Polaris Off Road Vehicles are pleased to have supported Future Terrain’s Fennec Endeavour in the Sahara Desert, which took place earlier this year.
Future Terrain is an armed forces rehabilitation and vocational transition charity, helping those who have served their country to move on to the next stage of their life and open new opportunities for the future. First founded in 2016 by Grant White, a 25-year Royal Marine and lower leg amputee, Future Terrain has gone on to become one of the first in the world to aid the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and sick service personnel through motorsport adventures and expeditions.
This year, Future Terrain used Polaris vehicles to provide driving-related engineering training, qualification enhancement and pre-event terrain testing to prepare the participants for the event of a lifetime in Morocco – the Fennec Endeavour – which took place from 18-25 September.
In the initial phases of the project, prior to the event itself, the Future Terrain team invited its participants to a number of specific training events in the UK to build their driving and piloting skills, as well as gaining useful vehicle accreditation and first aid qualifications via Lantra and the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU). This not only ensured all participants were fully equipped with the right piloting skills to safely complete the Fennec Endeavour, but also opens the doors to future opportunities with their new skillset and qualifications.
“One of the challenges we’ve got, trying to get inclusivity up to its maximum, with vehicles is that they’re not always easy to drive; sometimes there are complexities around controls, gearboxes, and people’s individual disabilities. One of the great challenges we’ve had is trying to find vehicles that can suit everyone’s needs,” said Charles Sincock, Trustee and Volunteer of Future Terrain.
The route in Morocco took the riders from the starting point in Aït Benhaddou to Ouarzazate, combining technical tracks, huge sand dunes and off road passages, and including a overnight stay out in the dunes, under the stars. In total, there were five Polaris RZRs provided for the team when they arrived in Morocco – four RZR Trail S 1000 machines and one four-seater RZR model – that took on the challenge, covering over 250-kilometres a day, helping the Future Terrain team and their participants achieve their goals and embark on a unforgettable journey.
“We’ve got bikes and side-by-sides, and we’re very lucky to be supported by Polaris,” continued Charles. “What we’ve found with Polaris is that, because of the type of gearbox, the entry and exit to the vehicle, the visibility and general all-over ability, has really allowed us to step it up and open this up to a whole new range of people with different disabilities, than we’ve been able to achieve before.”
WATCH Future Terrain’s Fennec Endeavour X Polaris Off Road Vehicles video on the Polaris International YouTube channel here.
For more information on Future Terrain, please visit http://www.futureterrain.co.uk
FOR FURTHER MEDIA INFORMATION ON POLARIS ORV PRODUCTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE POLARIS ORV MEDIA OFFICE AT PRESS@POLARIS-ORV.MEDIA.
About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. With annual 2019 sales of $6.8 billion, Polaris’ high-quality product line-up includes the Polaris RANGER, RZR and GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman all-terrain off-road vehicles; Indian Motorcycle mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot moto-roadsters; snowmobiles; and deck, cruiser and pontoon boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories, along with a growing aftermarket portfolio, including TransAmerica Auto Parts. Polaris’ presence in adjacent markets includes military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe.
