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Break in tradition will benefit 2014 VW Rally spectators

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The annual Volkswagen Rally roars into action from Auto Pavilion in Uitenhage on Friday, 11 July, finishing at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, 12 July.

With 15 stages of competition, the field of national rally competitors will be pushing hard to achieve, with a rally victory the crown for a successful weekend out on the stages.

For spectators at the 2014 Volkswagen Rally, winning comes easily as the event is organised to make it as spectator-friendly as possible. The route, laid out by the Algoa Rally Club, features a mix of tar, gravel and forest stages complete with fast sweeps and very technical sections.

“The entire rally has been optimised to make spectating as easy as it can be,” says Joe Fourie, route director for the Volkswagen Rally. “From stage one near Mission Road, through the Longmore Forest and on to Jeffrey’s Bay on Friday evening, the stages produce plenty of challenges for the competitors and lots of good opportunity for the spectators to keep up with the action.”

According to Fourie, day two of the Volkswagen Rally offers more good vantage points, including two Super Special stages which feature two cars competing simultaneously and covering the same ground for maximum rally action.

“Of the 15 stages for the Volkswagen Rally this year, just one is not recommended for spectating – and this will be indicated on the spectator guide,” says Fourie. “That is 14 stages of rallying with a big finish at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to provide maximum accessibility for motorsport fans.”

The layout on Saturday, with the first stages in the Mission Road area, allows spectators to watch the start of the rally and then travel to Longmore Forest before heading to the finish at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. For spectators who cannot make it to Longmore, they can stay for the first three stages – which includes the two Super Special stages – and then go straight to the finish and wait for the national rally field to arrive for the final stage.

Breaking with tradition, there will no longer be a super special stage in the parking area at King’s Beach in Port Elizabeth. This year the rally will end at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium with a 1,4-kilometre special stage around the tar and paved perimeter of the stadium.

The 2014 Volkswagen Rally spectator guide will be available on Thursday, 10 July, in the Eastern Cape and will also be made available online.

Dave Ledbitter
Rally photographer, Dave Ledbitter pushing the limits for the perfect image during the 2013 VWSA Rally. Photo: Alan Straton
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.