WRC - Rally Sardinia may '09

[RoryOD]

After Rally Ireland i really want a rally some where warm :)
Have a week free from the 18-25may and lucky me rally Sardinia is on and ryanair are doing return flights for 82euro.

I know Jay has been there, hopefully he can help me out a bit. but just want to know who is going this year? who has been? and what is "essential" in the camera bag.

I was thinking along the lines of rain covers for the remote camera to keep sand/dust out and taking O2 canster to blow dust off the hand held???

Any other tips/tricks/useful info as i have only shot in torrents of rain and cold winds. Heat and dust is virtually alien to me in this country!:lol:

Thanks

[Pete Owen]

Hi Rory
Don't blame you after seeing rally ireland on tv :lol:
Did Sardinia in 2006,great rally to spectate/photograph,you should find it very easy to get into the stages & there was no charge then :D
Some of the access roads/goat tracks are very rough (battered the underside of our hire car) ,are you sorting the trip yourself? if not,i can highly recommend rally travel,great bunch of lads & they supply you with proper stage maps & various routes to each stage!
Some nice scenery for good backdrops pretty much all over the island & the best thing is.......you will have the sun on your back :D
Pete

[RoryOD]

Cheers Pete. going it alone. funds are a bit low as im for Gran Canaria in 3 weeks and im in the middle of getting a 1D mkII. when i saw the flight price was so good, it changed my mind. The good thing is that ill have a few days before the rally to drive the stages (another hired car getting battered) and im looking at staying in the village of Pattada. it looks small but kinda central to alot of the stages. its just south west of the big jump at Monte Lerno about 12k. that jump really sold it for me.

Did you find it hard looking after your gear with the dust and sand?

[Pete Owen]

Did you find it hard looking after your gear with the dust and sand?

Not really mate,just covered my camera with a shammy leather after each car passed but then i don't use remote camera's so you may well have a problem there (main problem would be cleaning the lens after each car i should think?) it is very dusty but no worse than it is on a u.k. forest event in the summer!
Pete

[RoryOD]

Cheers. nice site... any of sardinia back in 06? Rally Wales looks good. could be another one to do!

[Pete Owen]

Cheers. nice site... any of sardinia back in 06? Rally Wales looks good. could be another one to do!
Cheers Rory
Will have a look tonight for Sardinia pic's (at work at the mo :()
Rally GB was better this year as it used classic stages further north :D
Pete

[jbanbury]

Hi Rory

I'll be going again this year. Dont worry too much about the dust, it's nowhere near as bad as events like the Acropolis. My tip would be to pack a painbrush, much easier to brush it off than trying to wipe with a cloth.

Personally I wouldnt bother trying to set up a remote. You wont be able to access it easier enough to clean the lens and you will no doubt fall foul of the ryanair baggage weight restriction and end up paying extra.

As for lenses, I always take the 300mm, 70-200, 24-70 and a fisheye. Most bases are covered then.

[RoryOD]

Cheers Jay. i like the paint brush idea. would never have thought of it. have all the mentioned lenses bar the 300 2.8 :-( maybe some day when i win the lotto!

I was on your site lastnight and loving the shots from there. one question, were you media accredited for the event?
wouldnt mind trying for it, although irish acreditation prob means nothing over there when applying for it.

even if i cant get accredited, it looks like you can still get fairly close to the action, hope the marshals are sound :-)

cheers Jay

[jbanbury]

I wasnt accreditated for the event ... I got invited into the FST camp for an evening.

This year I should have ISC accreditation which gets you everywhere in the service park but not out on the stages. In fairness you dont really need accreditation for out on the stages somewhere like Sardnina, you can even get really close at the Monte Lerno jump. Didnt have any problem with marshals last year ... it's the police with guns you have to be weary of ;)

[RoryOD]

Is the ISC accreditation for photographers too. thought it was mainly for tv/radio and electronic medias?

