Review of the Baltic Sea Rally 2024
15.09.2024As announced, we went to the Baltic Sea Rally in Lehnsan last weekend and how does every good story begin?
With top preparation from the team and the best weather during the event.
On Thursday it was time to set up our service area, again there were many hands and a quick finish.
Friday morning at 6 a.m. we set off to view the stages. After 450 km in the Volvo, Steffen and I realized once again that the Volvo is not for long distances, our buttocks were flat and we had fallen asleep. The external stages are going to be as fast as a pig and for us the end is at 160 km/h in 4th gear.
At 6:12 p.m. we finally set off with start number 75, show start in Grömitz on the beach promenade and on to SS1.
This was immediately interrupted by start number 3, a serious accident (both are fine again). As the route was blocked, we were directed to SS2. Here there was also an accident and we were diverted again, so the first 2 stages were over, not a meter driven but off to the 1 service.
Here we were rewarded with a delicious dinner from our kitchen for doing nothing. The service guys also had time off.
It went into the 2nd loop, SS1 now SS3 still closed, so on to SS4. Now we were allowed to drive and could experience the 4th time of 9 Volvos.
We went to bed at around 0:00 and at 8:33 we started again. Now the stages on Putlos with a high proportion of gravel awaited us, so we switched to gravel in the early service.
We were able to defend our position from the previous day on the upcoming 4 stages there, the stages were so much fun that we celebrated at the finish. It also happened that I took off my helmet, put it in the back of the car and realized after about 1.5 km of the connecting stage that I couldn't read the speedometer at all - shit! Glasses left on the roof, gone.
What do we have service for? To get a pair of glasses so that Silvio can see again. We called briefly and were told straight away that the servo was making noises. When we arrived at the service department, we got the reading aid from Mutti, ok a field road now looked as wide as a highway, but this can also be an advantage, let's make the best of it.
The bracket on the servo broke and it was child's play for the guys. A temporary solution was put in place and, as we all know, they last...? That's how it was.
The next 4 stages were driven on asphalt again and so we put different tires on.
We were still able to drive Wp9, but it didn't go so well for us, the tender 100 hp on the bike didn't want or couldn't achieve what we wanted. Only 7th time.
Wp10 there was an accident involving a Swedish Volvo team, again the route was blocked and we were diverted.
Wp11 the same as Wp9 with the same result.
Wp12 was canceled and we headed towards Grömitz to the finish ramp.
After 7 of 12 stages (5 were canceled due to accidents) we were more than happy with 3rd place in the class. We were rewarded with full points for the German Volvo Cup.
We were also both happy with the all-round support in the service department, as there were more people looking after the Volvo at every service than at the beginning. We were also well looked after by the kitchen during this time and will probably have to re-mark our belts soon, after service 1, after service 2, etc. But at some point the belt will come to an end.
We spent the evening raving about the Baltic Sea Rally over a beer and it was clear that we'd be back in 2025.
A big thank you to everyone involved who contributed to this event, it would never have been possible on our own!
But now it's time to concentrate fully on the next round: next up is Badschmiedeberg in Saxony-Anhalt, a round of the Schottercup, keep your fingers crossed that we can continue to defend the top of the table.
Drifting greetings
Your Silvio
