Tuesday 9 August 2011

So so close!

Hi all,
Finland has came and gone, and although it went well like previous years, we were just pipped to our first WRC Academy win by just 2 seconds. It was a difficult event for a few reasons. Firstly, my previous knowledge wasn't much use as most of the rally, in fact the entire second day, was focused on new stages based in the Lahti area, south of Jyvaskyla....bummer! A problem with a rear beam on Thursday evening also dropped us some time, but on Friday I was keen to make up lost ground. We had a very steady approach to the day, but it was enough to see us leading the rally into the final leg, back in Jyvaskyla, just what I wanted. So on Saturday, we got to work, on the first stage it got very rough near the middle and, rather foolishly now, backed off and dropped 3 seconds to Egon Kaur, who was now in front by 0.8, a bit close. But we went to Surkee and hit back, 8 seconds out of Egons lead and we were now ahead by 8. However on the next stage, Urria, a competitor in front crashed and the spectators were slowing us down way to much and we dropped our precious 8 seconds back, all our work undone.
We set to work once again on Jukojarvi and Isojarvi, taking a second out of him on both stages, we were now ahead by two.
Back to service and the mood was good, and I couldn't wait to get back out again. Sitting at the start of the next stage, we had been regrouped behind two Skoda Felicia's, the first time we had been behind them all rally. (WRC Academy ran at back of the field on leg 2) They gave us a two minute interval, and for a 15km stage I thought this would be ok. 5km in and the dust started, by 6km we were on his bumper and I could feel the seconds ticking by. Eventually we got past and pushed on again, only for another few km's up the road and here was the next one, I couldn't believe my luck. We battled for a while to get past, eventually squeezing past on a narrow section, loosing buckets of time. By the time we came to the end of the stage, we were catching our third car, what more could I do? Amazingly, we had only lost 2 seconds to Egon, a credit to how hard we were pushing in the stage before we hit this trouble. But, our lead was down to 0.3 seconds now, and we had to push. The final stage was Surkee, a repeat of this morning. We had a slow start to the stage, but come mid way through, we were clawing time and I could feel it. At the last split we were 0.3 in front of Egon, so you guessed it, dead level! But as we arrived to the end of the stage and waited for Egons time, it became apparent that we had lost two seconds in the last split, and we were second, all over!
Still, second place points and 5 stage wins bumps us up to second in the championship, and were going to tarmac now, and I can't wait!
To practice for tarmac, we went to the Stonethrowers Rally in Tipperary yesterday. It was nice to get back on the tar again, and the day proved well. We had very changeable conditions, and surfaces, all great practice for Germany. We finished up 6th overall and 2nd in class to Robert Barrable in his C2R2, a credit to what can be done with these kind of machines!
So, we're all set for Germany now, then Barum Rally the weekend after in the S2000 car, some great times ahead!
All the best,
Craig

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