Gymkhana is a type of

motorsport Motorsport or motor sport are sporting events, competitions and related activities that primarily involve the use of Car, automobiles, motorcycles, motorboats and Aircraft, powered aircraft. For each of these vehicle types, the more specific term ...

, known as

Motorkhana Motorkhana is a low-cost form of motorsport, unique to Australia and New Zealand but similar to autotesting in the UK and Ireland and gymkhana in the US. It involves manoeuvring a car through tight tests as quickly as possible - one car at a time ...

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 o ...

in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Similar to

autocross Autocross is a form of motorsport in which competitors are timed to complete a short course using automobiles on a dirt or grass surface, excepting where sealed surfaces are used in United States. Rules vary according to the governing or sanctioni ...

, 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 discipline of

gymkhana Gymkhana () (, , , , ) is a British Raj term which originally referred to a place of assembly. The meaning then altered to denote a place where skill-based contests were held. "Gymkhana" is an Anglo-Indian expression, which is derived from the ...

. 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 originally equestrian in nature. Throughout history and cultures, riders have come together to test their skills against one another by competing on horseback in challenges. These challenges could be simple races, or they could incorporate elements such as flag retrieval, maneuvering around pylons, or through rough terrain. As the art of equestrianism evolved, gymkhana became more formalized, taking place at venues such as polo grounds. The origin of motorsport gymkhana is not certain. However, it is speculated that it might have begun after World War 2, when American soldiers brought home small and nimble cars from Europe. The smaller cars designed for dense European cities could not compete in races against American cars meant for open countryside, so new events were designed for them involving skillful maneuvering through complex courses. This soon evolved into the American form of

.https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-racing/motorsports/gymkhana.htm#pt1

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 o ...

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 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; ) is an international organisation with two primary functions surrounding use of the automobile. Its mobility division advocacy, advocates the interests of motoring organisations, the automot ...

(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

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
{{Motorsport Motorsport in Japan Motorsport by type