I dont know if its even possible for me as a freelancer to get accreditaion. went through the FIA accreditation and its all about the circulation and size of the publication you work for. how thats works for me, i dont know or do i need a written letter from an editor to say they will publish my work when i get back.

trying to price car rental and b&b at the mo. are you with rally travel this time Jay?
im looking forward to the heat!

Rory

[jim9449]

Is the ISC accreditation for photographers too. thought it was mainly for tv/radio and electronic medias?

I dont know if its even possible for me as a freelancer to get accreditaion. went through the FIA accreditation and its all about the circulation and size of the publication you work for. how thats works for me, i dont know or do i need a written letter from an editor to say they will publish my work when i get back.

trying to price car rental and b&b at the mo. are you with rally travel this time Jay?
im looking forward to the heat!

Rory

Hi Rory will vouch for Rally Travel they look after you well, went to Spain last year with them, not been to Sardinia so can't comment just giving the thumbs up for Rally Travel.

[RoryOD]

Cheers Jim. a bit over budget im at 500euro/£440 - its 82flights - 100 car hire(200 total but will be two of us) and 315 b&b for 7 nights.

But they do look the business and i have never heard anything but good words about them.
might try and book the "WRC team VIP access" on its own if i can. looks good.

You going out this year Jim?

[jbanbury]

I'm doing some work with M-Sport so the ISC provide me with 'reporter' accrediation. It's bascially the same as the FIA access but without the tabbard... FIA tabbards are only for printed media who are working for a large publication ... alledgedly! (though as anything ... it's more who you know)

I've booked through Rally Travel on a fly drive package. Their info booklets are usually spot on. I've used them a lot in the last few years and they are very good.

[jim9449]

Cheers Jim. a bit over budget im at 500euro/£440 - its 82flights - 100 car hire(200 total but will be two of us) and 315 b&b for 7 nights.

But they do look the business and i have never heard anything but good words about them.
might try and book the "WRC team VIP access" on its own if i can. looks good.

You going out this year Jim?

Don't think we will be going to any European WRC this year, have seen them on tarmac three times, were thinking of going to rally GB to see them in the forest.
Jim

[RoryOD]

... alledgedly! (though as anything ... it's more who you know)

Yea i saw quite a bit of that in ireland. a few togs i know that shoot less mortorsport stuff that me, and when asked how did they manage accreditation, it was a case of a friend of a friend...owes me a favour ;)

[jim9449]

I'm doing some work with M-Sport so the ISA provide me with 'reporter' accrediation. It's bascially the same as the FIA access but without the tabbard... FIA tabbards are only for printed media who are working for a large publication ... alledgedly! (though as anything ... it's more who you know)

I've booked through Rally Travel on a fly drive package. Their info booklets are usually spot on. I've used them a lot in the last few years and they are very good.

Jay seen togs at Rally Ireland which made me wonder how they got accreditation, did not have a clue, one guy ask "who was the guy in the red car" Atkinson's Citroen.
Jim

[jbanbury]

I know it's unbelievable, I've lost count the number of times I've seen 'FIA Media' using point and squirt cameras. There is even one guy who has the season long media vest who regularly uses a canon IXUS!

[Paul Gerrard]

Accreditation is a bit of a lottery some get it some dont... I know that a local man to me here works for the Monaghan Post and was accredited through sportsfile in Dublin,
I was slumming it with one of the top sports guys from the Irish Times who couldnt get accredited.... Really accreditation comes with commitment, I could have got international accreditation through a German sports agency if i would commit to cover the entire WRC 2009, unfortunatly I have other commitments and could not accept...

Rory You really need that 300 2.8 if your going to look the part.....

Youll not see many of these from the event as I got special access to the inner enclosure at the awards in Sligo.....

[RoryOD]

Rory You really need that 300 2.8 if your going to look the part.....



Yea i have been going mad for one of these for the last few months. borrowed one from a friendly tog at a stage some time back. was going to skimp out and get the sigma 300 2.8 or 120-300 2.8......then i said "do it right" so going to save for a long time and get one.

to hell with looking the part :D..these brutes are used for a good reason. lovely DOF and deadly sharp!

