Land Rover U.S. Selects G4 Challenger

    EASTNOR, Herefordshire, England, Jan. 24 -- At the end of a
grueling five-day training and assessment program, Nancy Olson, 29, U.S.
Marine Core Officer, has emerged as the competitor who will represent the
United States in the 2003 Land Rover G4 Challenge.  Despite intense
competition from her fellow American Kirk Boylston, 45, Olson won through and
will now undertake a training and preparation program in readiness for the
rigors of the Challenge itself.  The event kicks off in New York City on March
30th, with 16 competitors enduring four consecutive weeks, four time zones and
intense physical and mental competition.
    The International Selections event took place at the 5,000 acre Eastnor
Castle estate, home to the Land Rover Driving Experience and a world-renowned
center for off-road driving excellence.  During the program, which ran from
Sunday, January 19th through Friday, January 24th, a total of 32 prospective
competitors, two from each of 16 participating countries, were put through a
series of demanding assessment sessions, including GPS and navigation, off
road driving, mountain biking, climbing/abseiling and kayaking.
    The purpose of the event was not only to select the final competitor for
each nation based on quantitative scoring systems, but also to train all 32
competitors in each discipline to give them all the skills and knowledge
required to complete the Challenge safely.
    In the event of the selected competitor being unable to take part, the
reserve competitor will step in to fly their national flag.
    Olson was overwhelmed to learn of her selection, "This entire experience
from National Selections to International Selections has been the experience
of a lifetime for me.  When I signed up for this on the Internet I really
didn't know what I was getting myself into.  It all sounded good but no words
can describe the actual experience.  It has been amazing meeting with
everybody from all these different countries, they are wonderful to work with
and we have all come together and bonded as competitors but also as friends."
    Sally Eastwood, vice president of Marketing for Land Rover North America
commented, "We have been overwhelmed by the level of professionalism and team
spirit demonstrated by all the competitors this week.  Despite the fact they
have been camping out every night and living on 'boil in the bag' meals to
replicate the conditions they will find on the Challenge, everyone has turned
in a great performance and it has been very difficult to make the final
selection.  We will be right behind Nancy as she battles it out in the
Challenge itself against the other 15 nations."
    For further details of the Land Rover G4 Challenge and to follow the
action online from March 30th to April 26th, visit
http://www.landroverG4challenge.com .