At the Vietnam Offroad Cup (PVOIL VOC 2026), deep pits, steep slopes and treacherous mud tracks are testing not only the capabilities of competing vehicles but also the courage and experience of drivers and their coordination with co-drivers.

The championship, held at Dong Mo in Hanoi, has attracted 88 teams and more than 176 competitors, making it the largest edition of the national off-road racing event to date.

The competition features 24 courses, 50 challenges and 1,040 competitive runs.

Course No. 8 is considered one of the event's toughest, featuring a series of deep holes, near-vertical slopes and slippery mud sections typical of demanding off-road racing.

During the October 31 competition, spectators watched anxiously as vehicles attempted to negotiate a pit nearly three meters deep.

Each descent brought tense moments as SUVs tilted sharply forward, appearing close to overturning.

But whenever a vehicle managed to climb out of the obstacle, cheers erupted from the crowd, turning moments of anxiety into excitement.

For teams competing in the Advanced and Professional categories, recovery winches are frequently essential.

These devices help vehicles overcome challenging terrain, including steep inclines, deep pits and muddy sections where traction is limited.

However, successfully operating a winch requires more than vehicle power. It depends heavily on coordination between the driver, known in the competition as the Giong, and the co-driver, or Cha.

When a vehicle becomes stuck or cannot overcome an obstacle independently, the co-driver must quickly assess the terrain, identify a suitable anchor point and determine the appropriate pulling direction.

The co-driver then works closely with the driver to guide the vehicle in line with the winch's pulling force.

Meanwhile, the driver must carefully control the accelerator, steering and wheel direction while maintaining communication with the co-driver to prevent the vehicle from sliding sideways or overturning during recovery.

On demanding off-road courses, even a minor mistake can cost a team valuable time or create a dangerous situation.

Winching is therefore not simply a matter of using equipment to free a stranded vehicle. It is also a test of judgment, experience and teamwork.

Among the notable competitors is Team 303, 179 FURY WOLVER, comprising driver Ho Huy Hoang and co-driver Le Minh Tan, considered strong contenders in the Advanced category.

Team 109, Hai Cai Vay, featuring female competitors Nguyen Ha Giang and Vu Huyen Ngoc, has also attracted considerable attention from spectators.

This year's championship is divided into four categories: Basic Pickup, Basic SUV, Advanced and Professional (Open).

Leading off-road racers are competing over three days, from October 30 to November 1, at the approximately 250-hectare Dong Mo off-road venue.

The site offers a wide range of terrain, including dirt hills, lakes, forest trails, swamps, dry streambeds and wooden bridges.

It also hosts the Adventure night course, a distinctive feature of previous VOC championships.

To keep the competition on schedule while increasing its intensity, organizers have divided each category into two groups and arranged for some courses to operate simultaneously in pairs.

The format places considerable demands on competitors' endurance and concentration while pushing their vehicles' off-road performance to the limit.

It also allows spectators to watch vehicles from the same category compete continuously on adjacent courses, creating a fast-paced and highly competitive atmosphere.

The combination of difficult obstacles, technical driving and closely contested runs captures the spirit of the event: off-road racing that pushes beyond conventional limits.

Hoang Hiep