The MediaCorp Subaru Challenge 2014 – The Asian Face-Off came to a dramatic finish with its winner G. Jaishanker setting a new Challenge record time of 82 hours and 16 minutes.
Jaishanker – a 50 year-old Singaporean catering officer, walked away with the grand prize of a Subaru Forester 2.0i Premium worth S$85,000.
All of the last four finalists broke the record of 81 hours and 32 minutes set by Singaporean George Lee in 2008.
The competition featured 310 local and 90 regional participants from Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Participants for the contest were also shortlisted for the qualifying round on MediaCorp stations Gold 90.5 FM, Class 95 FM and 987 FM between October 20 and 31.
The contestants had to place their right palms firmly on the car and the person who removed it last drove it home.
Family and friends of contestants continued to cheer them on in spite of pouring rain on the last day of the Challenge at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza.
The grand prize was presented to a joyous Jaishanker by Florence Lian, Managing Director, Radio Division, MediaCorp.
34-year-old Sales Engineer Tan Hong Sheng from Malaysia won the Asian Winner title and $4000 (S$5,000) cash with a time of 81 hours and 15 minutes.
In recognition of the regional contestants’ efforts, the title of Country Winner and a cash prize of $800 (S$1,000) went to the last standing representative from each country.
The Thailand team clocked in the longest combined standing time of 488 hours and 13 minutes, and took home with title of Country Team Winner and a cash prize of $8000 (S$10,000).
A beaming Jayashankar, who showed no signs of exhaustion after his win, said: “I am so happy that I set a new record. George Lee is a great athlete and I focused to beat the 81 hour mark.”
Erina Cook, Assistant Vice-President, English Programming, Radio Division of MediaCorp Pte Ltd. said: “Jaishanker overcame all the odds thrown at him like scorching heat, heavy downpours, lightning and thunder but he persevered and pulled through to emerge this year’s record-breaking champion.”