[Pete Owen]

Cheers. nice site... any of sardinia back in 06? Rally Wales looks good. could be another one to do!

Rory
Sorry i haven't posted the photos until now (couldn't find them.......they were boxed up at my parents) & it was actually 2005 :eek: doesn't time fly!
Only had a 300D & kit lens back then :oops:
Pete

1http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp36/rallyegrale/sardinia-2005-703webbig.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp36/rallyegrale/sardinia-2005-301webbig.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp36/rallyegrale/sardinia-2005-627webbig.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp36/rallyegrale/sardinia-2005-674webbig.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp36/rallyegrale/sardinia-2005-438awebbig.jpg

[RoryOD]

Cheers for that Pete. Tasty shots. What are they doing in a box......get them up online. i just love the lighting there and the atomsphere. the feeling from the first one looks like it could be on the front cover of a rally programme.
were you accredited cause the shots are nice n close to the action.

cheers lad for getting them and posting them. appreciate it.

rory

[Pete Owen]

Cheers for that Pete. Tasty shots. What are they doing in a box......get them up online. i just love the lighting there and the atomsphere. the feeling from the first one looks like it could be on the front cover of a rally programme.
were you accredited cause the shots are nice n close to the action.

cheers lad for getting them and posting them. appreciate it.

rory
No probs mate :) they were only in a box from when i moved house last year,i will get some on my website soon (now i have found them again)
Not accredited,to be honest i don't think you need to be in places like Sardinia or Cyprus as you can pretty much get a close as you like :D
If you can,go to the shakedown stage......i usually get more cracking shots there than during the rally itself,the light was very good,it's a gorgeous island with lots of volcanic rocky hills & the sea is a really nice greeny blue!
Would love to go back again :cool:
Cheers
Pete

[jac31k]

Love the 1st and 3rd shots there

Getting me excited for Rally Australia now!!!

[RoryOD]

just a wee update. just waiting confirm on booking b&b in Pattada.

for anyone going that doesnt have car hire yet, try these. i booked with them and prices look too.

http://www.car-hire-airport.co.uk/one-way-car-hire.htm

[RoryOD]

just for anyone going, no more red tape in photos :-)

The red tape disappears, replaced by more than 4,000 signs which will shows the spectators’ no-go areas: it is one of the news in the spectators’ areas management which the soon to be released 2009 Guide to Rally d’Italia Sardegna will cover. Amongst other news the special stages’ traces on the aerial maps of Google Maps, with virtual movies, a sort of birds’ eye view over the SS which will enable fans to realise the main attractions on the rally route.

The special stages’ look changes, with more than 50 km of red tapes removed. They will be replaced by more than 4,000 signs (see picture) to forbid staying in the areas deemed dangerous. It is the result of the work done by Race Control, headed by Lucio De Mori and Mauro Furlanetto, and particularly of the Chief Safety Officer Tiziano Siviero.

http://www.rallyitaliasardegna.com/2009/images/nogoarea.jpg

The latter explains: “I would like to begin with a foreword: during the set-up of the spectators’ go and no-go areas, there has always been “some confusion” in the definition of forbidden area. I will quote 2 examples: the first is that spectators think that if a red tape is placed 10 metres away from the road, it is possible to stand behind it, considering the forbidden area to be between the road and the red tape; the second one is that if there is no red tape, the spectators feel they are entitled to stay where they please.
To overcome this “confusion”, we have asked the FIA to test a new system based on the fact that only the areas deemed apt and safe for spectators will be defined via the use of green tape. Of course, spectators will have to stay behind these tapes, and not between the road and the tape. All the areas not defined by green tape will be forbidden to spectators.
In the areas deemed dangerous there will be warning signs (see picture) which will read “Area forbidden to spectators, no go area” so as to warn, also visually, that it is best to keep away from that spot.
This system will make it easier to understand what can be done and what must not be done and will help the marshals who must see that spectators respect the rules”.
from: http://www.rallyitaliasardegna.com/2009/gb/press/nota_01gb.htm