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LONDON-SYDNEY MARATHON 2000 | |
You will have seen all the general information about the event from the nine bulletins published. The nature of the Competition Category is complex and for that reason the majority of the information in those Bulletins dealt largely with competition matters.
Now that the event moves from the distant horizon to something that is going to happen this year let's focus on things that involve you.
In London the whole process of Documentation involves everyone on the event and during this process and the Welcome Dinner you'll get to know more people than you'll be able to remember.
You should be at the general briefing but we'll run a separate briefing session solely for the Touring Category.
For the first three days of the event with overnights in Metz and Nurnberg you'll run with the main event to Prague. Then you'll enjoy a rest day in this fabulous city on the Danube and from there until Ankara you'll be running a day behind the competitors.
This means that you'll be a tight knit group of 30 cars doing your own thing - an event within an event. A tight group like this makes for great camaraderie and good fun.
In Ankara you'll join up with the main event again for the airlift to Chiang Mai.
In Chiang Mai you catch up with a bit of rest and relaxation or sight seeing while the main event takes off down the Malay Peninsula. You catch up with them again at Johor Bahru for the airlift to Darwin.
Once again you get a rest day in Darwin and your group run across Oz a day behind the main mob as far as Wagga Wagga.
For the last two days you're part of the happy but exhausted 120 car mob that will wind its way into the Harbour City on the afternoon of July 4th to be welcomed by Bob Carr, the State Premier.
We don't use maps; you go everywhere reading from the Road Book using what we know as "tulip" diagrams.
On the sample page enclosed the "tulip" is in the column headed Description - the "blob" is you in your car and the arrow is the direction you must follow.
Distances from the start of the section and from the previous "tulip" are shown in the two left hand columns with the column on the right hand side showing the distance still to go to the next check in. The Instruction column shows roads signs and other handy information.
You will see that distances are measured in kilometres. To follow the Road Book you'll need to have a Terratrip (a computerised odometer which can be set to kilometres) fitted to your car. This measures distances covered to 2 decimal places of a kilometre.
If that all sounds a bit daunting don't worry. It actually simplifies the whole thing and makes following route instructions dead easy.
Amongst the Tourers there are people who've done previous events with us and they will share their knowledge with you.
The Terratrip we recommend is the 303 model. In the UK these can be obtained from Demon Tweeks who will also mail order them overseas. Tel: +44 (0)1978 664466 Fax: +44 (0)1978 664467. In Australia from Revolution Racegear, Tel: 1800 804 778. Click here for Useful Contacts and Other Motor Sport Links
Each day during the event there will be two Regularity tests. This is a good fun activity which adds an edge of competition to the event. It doesn't involve speed, so there's no question of speeding along against oncoming traffic.
You are asked to maintain an average speed over a tricky section of road. That section could be anything from 5 to 15 kms in length, maybe more.
At the start you're told the average speed that you must maintain and you have a rough idea of where the finish control will be. The deal is to arrive at the finish having averaged the speed given to you. The pace will be well inside the legal limit.
Doing the regularities is not compulsory but I do encourage all of you to take part during the first few days. If you don't like it you can opt out and go "freelance" and just cruise the route. But it is good fun and you'll enjoy the spirit of competition - and of course there will be valuable prizes at the Awards Dinner. OK, I'm not talking diamond and emerald studded Rolexes, but valuable in terms of great things to have on your trophy shelf.
No, these are not what you wear they are what our officials wear. Our officials are known as "Redshirts".
You've got your own dedicated team of Redshirts who will run the controls on the road and look after you generally. They're equipped to handle just about everything except delivering babies.
Each evening in the hotel John Trevethick and Simon Marks will be shuffling paperwork, sorting results and issuing Bulletins while Lyn and Bob Evans will be available to handle general queries and offer guidance and advice.
Those of who own a GSM mobile phone should get your provider to set you up with a roaming arrangement and you'll find that you'll be able to use your phone in and around many of the major cities along the route.
For those who need more extensive and reliable communication for business matters you might like to think about a rented Satphone. They should work anywhere along the route.
Having said that, there are reliable phones in all hotels although Romania and one place in Thailand are a bit early 20th century with equipment that Alexander Graham Bell would easily recognise.
This is where you get to wear all your nice old comfortable shorts, tee shirts and chinos.
On one of our previous events one lady with a large Titanic-style steamer truck in the back of her car amazed everyone by appearing in a different outfit each evening until she realised she was doing it all wrong.
Bring a black tie / posh frock for the Awards Dinner in Sydney but apart from that it really is dead casual.
There isn't a great deal of time for doing your own laundry so even more reason to bring cotton stuff that can be washed and hung up overnight. Body heat is almost as good as an iron!
You'll need a third party policy for your vehicle valid in all countries the event passes through. This applies to Pathfinder buy-back people as well.
Clowes our brokers at Lloyds will come up with a sensibly priced policy. They will also offer a full comprehensive policy covering total loss or damage to the vehicle.
As soon as we have the details we'll pass them to you. Pathfiner buy-back customers would be well advised to take out such a policy.
It comes with two spare wheels and a small tool kit plus the usual manufacturers handbook and jack. We'll also put two gerry cans in the back for you, one for water and one for petrol.
We don't believe that you'll need special equipment beyond this. Bring a torch, a decent first aid kit and whatever tapes you like to listen to. A notebook and clipboard is always handy and a good supply of pens, pencils and fluorescent markers. Also, something to store all the paperwork we issue and the Road Books. This also applies to those of you bringing your own vehicle.
We will make arrangements for you to pick up your Pathfinder during the week before the start and will let you know where and when closer to the time.
Your Pathfinder will come with a Customs Carnet de Passage. The only paperwork you'll need to provide is third party insurance and, if you wish, the full comprehensive insurance. We'll send you application forms for these later.
Hopefully this fills in any gaps that might have existed in your event information bank. If you have any queries Ron can always be found in the UK office and I'm usually in our Australian office in Sydney. Both of us are happy to deal with any questions you may have.