Day One

Sunny, great atmosphere at the trial. Photos here.
A few technical problems on the extreme class, all repaired during the night.
On the hobby class everything is ok, no damages.
Now it's raining on the south camp, where the extreme is located. the sun will shine again today, I'm sure...

Day Zero

A lot of cars came on Friday.
Saturday at 11.oo we'll start the registrations. Lunch break from 14-15.30. And then registrations until 23.00.
It's gonna be a looong day for us.

The weather is perfect. Mud in the forest, rain from time to time during the day.
My car is filled with mud (on the inside). That special mud that flies through the windows.

Transilvania Adventure Trophy 2009

Sau cum sa scapi de frica de vampiri. Sau varcolaci.

Pana acum cativa ani, cand ziceai Transilvania te gandeai la poteci neumblate, seri fara luna si zgomote bizare in paduri vechi de secole. Transilvania e infricosatorul si misteriosul taram a lui Dracula, al varcolacilor, were-wolf-ilor sau al oricaror alte mituri holywoodiene sau locale.

Valul de mister si panica dispare in zgomotul unui motor V8 turat la maxim. Miturile se evapora improscate de noroi aruncat de cauciucuri gigantice cramponate. Incepe Transilvania Adventure Trophy. Raliul off-road care umbreste miturile transilvanene si muta seturile de fobii in noi dimensiuni.

Ti-ai dori sa fii intr-o padure pustie, haituit de ceva varcolaci. E mai putin infricosator decat o coborare, o inclinatie laterala sau o trecere ingusta si alunecoasa pe marginea unei prapastii. Sau decat zborul cu multi kilometri la ora pe suprafete rupte de ploi si furtuni, denumite optimist “drumuri forestiere”.

Cea de-a opta editie a competitiei Transilvania Adventure Trophy se va desfasura la Deva, in perioada 4 – 10 iulie. Europa si-a trimis cei mai buni off-roaderi din 16 tari: Belgia, Olanda, Marea Britanie, Spania, Portugalia, Franţa, Italia, Grecia, Republica Cehă, Slovacia, Bulgaria, Ungaria, Rusia, Austria, Germania. Lor li se alatura cateva echipaje locale.

Concursul are loc intr-un peisaj deosebit: Apuseni, Poiana Rusca si Muntii Metaliferi.

Sute de kilometri impanati cu absolut toate obstacolele pe care natura le-a inventat. Sunt de kilometri de efort, rasplatiti cu peisaje pitoresti si tabere de neuitat.

Competitorii vor pleca la start impartiti in doua clase: Extrem si Open, cu 70 de masini in prima categorie si 36 in cea de-a doua. Cu totii vor porni intr-o competitie impotriva celorlalti, dar vor avea de luptat cu mai multi adversari: propriile limite, nemiloasa natura si salbaticia Transilvaniei.

Wheather update

The weather is very stormy these days...
Even the simplest tracks can became dangerous under those circumstances so prepare for the worst.
For the Hobby class I recommend to exercise the "downhill-with-a-long-strap-on-the-tree-technique" in case you don't have a back winch.
And don't forget to bring those snatch blocks you never use.

We are famous...

Some guys are selling tires for the TAT :-)
www.apollotyres.com

nothing to do with us....

Update 26.06

Due to last minute problems we have 2 cars without team mates.

They are:

- on the extreme class

11b. Johann Monchy, Guillaume Vadecard (FR) / Suzuki Samurai

- on the hobby class

70a. Steven Omblets, David De Raedt (BE) / Suzuki

If you know somebody interested to join them for the TAT, please contact me by e-mail.

p.s. the weather is very bad for the moment ( rainy, stormy).

but that doesn't mean anything...the week of the TAT could be the same or sunshine.

The Hobby List

51a. Gregor Lehner, Barbara Schwankhart (AT) / Jeep Cherokee
51b. Bieber Ernst, Bieber Brigitte (AT) / Mitsubishi Pajero

52a. Georg Ploder, Martin Ploder (AT) / Jeep Cherokee
52b. Hannes Bagl, Christian Grünauer (AT) / Toyota HDJ80

53a. Dimitris Taloumis, Giannis Rombotis (GR) / LR Defender 90
53b. Tilemahos Taloumis, Konstantinos Grigoriou (GR) / Jeep Rubicon

54a. Thomas Blank, Manfred Schneider (AT) / Mitsubishi Pajero
54b. Wilhelm Wendelin, Ilsr Wendelin (AT) / Jeep CJ7

55a. Fabrice Peeters, Gerald Kasberg (BE) / LR Defender 90
55b. Giovanni Peeters, Marleen Demeyer (BE) / Toyota LC BJ43

56a. Guy Smets, Kristel Caes (BE) / Toyota HZJ74
56b. Dirk Leroy, Dirk Verlinden (BE) / Toyota Landcruiser

57a. Franz Hasenberger, Franz Knezevic (AT) / Jeep Grand Cherokee
57b. Milan Jurkovic, Paul Hofer (AT) / Puch G

58a. Hans Hehl, Renè Rosin (GE) / Mercedes G 280
58b. Rainer Wabersich, Christa Weltner (GE) / Mercedes G

59a. Luc De Vadder, Dennis Kind (BE) / LR Defender
59b. John Jongeneel, Bart Verhoef (NL) / LR Defender 90

60a. Herwig Huto, Wilhelm Amon (AT) / Jeep YJ
60b. Sascha Rziha, Christoph Csarmann (AT) / Jeep XJ

61a. Christian Wiesener, Christian Krauss (AT) / Jeep Wrangler
61b. Werner Breitler, Helen Nimmervoll (AT) / Jeep Cherokee

62a. Michel Vrachtdoender, Saskia Vrachtdoender-Hassolt (NL) / LR Discovery
62b. Leonie Van Hoevell, Joris Inniger (NL) / LR Defender

63a. Hristian Pashkov, Toncho Tomov (BG) / UAZ Hunter
63b. Peter Dobrev, Stoian Stanchev (BG) / UAZ Hunter

64a. Vasillis Tsigaras, Lampros Katsaros (GR) / LR Defender 90
64b. Papanikolaou Ian Paniain, Thodoris Afentras (GR) / Suzuki Samurai SJ413

65a. Mugur Nicolae, Valentin Rosanu (RO) / LR Discovery
65b.

66a. Imo Schneider, Rose Schneider-Van der Zwan (NL) / Daihatsu Rocky
66b. Marc Borst, Saskia Borst (NL) / LR Discovery

67a. Stan Constantin, Dorel Stanciu (RO) / Mercedes G
67b. Vali Dutu, Andrei Hazgan (RO) / Toyota

68a. Hudusan Ciprian State, Sanfirisca Marius (RO) / Toyota LC
68b. Pilot, Copilot (RO) /

69a. Andrei Ciobica, Gigel Mazarache (RO) / Mitsubishi Pajero
69b. Marius Stefanescu, Bogdan Mamulea (RO) / Daihatsu Rocky