HERO's first Arctic Winter Trial, held in March 2003, was acclaimed as a great success by all who took part. Its successor will be run in 2005, from 27 February to 10 March. Arne Hertz will again be route planner, and John Brown Clerk of the Course. To address comments received this year, the event will be shorter, with less relaxed timing and more interesting regularities. We will once again have competitive and touring divisions for classic cars (made up to 1984) and high 4x4s.
The route is likely to be on snow and ice for virtually the whole distance, with daytime temperatures staying well below zero - but don't be daunted by this; 2003's participants, in classic cars as well as 4x4s, coped fine. We will once again be using high quality hotels throughout, and support teams and a car transporter will follow the event.
Our provisional plan is to start the rally from the port of Kristiansand, in southern Norway. This is easily accessible by fast and frequent ferries from Hirtshals in Denmark, and by overnight ferry from Newcastle, departing late Friday afternoon and arriving Saturday morning, 26 February. Scrutineering and documentation will be that day, and the rally will start on the morning of Sunday 27 February.
The provisional route is as follows
Sunday 27 February: Day 1: Kristiansand - Geilo. This takes us on secondary roads through the mountains west of Oslo, with a couple of excellent regularities, to overnight in a famous ski centre.
Monday 28 February: Day 2: Geilo - Røros. More great regularities on secondary roads in the Telemark ski area of Norway.
Tuesday 1 March: Day 3: Røros - Östersund. We cross into Sweden for some high passes and an ice road across a frozen lake.
Wednesday 2 March: Day 4: Östersund - Lycksele. Through the Swedish uplands and into Lappland, with some new regularities in forests and a couple of circuit tests. Watch for reindeer!
Thursday 3 March: Day 5: Lycksele - Kiruna. We cross the Arctic Circle and visit a car proving centre for some excellent tests.
Friday 4 March: Activity Day, Kiruna. Snowmobiling, dog sledding, reindeer sleigh rides, and visits to the world's biggest underground mine and the famous Ice Hotel, rounded off with a traditional Sami (Lapp) barbecue dinner.
Saturday 5 March: Day 6: Kiruna - Tromsø. We cross into Norway's stunning fjord country for a couple of excellent coastal regularities, before overnighting at the historic seaport of Tromsø.
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Sunday 6 March: Day 7: Tromsø - Alta. More fabulous fjord scenery as we head north, into ever more desolate landscapes. There are fewer competitive elements - the journey itself has become the main adventure.
Monday 7 March: Day 8: Alta - North Cape - Honningsvåg. We now head across the real Arctic wastes of the Norwegian plateau to finish the day's run at the most northerly place on earth you can drive to, the North Cape - the road will be snowploughed especially for us. We overnight in the world's northernmost town.
Tuesday 8 March: Day 9: Honningsvåg - Ivalo - Saariselkä. We travel south into the rolling tundra and forests of Finland, where we have a couple of tests at the car proving centre of Ivalo before overnighting at a leading ski resort.
Wednesday 9 March: Activity Day, Saariselkä & Ivalo. A day of snow and ice driving instruction at the Ivalo winter car proving ground, trying the various tracks, and at Saariselkä enjoying skiing and other activities. Overnight Saariselkä.
Thursday 10 March: Day 10: Saariselkä - Murmansk. We visit Norway's remotest, town, Kirkenes, before crossing the frontier to the rally finish at Russia's northernmost port, famous for the tragic British convoys of World War 2. Overnight and prizegiving party.
On Friday 11 March, the participants drive their cars the 300 km back to Ivalo by the direct route. By going back into the EU, we avoid the fearsome bureaucracy of shipping unaccompanied cars out of Russia. One option for getting home is to load your vehicle at Ivalo on to our own fleet of transporters, which will take them all the way back to the UK, Holland or Germany, enabling you to fly out via Helsinki late that day or the next morning. This will be coordinated by Dan Karlsson, the popular enthusiast who runs a car carrying business and followed the 2003 Trial with his own transporter.
Alternatively, you can drive home via Ivalo and Sweden. From Murmansk, Gothenburg is 2,170 km, enabling you to catch the Newcastle ferry leaving 10:00 Thursday morning, arriving at 10:00 on Friday.
It's a great adventure; don't miss it! Return the form overleaf if you'd like to book a place.
The above programme and route are provisional, and may be amended.
Arctic Winter Trial Entry Fees
- Entry fee for crew of two if paid in full before 31 May GBP 6,950
- before 31 August GBP 7,450
- before 30 November GBP 7,700
- Full fee after 1 December GBP 7,950
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