This October, I decided to be part of something that I've been fascinated by for a good number of years. From the early days of Sega Rally down at the local arcade, I was captivated by rally. Motorsports generally fascinate me, yet rally distinguishes itself from the rest, in my opinion. Taking modest, street legal hatchbacks and converting them into nearly 400 HP beasts, that do 0-100 km/h in less than 4 seconds, is fascinating in itself. Mix that up with tracks comprised of snow, gravel, tarmac or slippery mud and that makes for an interesting combination, to say the least. It's majestic really, seeing the drivers tackle fast straights, corners and hairpins in their custom-built cars. Watching them slide from bend to bend like it was all part of a finely, choreographed automotive ballet. Except this is on-the-fly.
I find it difficult to explain the intensity of it all with words on screen, but to give you an idea: they average up to 130 km/h on some stages. That's highway speeds on narrow, slippery, tree-lined forest roads. And that's an average speed, mind you!
Furthermore the driver's have a grueling schedule. Their first race is often at daybreak, continuing throughout the day and often ending with an evening or night stage. Keeping focus at those speeds and conditions for so many hours throughout a day, is something I have a solid amount of respect for.
Combining rally with the stunning views and natural surroundings of North Wales was all-hit-and-no-miss for me. Already looking forward to my next WRC stage (World Rally Championship) - be it in Wales or somewhere else in the world.