The Breslau Rally: Day 8, The Final Stage

We woke on Saturday to a damp, cold and windy morning for the final Stage of the Rally. All the Specials were held near the camp, and the Start would be on the same circuit that had been prepared for the Finish of Stage 6.

The teams were to drive the course in the opposite direction before going to a second Special in a quarry, followed by a parade on the Dresden bridge. One of the drivers made an error while maneuvering at a Check Point and ran into a table, hitting one of the rally staff. After the accident the organization decided to cancel the Special in the quarry, so the rally ended on a disappointing note.

It started to rain around mid-afternoon when the teams arrived back at the campsite after finishing the race. They set immediately to work loading the cars in the trailers for transport home, barely stopping to savor the feeling of satisfaction at having completed the race. The cancellation, along with the cold and the rain, made the occasion seem dreary, when it should have been a time for celebration. Good preparation, determination and team work had been needed to reach the Finish; many of the other vehicles had been damaged along the way and had dropped out.

As we packed up the truck under the rain, we were wistful: sad that the 2011 Breslau Rally was over, but ready to go home. Evening brought a buffet dinner for everyone under the shelter of a large tent. There was live music and lots of beer: finally, the celebration of everyone’s achievement as the rankings were announced. No one from our team won any trophies, but everyone had made it to the Finish Line, the most rewarding prize of all.

The 2011 Breslau was our first rally experience, and it was fantastic! We met some wonderful people during the rally and made many new friends. We hope to see them all next year if we’re able to participate again, either as part of a service team or perhaps as competitors ourselves.