Breslau Rally 2013, Day 3

Today was a tough stage, in terms of terrain and in terms of navigation, but Sylvain and Gaby passed all the checkpoints. At one point, at a water crossing, the water was so deep that Gaby had to swim across to assess the best way to cross.

They arrived back in camp around 6pm, and the mechanics got to work soon after.

There were a number of repairs to make, but first they had to find them.

As usual, mud is a problem. In addition to the break pads, it had clogged up around the starter, which needed to be cleaned out. Water had seeped into the air filter as well as the fuel pressure regulator. This resulted in a number of problems and caused some electrical issues, all of which need to be corrected. The mounts for the shock absorbers on the rear were damaged, and need to be replaced. Finally, the rear window was broken out and the opening needs to be covered up.

The mechanics still have a few hours of work to go, but everything should be ready in the morning. Tomorrow’s special is 205 km, and should be fast although there is another big water crossing. The Orga says it is too deep for the motorcycles and quads, but due to all the recent rain, it may also be too deep for the cars and trucks.

We’re still waiting for the results of today’s stage.