Ruff ‘n Tuff Offroad Enduro Returns to the One Forty One Golden Downs Forest for a Brutal 240km Showdown
Wakefield, Tasman — One of New Zealand’s toughest offroad motorsport challenges is back. This weekend, the rugged One Forty One Golden Downs Forest near Wakefield will roar to life as 30 of the country’s best offroad racers tackle The Battle of the Golden Downs Forest, better known as the CT Civil Ruff ‘n Tuff Offroad Racing Enduro.
As Round 6 of the 2025 CT Civil New Zealand Offroad Racing Championship, this 240-kilometre winter enduro is notorious for pushing both machines and drivers to the brink. Competitors face treacherous forest roads, muddy bush tracks, freezing temperatures, and high winds—all part of what has earned this event its fearsome reputation.
“Ruff ‘n Tuff is exactly that,” says event spokesperson Darrin Thomason. “It’s relentless, and we expect a finishing rate of less than 75 percent. This is survival of the fittest, both mechanically and mentally.”
Organisers predict fewer than 20 finishers as vehicles fall victim to the punishing terrain. While some retire quietly with mechanical issues, others meet a more dramatic end—bogged down, rolled over, or colliding with the forest itself.
Flat tyres are expected to be a frequent issue, with some drivers choosing to push on to the pits on shredded rubber—often destroying the wheel rims in the process. Yet for many, it’s the drivers themselves who will reach their limits before their vehicles do.
“Driving 240km here is like doing Nelson to Kaikoura on a gravel road that cuts through rivers, not over them,” Thomason adds. “It’s cold, it’s wet, and the adrenaline is constant. That’s where mistakes creep in.”
Despite the conditions, the field is stacked with experienced offroad talent. Drivers from across the North and South Islands are converging on the Nelson region, bringing fierce inter-island rivalry with them. Local South Island racers may hold the upper hand in the cold, muddy conditions, but North Island entrants are not expected to back down easily.
Spectators are welcome, with free entry to the forest via signposted access from Wakefield. Food and coffee will be available at the pit area, and families are encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy a weekend of high-octane action deep in the bush.
Let’s go racing. The forest awaits.
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