2004 Saturn VUE Red Line - 2004 Saturn VUE Related Links Get Pricing Get E-mail Updates Consumer Ratings Vehicle Reviews Send a Letter Talk About It 2004 Saturn VUE. Both FWD and AWD systems are offered, each responding to the fully-independent suspension. 2004 Saturn VUE…
Part One: Five Weeks, Four Time Zones and Three Countries
Writer's Notes
The event is comprised of four consecutive global stages, starting in New York City on March 30, 2003. Competitors will trek across the East and West coasts of North America, as well as sections of Australia and South Africa, traveling through remote areas and urban centers during four weeks of intense competition. While mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, climbing and rappelling, and driving 4 different models of Land Rover vehicles, they will cover approximately 4,000 miles in their quest to take first place for the nations they represent and to win the grand prize - a new Range Rover worth $71,200. Go to Part Two...
Olson was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1995, with a B.S. in English, and was commissioned a second lieutenant, with a USMC aviation contract. She graduated The Basic School, in Pensacola, FL, and trained as a naval aviator. After she completed ground school and 18 hours of familiarization flights, she was medically disqualified from flight and then chose Public Affairs as a follow-on military occupational specialty. She served at Camp Pendleton, Calif., where she was promoted to first lieutenant, participated in Exercise Ulchi Focus Lens in South Korea in 1998, and completed one Persian Gulf/Western Pacific 6-month deployment, during which time she was promoted to Captain. During the deployment, she participated in Operation Stabilise in East Timor.
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Eastnor Castle: Herefordshire, England: The rolling, verdant countryside surrounding fabled Eastnor Castle was a far cry from the parched desert terrain in the environs of Lake Las Vegas, Nevada, but for the two contenders from 16 countries that spent nearly a week at Land Rover's world-renowned center for off-road excellence recently, the tasks were quite the same. And, although it was winter in the British Midlands, the American competitors, Nancy Olson, a Marine Corps. Information Officer, from Arlington, VA, and Kirk Boylston, a real estate developer, from Calabasas, CA., found plenty to keep them warm during the long days and short nights. It was on the shores of Lake Las Vegas, in December, where these two multi-sport athletes endured the National Selections, and were chosen from the 27 contenders, who spent nearly thirty hours participating in "trials" that incorporated a variety of athletics, such as mountain biking, running kayaking and orienteering, along with off-road-driving and winching exercises, using Land Rover vehicles. The next stop was G4's International Selections, an exercise designed for both tutorial and intense competition to select the singular competitor from each country, with the second prepared to serve as a backup. Competitors included a fighter pilot, a senior software engineer, a dental surgeon, a stone mason, and a CEO, among others, representing countries from Arabia to Australia, and Russia to Japan. At the end of the five-day training and assessment program, Olson was chosen to represent the United States. "This entire experience from National Selections to International Selections has already been the experience of a lifetime for me. When I signed up for this highly competitive event 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 athletes from all these different countries. They are wonderful to work with and we have all come together and bonded as not only competitors, but also as friends." Home to Land Rover's Driving Experience, Eastnor's 5,000 acres and 27 miles of off-road trails provided the ideal locale for the demanding assessment sessions, which included tasks that will be part of this upcoming competition; GPS and navigation, mountain biking, climbing/abseiling, kayaking and off-road driving, using the vehicles that will be driven on the 4-stage event; the Range Rover, Discovery, Freelander and Defender models. True to Land Rover heritage and ethics, all competitors were also trained in first aid (including a simulated accident, with training and assessment on the elements of response and reaction) and environmental preservation (awareness and participation of responsible behavior). International Selections was designed 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 that they were called upon.
"On the right day, I feel like anybody could be the best. So I don't ever consider myself the best. I think I'm very fortunate. I'm going to go out there and have fun on what might be the adventure of a lifetime, but I know I carry a hefty responsibility. I intend to represent my country well by displaying the sportsmanlike competitiveness, adventurous spirit, and never-say-die attitude that makes Americans and America great." --Nancy Olson
"It's always very surreal to be the last one standing, in any big event, especially when the competitive field is as accomplished and able as the group I had to best to get here," said Olson. "On the right day, I feel like anybody could be the best. So I don't ever consider myself the best. I think I'm very fortunate. I'm going to go out there and have fun on what might be the adventure of a lifetime, but I know I carry a hefty responsibility. I intend to represent my country well by displaying the sportsmanlike competitiveness, adventurous spirit, and never-say-die attitude that makes Americans and America great." Following the selection of Olson, Sally Eastwood, vice president of Marketing for Land Rover North America commented, "We have been overwhelmed by the level of professionalism and teamspirit 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." Olson was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1995, with a B.S. in English, and was commissioned a second lieutenant, with a USMC aviation contract. She graduated The Basic School, in Pensacola, FL, and trained as a naval aviator. After she completed ground school and 18 hours of familiarization flights, she was medically disqualified from flight and then chose Public Affairs as a follow-on military occupational specialty. She served at Camp Pendleton, Calif., where she was promoted to first lieutenant, participated in Exercise Ulchi Focus Lens in South Korea in 1998, and completed one Persian Gulf/Western Pacific 6-month deployment, during which time she was promoted to Captain. During the deployment, she participated in Operation Stabilise in East Timor. Olson resigned from active duty August, 2000, and upon receiving an honorable discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps. She reactived in October 2001, and was assigned to duty at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., after the September 11 attacks, to assist with the increased demands placed upon the Headquarters Marine Corps Public Affairs Media Branch and is currently serving as the Director of Community Relations, Headquarters Marine Corps.
The event is comprised of four consecutive global stages, starting in New York City on March 30, 2003. Competitors will trek across the East and West coasts of North America, as well as sections of Australia and South Africa, traveling through remote areas and urban centers during four weeks of intense competition. While mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, climbing and rappelling, and driving 4 different models of Land Rover vehicles, they will cover approximately 4,000 miles in their quest to take first place for the nations they represent and to win the grand prize - a new Range Rover worth $71,200. From the start, the event can be followed daily on
--Story by Sue Mead Sue Mead works as a photojournalist and features writer for more than two dozen publications. She has written for Parade, Popular Science, Open Road, the Road & Track Buyers Guide, Men's Journal, Popular Mechanics and Diversion and she has worked as an auto editor for CNN/fn. Sue has co-driven in two of the world's toughest off-road races, the Baja 1000 and the Paris-Dakar Raid. She attended four Camel Trophy adventures for Land Rover North America and has participated in several long-distance adventure drives. She recently completed her first book, "Monster Trucks and Tractors" published by Chelsea House. Sue lives in New England.
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Land Rover's G4 Challenge: Part Two - Belgian F16 Fighter Pilot Gets Keys to New Range Rover After Winning Inaugural Land Rover G4 Challenge; American Chris Perry Finishes Second
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