change dramatically as runners prepare between races for a podium finish. This year has brought three winners from the previous seasons to defend and reclaim their titles. Sukhchain Singh and Diksha Kapoor, winners from Season 2018-19 and Sanjana George, winner of Legends Cup 2017-18, all brought their A-Game to the track and displayed spectacular competitive spirit.
Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit- Hyderabad saw OCR veterans as well as newbies make a super, nerve-wrecking podium finish. The average time that they took to complete the circuit was relatively higher than the previous city (Bengaluru) owing to heavy rainfall the previous day-the track was muddy and the obstacles were slippery. At first position in the women's category, Diksha Kapoor finished the circuit in 1:09:34; at second spot was Sanjana George at 1:18:03; at third spot was Nivedita Singha at 1:19:16. All three women had completed the circuit between 39 mins and 44 mins back in Bengaluru. In the men's category, the first spot was claimed by Sukhchain Singh who completed the circuit in just 26 mins 42 secs; in second spot was OCR veteran S. Kholi who finished in 29 mins 28 secs and at third spot was Undigai Raman at 32 mins 40 secs-the runners in the men's category managed to retain their average finish time from Bangalore.
A Brand-New Direction
This year, Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit has explored synergies with brands that can help make the journey of the participants better on the race day. As such, they have launched 'A Better Tomorrow' campaign and aligned their sponsors and partners towards a solitary goal-that of making the social fabric of the lives they touch, more impactful. As title sponsor, Maruti Suzuki propagates a healthier, happier tribe of #SwiftDevilSlayers and supports community building efforts that make everybody stronger. Associate sponsor Apollo Tyres comes in strong with its support of women runners through the tagline 'Stronger Women, Stronger Tribe' and propagates their belief that when the women in your community are strong, the future is secured. Danish sports and lifestyle brand, Hummel, comes in as Apparel Partner, providing each participant with Race Day T-Shirts made from 100% recycled pet bottles-a great move towards sustainability you can bring in everyday life. Nutrition Partner GAIA Good Health, an organic homegrown brand, supports healthy living as fundamental to a happy life and will enable this running community with recipes, health tips that will help them prepare for a Healthier Tomorrow. This apart, Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit also brought on board two products of Coca Cola-PowerAde and Kinley-making them the Beverage Partner for the season. In a move towards sustainability, Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit recycles over 85% of the waste generated at each event with ethical waste management partners, sending less than 15% to the landfill.
The continuous growth that Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit has experienced in the past seven seasons is encouraging for organisers in the disruptive sporting space. Add to that the collective responsibility showcased by some of the country's leading brands from the automobile, lifestyle, and nutrition industries at this event is a promise that there is a community of over 2 million SwiftDevilSlayers and international industry leaders who are leading the way to a brighter future.
About Volano Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
Volano Entertainment Pvt. Ltd is India's leading participative sports firm headquartered in Gurugram. Credited with the conceptualisation and execution of some of India's biggest amateur participative sports properties, the company is behind the immense success of events such as the Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit Corporate Challenge, and the Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit College Frenzy, apart from the pan India obstacle race, Maruti Suzuki Arena Devils Circuit. When Volano Entertainment launched the obstacle race back in 2012, it trailblazed through a gamut of regular running events to introduce enthusiasts to a brand-new format of amateur participative sports.
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Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
