Author: autorally.lv
Source: autorally.lv
Rally Sarma has always been an exhilarating competition for both participants and spectators alike. This year's edition, Rally Sarma 2024, promises to be just as thrilling as it continues the battles of the Latvian Rally Championship, rallysprint, and historic car rally cup, while also serving as the opening event for the Baltic Sea States Rally Championship. Fans can look forward to the presence of renowned rally drivers such as Emīls and Kalvis Blūms, Egons Kaurs, Jānis Vorobjovs, Matīss Mežaks, and many other athletes from eight countries.
Location and Navigation
Spectator’s guide with maps of the special stages is available on the Latvian Rally Championship website at
autorally.lv, under the "Spectators" section. The guide is usable in print and digital formats for convenience. All you have to do is scan the QR code, if the guide is printed, or click with your finger on it, if the guide is saved on your smart device, and choose which navigation application you will use. Waze and Google Maps routes to all spectator locations are pre-prepared for easy navigation. Waze is recommended for real-time updates on road closures.
What to look at?
The provisional list of participants is already available on autorally.lv. If you want to have the most accurate start list at hand, you can find it in the "Documents" section of autorally.lv shortly before the ceremonial opening of the rally, which will take place on Friday evening at the center of the Gulbene. Note that the start times published everywhere refer to the first rally car at the start of the special stage, but the safety cars, or so-called "0" crews, will take the track before the rally crews, and the rally cars will follow them in order of starting numbers. Only the participants of the rally sprint will not start in the last two stages.
Clothing and accessories
Taking into account that the weather forecasts promise truly winter rally weather with temperatures that will feel like -12 to -18 degrees, we recommend that you think carefully about clothing and shoes. Thermal underwear, woolen socks, thick pants, jackets, hats, and thick gloves - this is what is required. That's why we encourage you to think about proper snow boots and spare footwear so that your feet are always dry and warm. By the way, snowboard boots serve very well in such conditions. Consider bringing a thermos with hot beverages for added comfort.
Preparation of the car
Even though the access roads to the spectator areas will be cleared, we recommend that you put a snow shovel in your car, which will be useful for warming up and cleaning your viewing area. Also, it will not hurt to have spare fuel in the tank, so that it is also enough for warming up in the car.
Safety First
The winter rally is particularly dynamic, and the spectators have to reckon with it too. In such conditions, when the special stages are covered by such a perfect layer of ice, the winter rally is often even faster than the asphalt rally, so the spectators have to be especially attentive. You must follow the instructions of the safety staff, you must not cross the track or turn your back to the track during the race - always keep every sports car in sight. When helping a rally car that has gone off the road, under no circumstances lift the car by the wheels or push the car behind the wheel arches, as sports tire studs can cause serious injuries. Spectators should remember that after the end of the stage, the road is only open when the safety crew has done so with a green beacon light.
Tickets
Rally Sarma 2024 tickets can be purchased on the online ticket sales platform eKase.lv. Tickets will not be available at ticket checkpoints. For people who find online shopping difficult, tickets will also be available at the Rally HQ. Let us remind you that Rally Sarma continues to use personalized tickets, and they are valid with an identity document. Rally tickets cost €12.00 in advance, including VAT and ticket sales commission, but on the day of the rally, the price of tickets will be €15.00. Children under the age of twelve, as well as persons with group 1 disabilities, will have free entry. Tickets will not be required for the opening of the rally either.
What else to do in Gulbene?
In the Gulbene district, it is possible to find many different activities to entertain yourself and your family - Gulbene narrow track train, camera sliding or winter auto track in Stāmeriena, golf simulators in the leisure park Avoti, and the ski museum in Tirza is only a small part of the possibilities offered by the Gulbene district. More information can be found on the VisitGulbene.lv website.
Social Networks
All fans of the rally are invited to use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to announce what they have seen and what is happening. However, for the message to reach all recipients, it is preferable to add @RallySarma and #RallySarma to messages related to the rally.
To publish this article please contact BalticTravelnews.eu editorial board
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