Gymkhana is a type of

motorsport Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of t ...

, known as Motorkhana in Australia and New Zealand and as

Autotesting Autotesting involves a series of tests, generally around traffic cones, to measure precision driving skill. The tests often include stopping with the front and rear wheels straddling a line, and always end stopping in a garage (usually marked ...

in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Similar to

autocross Autocross (also called "Solo", "Auto-x" or "Autoslalom") is a timed competition in which drivers navigate one at a time through a defined course on either a sealed or an unsealed surface. It is a form of motorsports that emphasizes safe competitio ...

, the goal of gymkhana is to achieve the fastest time possible; memorizing the course is a significant part of achieving a fast time. The name is loaned from the

equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or Riding in British English) Examples of this are: *Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes in ...

discipline of

gymkhana Gymkhana () ( ur, جِمخانہ, sd, جمخانه, hi, जिमख़ाना, as, জিমখানা, bn, জিমখানা) is a British Raj term which originally referred to a place of assembly. The meaning then altered to den ...

. Gymkhana events are time and/or speed events in an automobile. These can feature obstacles such as cones, tires, and barrels. The driver must manoeuver through a predetermined "track" performing many different driving techniques. What separates gymkhana from traditional autocross events is that the gymkhana requires drivers to perform reversals, 180 degree spins, 360 degree spins, parking boxes, figure 8s, and other advanced skills. Drifting is also encouraged where helpful or necessary. Essentially, a gymkhana is any event featuring a starting point, a finish line and some sort of "obstacle" to get through, around, or by, all within a certain time limit.

Drivers

The driver's goal is to get through the course as quickly as possible with the fewest mistakes. Acceleration, braking, drifting, and grip driving are all necessary. Not only does the driver have to hold control over the car, but gymkhana requires strong mental concentration and memorization.

History

Gymkhana was started using the horse, long before the car was invented. Racers had to pick up small flags to win in the

Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; ; xng, Temüjin, script=Latn; ., name=Temujin – August 25, 1227) was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in history a ...

's races. Native Americans raced on harsh courses to show their bravery. Those who were eligible for these events were limited. Gymkhana became friendly and festive events.Eric, Baxter. "How Gymkhana Works." HowStuffWorks. N.p., 17 Nov. 2009. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.

Courses

Gymkhana courses typically involve only the use of first and second gear, where

autotesting Autotesting involves a series of tests, generally around traffic cones, to measure precision driving skill. The tests often include stopping with the front and rear wheels straddling a line, and always end stopping in a garage (usually marked ...

in the UK and Ireland add the use of reverse gear. A gymkhana course will typically be from 0:45 to 1:30 in length. Like autocross and autotesting, gymkhana courses are laid out with cones representing "obstacles" to navigate through. Unlike autocross, which can be considered to be a small version of a road course, obstacles in gymkhana will often consist of slaloms, 180 degree turns, 360 degree turns, figure eight turns and sometimes parking boxes. Gymkhana requires strong mental concentration and memorization of the track, as sections of the course frequently must be repeated or navigated backwards and or differently. The driver will use many techniques to effectively navigate a course. Handbrake technique, drifting and sliding and

Left-foot braking Left-foot braking is the technique of using the left foot to operate the brake pedal in an automobile, leaving the right foot dedicated to the throttle pedal. It contrasts with the practice of using the left foot to operate the clutch pedal, leavi ...

are all necessary skills for gymkhana.

Competition format

As the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) is a subsidiary of the

Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA; en, International Automobile Federation) is an association established on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users. It is the governing body for ...

(FIA), FIA classing is used for Gymkhana in Japan. Gymkhana courses may be used for an entire year, unlike autocross and autotesting where drivers are presented with a new course for each event. Gymkhana participants are allowed two runs of the course, with the fastest time being used to determine the winner of a class. Time penalties are issued for hitting cones, and a failure to navigate the course correctly results in no time score.

National structure

Gymkhana in Japan has a well-defined competition structure, with everything from local to national competitions. Drivers can compete in official events locally in order to qualify for regional events and so on. Japan has an All Japan Gymkhana competition each year. Despite being governed under the FIA in Japan, there is no official international gymkhana competition at this time. Drivers in official events may be required to hold a JAF-issued competition license.

References

External links

{{commons category
Japan Auto Federation Gymkhana page

Typical Japanese gymkhana competition(All Japan Gymkhana Championship Rd.10 in SUZUKA(2019)

Gymkhana driving in rain conditions(driving by T. Yamaguchi in JAF Kanto Regional Championship Rd.7 in Speed Park NIIGATA(2017))

A Gymkhana illustrated by the Israeli Roadster Club
Auto racing by type Motorsport in Japan