Tempest Rally (merged)

[forzaf1]

The Tempest Rally takes place next weekend in Hampshire (Aldershot). I only live down the road from this and have not been before.

Anyone got any experience of the event? I am mainly doing it for photography reasons so what are the views like? Public areas etc??? Any help would be much apreciated.

Thanks,
Alex

[simonjones10]

Afternoon all,

I'm after spectator info for the Tempest Stages, I don't want to be stuck in the Rushmoor Arena as it's sh*te, if anyone can help with times and locations I would be mucho greatful!

Cheers

Simon

[forzaf1]

I wouldn't mind going into the forest but its £10 for parking!

http://www.tempestrally.org.uk

There website isn't really that clear on where it all goes. Maybe you can follow the rally cars out of the arena?

Alex

[Az]

I'm going to go. Longmoor stages are very close to me. Also interested in the 'special stage' at Rushmoor arena but never been before so not sure what viewing / accessability will be like.

I know the Longmoor stages are ok for spectators but not sure where you can view from or actually where the cars go. Would be nice to find a map showing the stage routes so I could plan where I want to go and when rather than just turning up.

[forzaf1]

Yep it seems quite unorganised from a spectator point of view. I have had look at previous pictures from the arena but it doesn't give me much to go on.

It seems they want everyone to go to the arena but thats about it as they don't want to publish anymore info on the other stages.

Any info you get Aaron then let me know.

Alex

[Elio]

Usually do this event every year but put off this time by the desperate entry lists..... Wil do Brands trucks 2 days instead.

I did Rushmoor once (the year Latvala won... 2003?)...but not again - you can get a reasonable panned shot with a half-decent zoom but the stages are the usual "spectator" mickey-mouse ones - not proper rallying.

I did Yateley last year and thought the freedom to roam where I wanted was better than the year before when I did Warren (for about the 3rd year running) - when I remember lots of over-officious marshals doing the usual sheep-herding impressions......

Website is poor for info - the info might (you never know!) come good in the end but people do generally like to plan ahead and by piling any info on this week it`s leaving it a tad late.

I suggest getting up early and doing Yateley or Warren am - leave it too late and there may be no-one left to shoot!!!

[forzaf1]

Originally Posted by Elio

Usually do this event every year but put off this time by the desperate entry lists..... Wil do Brands trucks 2 days instead.

I did Rushmoor once (the year Latvala won... 2003?)...but not again - you can get a reasonable panned shot with a half-decent zoom but the stages are the usual "spectator" mickey-mouse ones - not proper rallying.

I did Yateley last year and thought the freedom to roam where I wanted was better than the year before when I did Warren (for about the 3rd year running) - when I remember lots of over-officious marshals doing the usual sheep-herding impressions......

Website is poor for info - the info might (you never know!) come good in the end but people do generally like to plan ahead and by piling any info on this week it`s leaving it a tad late.

I suggest getting up early and doing Yateley or Warren am - leave it too late and there may be no-one left to shoot!!!

Thanks for that info. Yateley is very local to me and I knew they would be going there but where does it kick off there?

Thanks,
Alex

[Elio]

Provided you have "Word" the timetable is here....

http://www.tempestrally.com/docs/200...etimetable.doc

As for where the stage goes I`m not sure as only ever been once (last year) and can`t remember. There is a Rushmoor map under "How to Find Us" under "Spectators" on the website - maybe forest stage maps will appear there sometime this week - but I wouldn`t hold your breath!!

[forzaf1]

They have updated the site now with maps and everything so I know where to go. £10 a quid a car seems abit steep to be honest but should get better views in the forest and now so crowded either.

Alex

[Elio]

Ah yes, a good quality map as well.

Looking at the Yateley map I tend to recall what I did last year.... I parked at the "P" (which is just a forest track - so single file parking along it`s edge) and walked north-east to where you meet the stage at a hairpin right hand bend. I then walked the stage to the next hairpin left hand bend just a bit further along. I actually took my pics at the next right hand kink (pretty much due south from the "H" of the "Hartford Bridge Flats" annotation along the A30 north of the stage). It wasn`t actually a great idea as they were pretty much flat out through there but I wanted to get away from the hairpins where the marshals were penning you in specific places.

My main tip is not to leave after the top few cars go through (in an attempt to race to another stage and see them again). Watch the club cars go through afterwards - they`ll be quite entertaining.... Look out for Stuart Larbey`s Metro 6R4, The Paul Hartfield Peugeot 206 Special (if it`s still going!), and Ian Roberton (who`ll be especially entertaining if you`re near a corner!) in his Nissan 240RS.

I am sorely tempted to go as I`ve not missed it in recent years, but it`s just a bit too thin on "top" entries for my liking.... Maybe next year when it`s off of the BRC calendar it might flourish a bit more?

[Az]

Bit more info on the site as already mentioned but would be nice to see a map of the Longmoor stages...

[Elio]

As far as I know the Longmoor stage is on military land and has no spectator access. At least it`s usually like that for the Longmoor Loco Stages each winter as I`ve thought about going before now but no joy....

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Elio

At least it`s usually like that for the Longmoor Loco Stages each winter as I`ve thought about going before now but no joy....

