Norway, what a pleasure!!!

[OTA]

I have just come back from Rally Norway and I think it's my duty to praise the Rally, the country, and the people as all was first and only first class.

I had never been to a proper snow rally before and the experience has been a fantastic one.
The stages were beautiful, and since we got there Tuesday, we were able to run all of them without any problem. Doing the Mountain stage, even though it was in 9 people Opel Vivaro, was a real lesson of what rallying should be about.

The organisation of the rally was fantastic as well. I was able to watch 11 stages and the shakedown without having to do any silly things in the road, and parking spaces were plentyfull and very close to the stages(i had a media pass so that helped a bit). Atmosphere was as well fantastic and you could really see the people behing their rally.

And the people were fantastic. As an example, we fell pretty deep in a snow bank and a big tractor had to come to take us out. When I asked the man who had come out of his way to help this crazy 6 spaniards how much we had to pay him, he answer with a very big smile in his face"welcome to Norway in the winter".

Really hope this Rally becomes a classic, because it's definately one of the most beautiful rallies I have ever seen. Even the winner was a pleasure.

Takk Norway

Cheers
David

[BDunnell]

It's always worth giving praise where it's due. I only saw the rally on TV, but it looked brilliant.

[Halvis]

I have just come back from Rally Norway and I think it's my duty to praise the Rally, the country, and the people as all was first and only first class.

I had never been to a proper snow rally before and the experience has been a fantastic one.
The stages were beautiful, and since we got there Tuesday, we were able to run all of them without any problem. Doing the Mountain stage, even though it was in 9 people Opel Vivaro, was a real lesson of what rallying should be about.

The organisation of the rally was fantastic as well. I was able to watch 11 stages and the shakedown without having to do any silly things in the road, and parking spaces were plentyfull and very close to the stages(i had a media pass so that helped a bit). Atmosphere was as well fantastic and you could really see the people behing their rally.

And the people were fantastic. As an example, we fell pretty deep in a snow bank and a big tractor had to come to take us out. When I asked the man who had come out of his way to help this crazy 6 spaniards how much we had to pay him, he answer with a very big smile in his face"welcome to Norway in the winter".

Really hope this Rally becomes a classic, because it's definately one of the most beautiful rallies I have ever seen. Even the winner was a pleasure.

Takk Norway

Cheers
David

On behalf of the norwegians, thank's for the kind words - I hope we can host another round too!

I didn't pull some crazy spaniards out of the snow, but was it you guys that I showed the standings on my wap mobile on SS7? Would probably be too much of a coincidence...

[sal]

Heard some stories of 4 hour queues to get into the stages was there special access for media or were those people forced to wait just unlucky?

[Halvis]

Heard some stories of 4 hour queues to get into the stages was there special access for media or were those people forced to wait just unlucky?

I doubt that very much, there were some queues into SS8, the 6 km stage by the river bank, but I can't imagine that it was like that. I was at SS4, drove straight in without any queue at all, then went to SS7, which I came into the queue to SS8, but it was 15 minutes, no more - as soon as I got past that queue, I drove straight into SS7, noe queue at all.

It is possible that the wheather on Saturday created some problems, not only for the rally drivers, but also for regular drivers, though - but nothing like 4 hours!

[bryst]

I really hope this event becomes a permanent fixture in the future,it looked brilliant on the TV. I really wanted to go to this event and Sweden again what a trip that would have been lets hope it's back in for 2009. Well done Norway.

[Donney]

Congratulations to Norway. From the footage I've seen it looked wonderful I would have loved to go, maybe next year.

[OTA]

It wasn't me about the times, but we were quite a largue group(3 vans, 18 people) so could be some of my travelmates. No 4 hour queues, only saturday a bit of a queue, may be 15 minutes in the stages closer to Hamar,and in the stage in the military base in Elverum to get out of there,but out in the forest nothing at all.

I stayed in Sjusjoen, therefore I had quite an easy access to stages in day 2 and 3.

Cheers
David

[Karukera]

From what i saw on TV, heard & read here and there, Rally Norway is definitely a keeper in the championship. :up:

[Roy]

Congratulations to Norway. From the footage I've seen it looked wonderful I would have loved to go, maybe next year.

I hope this rally does return in 2009.

[kernel_gdi]

I guess you went with Luis ?

it's always nice to travel with him :D

[SubaruNorway]

One of the reasons the was queue betwene Elverum and Hamar on saturday was because the winter break started this weekend. The only queue i experienced was from Brummundal up to ss13 for like 15min as i used som back roads betwene Hamar and Brummundal

[Corny]

If Loeb had won it by 3 minutes, had you found it such a good rally by then?

