From 21 – 23 November 2014 in Estonia 4 different races will take place at the same time:
1. Stage 4 (final stage) of 4×4 NEZ Championship 2014;
2. Stage 4 of Estonian 4×4 Off-road Championship 2014;
3. Stage 5 of Latvian Open Trophy-raid Championship;
4. Stage 5 of Tourism Cup of Latvian Open Trophy-raid Championship.
As we can see it today, the weather forecast predicts 0°C.-.+5°C for the end of November in the region of Narva which means – there is a hope that it won’t be necessary to break the ice. But it is more than clear that it will be wet, very wet. It would be clever to provide good thermal underwear and some extra clothes to change.
So then, it is the time now that Latvian Trophy-raid Championship and NEZ Championship are already near the finish line – all that is left, is to put a nice end to the race during the last stage and start the preparation for the ball. Registration for the last stage of this year’s championship ends on 14 November and at the moment there are already 70 vehicles registered which means there will be great off-road and mud festival!
The course of race in Estonia is clearer than it is in its neighbouring countries but there is a strict order, judges are implacable and rigorously control whether the technical regulations are being followed. And it is recommended for the participants to arrive for the briefing very precisely or even better – be there a little bit before the due time, otherwise those few late minutes in addition to the reticence of other drivers may lead to a nice and unexpected swim in the end of November.
The type of competition is 24h race, starting with the prologue on Friday, 21 November around 18:00. The faster you can finish the more time you have for sleep because the briefing is on Saturday at 04:00 and the first vehicle start the race at 05:00. Finish is closed on Sunday, 23 November at 07:00.
Tourism cup starts on Saturday, 22 November at 06:30 and finishes the same evening at 20:00.
Before the 5th and final stage of Latvian Open Trophy-raid championship leader of category TR1 is the champion of last season Dzintars Urniežus with wheelmen Indulis Pakalnītis and Jānis Kancāns. Will they be able to repeat their achievement? That’s the real challenge, because it is easier to raise the bar than to maintain in the same position. Having all the cards in their hands in order to make changes in the overall evaluation, Viktors Pahomovs and Viesturs Tučins are in the second place for now. In the third place at the moment – Aigars Ragovskis with his wheelmen Aivis Japins, Oskars Strēlnieks and Dmitrjs Savickis but they are just one point ahead of the experienced team of old masters Alvis Pētersons and Aigars Motivāns.
Dzintars Urniežus with wheelmen Indulis Pakalnītis and Jānis Kancāns are leaders in category TR1 in NEZ 4×4 Championship. Second – Alvis Pētersons and Aigars Motivāns, followed by Viktor Stolyarchuk and Maksim Kamyshov who only participated in Rugaji race but the first place they won there still lets them be amongst the 3 best teams and the final stage can still change everything.
Leaders of Latvian Open Trophy-raid championship in category TR3 are Vilnis Zeiza and Aigars Zeiza, followed by Ivan Shihotarov and Evgenij Sahvoruk. In the third place for now – Armands Apsītis and Agnis Asmis. As for 4×4 NEZ Championship the situation in this category is the same as for Latvian Championship.
Kārlis Svārups and Eduards Grāvītis are the leaders of Latvian Open Trophy-raid championship in category ATV, followed by Alexey Tuzov.
Leaders of the Tourism cup this year – Freibergs dynasty – and that’s not likely to change! Second place – Arnis Pušs, Alvis Reinšmits, Edmunds Melveris and Edvards Ošups, leaving the team of Artūrs Kuncis together with Oskars Žvagins, Ainārs Naglis and Kristaps Jānis Kuncis in the third place.
Avo Šults Memorial Race has always been a challenge, a chance to go off the limits – how far, how long, how much and whether really necessary. The competition in Estonia has never been easy – wishing you strength, endurance and good luck and may the Good Fairy stay at home and don’t try to mislead you! J