Afgan and Isyana’s physical battle amid the beauty of Mandalika
The second round of AXN Ultimate Challenge Indonesia has begun. After completing all challenges and enjoying Labuan Bajo’s natural beauty in East Nusa Tenggara, the two Indonesian pop stars, Afgansyah Reza—aka Afgan—and Isyana Sarasvati, head to Mandalika, an increasingly popular tourist destination in West Nusa Tenggara.
Gerupuk Bay, with its stunning offshore views, is the first location for Team Afgan and Team Isyana to complete the challenge. Host Richard Kyle warns both contestants that the first challenge they must do is very physical.
The physical challenge is a combined mini CrossFit set of exercises: a sprint run, ten push-ups, five burpees, and ten squats. The winner is the person who completes the exercises first.
Reza Chandika represents Team Afgan to face Rara Sekar from Team Isyana. Rara is the first to start the challenge and completes it in 29.94 seconds.
Now it is Reza Chandika’s turn. Judging from his appearance, we may think it will be difficult for the comedian to beat Rara’s time. But unexpectedly, Reza manages to complete the mini CrossFit challenge faster, in 27.91 seconds. Team Afgan wins the third badge and the score changes to 3–1.
“I haven’t done fitness for a long time, so the activity was very challenging,” says Rara, who recognizes Reza’s abilities.
The second challenge in Mandalika is in Seger Beach. Not as tough as the first challenge, this time both contestants only need to throw and catch a frisbee five times. But it’s not quite that easy! They must check in detail and memorize the emoji pictures attached to the frisbee thrown by their opponent.
Isyana’s team seemingly has a stronger memory than Afgan’s. They manage to recall all the emojis on the frisbees thrown by Team Afgan correctly. So, an additional badge for Team Isyana, but Team Afgan still leads 3–2.
A dive into the Sasak culture
Before AXN Ultimate Challenge Indonesia’s 4th episode competition starts, Richard takes the four contestants to visit Sade Village. The village is a 15-minute drive from Mandalika, inhabited by the Sasak tribe that still lives according to its traditional culture.
“This village is neither a museum nor an attraction for tourists. People here just live as they always have done,” says Bobby Hanafi, the Sasak Village Manager.
The 42-year-old explains that 15 generations have lived in Sade Village going back over 350 years. They maintain traditional lifestyles, with men doing the farming and women weaving traditional cloth. “If a woman can’t weave, then she can’t get married,” Bobby explains.
Isyana, Rara, Afgan, and Reza enjoy the tour. They have an in-depth look into Sasak culture, including why the front door of the Sasak traditional house is unusually low.
“This is something I will always remember because I learned the village’s history very well, making it more meaningful, and I tried to dive deep into their culture, their traditions,” says Afgan, who was visiting Sade Village for the first time.
The next challenge is in front of the Love Tree in Sade Village. This time they don’t have to sweat because the challenge is a quiz. Team Afgan and Team Isyana must quickly answer five questions that Richard asks. The team with the most correct answers wins.
Rara Sekar shows her ability as a master in anthropology and her team wins the quiz. The score is tied at 3–3.
Surfing at Tanjung Aan is the last physical challenge in Mandalika. Isyana and Afgan must stand on a surfboard in the middle of the sea. Whoever can stand for more than five seconds will be the winner.
Isyana, who claims that she’s never surfed before, manages to hold her position on the surfboard for six seconds and wins the contest. With three consecutive wins, Isyana and Rara move ahead of Afgan and Reza, 4–3.
The AXN Ultimate Challenge Indonesia adventures in Mandalika end with a competition where contestants must upload the most interesting Instagram Story. Just like the ending of the last episode in Labuan Bajo, the judges choose Team Afgan’s Instagram Story as the winner. The score is again a draw at 4–4. Consequently, Bali—the last destination in the competition—will determine who will be victorious in AXN Ultimate Challenge Indonesia.