[SubaruNorway]

Just whatched day 3 and incredible pictures from the mountain, could anyone translate what mikko and Jarmo was singing at the end of the last stage and what Timo was saying when he was trying marcus googles. Go and hide in your snowles Netherlands Corny :D

[cyd]

It definitely looks like a place I'd like to visit! The rally looked well-attended from what I saw on TV and no organizational problems were mentioned. Well done!

[jso1985]

If Loeb had won it by 3 minutes, had you found it such a good rally by then?

he he, you're quite right there.
But I'm a Loeb fan and leaving aside the result, the rally looked spectacular, slightly better than the Sweden stages so I hope it stays

[Iskald]

Great to read such comments. As a norwegian rally veteran I have experienced this sport in my country starting back in 1979 when we were "hiding" in the woods and behind fences in military camps. The sport was simply not socially acceptable back then. Now we have had our first world championship event - and the passion in the whole country is suddenly open for all to see. As a competitor I had the privilege to observe young and old people with flags and banners also on the road sections, applauding and cheering absolutely every team that passed by. For a veteran like myself it actually became an emotional experience.

Well I am a norwegian, and so I`m bound to be positive to my home rally. But it isn`t as simple as that, believe you me. This was a great event, tough and challenging and beatiful. In my opinion, as a competitor with 28 years of experience, it was a "proper" rally with all the elements a rally should contain. And I`m proud to have been a part of it.

[Tomi]

Great to read such comments. As a norwegian rally veteran I have experienced this sport in my country starting back in 1979 when we were "hiding" in the woods and behind fences in military camps. The sport was simply not socially acceptable back then. Now we have had our first world championship event - and the passion in the whole country is suddenly open for all to see. As a competitor I had the privilege to observe young and old people with flags and banners also on the road sections, applauding and cheering absolutely every team that passed by. For a veteran like myself it actually became an emotional experience.

Well I am a norwegian, and so I`m bound to be positive to my home rally. But it isn`t as simple as that, believe you me. This was a great event, tough and challenging and beatiful. In my opinion, as a competitor with 28 years of experience, it was a "proper" rally with all the elements a rally should contain. And I`m proud to have been a part of it.

well said Iskald, also if there is small queues, there is in every rally worth watching.

[A.F.F.]

Just whatched day 3 and incredible pictures from the mountain, could anyone translate what mikko and Jarmo was singing at the end of the last stage and what Timo was saying when he was trying marcus googles. Go and hide in your snowles Netherlands Corny :D

I didn't see Timo trying Marcus shades but Mikko and Jarmo were singing: " Ei rallia voiteta jos siellä pelätään.." - "Rally can't be won if you're scared out there." RIP Göstä.

Sorry about very clumsy translation. Song lyrics just won't bend.

[SubaruNorway]

Ok thanks it was on the eurosport coverage Timo was trying the shades semed like he wasen't to convinced about them

[Priorat]

I've just arrived from Norway too and I want to sign every good thing that has been said here. I was able to watch a lot of stages without any queue and I didn't even have a media pass. Being used to the queues and cancellations of Monte-Carlo and Catalunya, this rally was like heaven.
I extended my holidays to visit the country and it is really very beautiful with people always ready to help you.
Congratulations to be as you are and I hope Rally Norway stays forever.

[sezix]

The rally did look great. Nice to see Solberg finally not crash and again rack up the points!
Would have been nice to see him win on home snow. ;)

[M5]

Must say I ma impressed with what the Rally Norway organisation achieved on their first attemt !!

Hopefully this is good enough to secure a spot on the 2009 and beyond calendar - We need two snowrallies in WRC !!!

Maybe they can take a round in IRC in 2008 - thay also need a round on Snow on their calendar !!!

[A.F.F.]

I'm glad Norway succeeded on doing a good event. :up: What i saw from TV-footage, the rally looked awesome, not to mention the result ;) .

[Fleur]

Congratulations Norway, sounds like those who went had a great time, with few / no hassles. The tv coverage was awesome, what a beautiful country and what enthusiastic spectators!!
I would love to go watch the rally, and visit the country also, as my ansestors come from Norway...
Fingers crossed for inclusion in 2009, and hopefully I will make it there to watch, or better still, to compete!!

[SubaruNorway]

Not such a big pleasure for the guy who got his hand/arm under Loebs tyre on his second off
:eek:

[Brother John]

Not such a big pleasure for the guy who got his hand/arm under Loebs tyre on his second off
:eek:

Then he was on the wrong place! :(

[SubaruNorway]

No, it was when they where helping him back on the road and he got it under when Loeb was on full throttle

[Brother John]

No, it was when they where helping him back on the road and he got it under when Loeb was on full throttle

Still he was with his hand on the wrong place! :s mokin:

[SubaruNorway]

Yes indeed :uhoh:

[Viktory]

ouch, did his arm make it? That's what I'm a bit cautious with if I see a car go into a snow bank on a snow rally, I wouldn't put any body part near the tyres.