Correct We did the Loco stages last year and there was no spectator access at all, only those directly associated with a crew had access to the site.

[forzaf1]

With just a day to go the organisers would like to urge everyone visiting the Forest Stages that the area suffers with huge problems of vandalism and theft.

Great!!! Although they do say that the car parks are patrolled.

Looking at the info. on the stages, they say that only Ash are non spectator stages.

Alex

[Elio]

Alex, I don`t know the area well at all but I think the vandalism threat is a Rally organiser`s way of "encouraging" people to pay their cash and park in the official car parks. I`ve seen it used countless times before on different rallies I`ve spectated on.

Not sure how many rallies you`ve done so apologies if I`m being patronising (!!) but the official car parks are actually just forest tracks, not car parks as such. The trouble is they tend to man the tracks closest to the stage (and turn them into car parks) so it makes most people decide upon paying to park just for the ease of it. I tend to recall that the road south to the Yateley car park from the A30 didn`t have that many pull-offs on it cos I`dve probably used one last year. I never paid to park in the previous years that I did the rally when I did the Warren stage on the other side of the A30......

....talking of which....

Photography-wise the mid-way section of Warren, closest to the A30, was always a good spot for me. Looking at the map on the website I would have to describe it as the "W" bit of the stage right at the bottom (south) just above the word "Star" of "Star Hill Plantation". I did that bit 2 years ago and parked just East of there on one of several pull-offs on the A327. The best advice is to get there early (a good 1 to 2 hours before the first car) then have a scout around in the car.... if all else fails then use the "car park" as a last resort.

[moyzer]

[QUOTE=Elio]Alex, I don`t know the area well at all but I think the vandalism threat is a Rally organiser`s way of "encouraging" people to pay their cash and park in the official car parks. I`ve seen it used countless times before on different rallies I`ve spectated on.


I would take this seriously!! There is the mother of all gypsy camps at a place called Star Hill nearby.

Friends of mine used to cart at Blackbushe which is also nearby, and on countless occasions people's cars were getting broken into. Not linking the two for obvious reasons, but take note none the less.

I was a spectator at that rally about six or so years ago, but I recall it being in the middle of summer on a blazing hot day!! We just dumped the car at the side of the road and followed a few marshalls onto the stage. Then wandered off and found a decent spot to watch!! From memoery,, it was on the other side of the road to a big open gravel stage (old gravel works?) that seemed to double as parking. Whether they still run that stage, I don't know!

Have a good one, whoever goes! I'm off to the rallycross superprix so won't be joining you!

[forzaf1]

I have been advised by a work collegue close to Yateley and Warren Heath that both are near travelling communities, whether that makes a difference I do not know. I think with the talk, I might get someone to drop me off instead as although my car is pretty secure, I am still wary about it parked up. If this is the case, would I still need to pay £10? As the website states "£10 per car".

See how the weather is tomorrow but I will probably do Warren Heath.

Thanks for all your help on it. Lets hope that for those that go have an excellent time and come away without any problems.

Alex

[Az]

No really, vandalism, theft, robbery etc is very high in that area. Those people tend to 'come out the closet' for events like this too

forza, honestly I would get dropped off if possible. Even I'd be a bit wary of leaving my wagon

Hopefully it'll be a good day and I won't get blown away by the weather. I think I'm goingto cover the Longmoor stages. Looks like an early start.

Cheers

[forzaf1]

I didn't end up getting dropped off....my chauffeur....sorry Dad was feeling abit under the weather so I drove down there for the first run through Warren. £10 to park the car in....how do I define it....a long stretch of dirt track with puddles about a metre deep. Not really great when you drive an Audi TT. As far as I am aware...there was no 'patrol' going on. I noticed on the way to the stage alot of cars parked up at the side of the road and I was tempted by it but best to play it safe.

Walked through the forest down dirt tracks (abit muddy) and stood at one of the corners to get my first round of shots. Good to get close to the cars and get some good shots. I was abit wary of leaving my car so talk a walk back after the national runners. Got in the car and started driving off the stage but parked up just at the exit as the rally cars were leaving the stage. I snapped the club runners including Rob Collard.

Went back home for a couple of hours and thought about whether to go back or not and whether I should try the Arena. Decided to head back to Warren again as it started to rain. Parked up at the entrance this time where marshalls were stood, that way...there was a good chance my car was safe. I walked a different way into the forest and with the rain getting quite heavy, the track was getting alot more mixed. Nothing major happened at the corner I was standing on. The light started to go but certainly gave a different feeling to a rally when all you hear are the backfires then 5 headlights heading towards you through the trees.

Here are a couple of pictures I took, they have yet to be resized down to 'web use'.





Alex

[Az]

Nice shots Alex, glad it all worked out ok for you, in the end

I had no problems with the Longmoor stages, the few spectators (and marshalls) there were were really friendly, one chap even gave me his BRC magazine and map - nice one

Probably the trickiest conditions I've experienced for motorsport photography, very low light and difficult to get exposure right (light through trees etc). Still I'm relatively happy with my shots and certainly enjoyed spectating much much more than WRC - I was free to go where I wanted. Being so close to home (I could pretty much walk down) was a bonus also 100% free for me too

Much of the time my lens was too big, think the basic 18-55 would have been best but I left that at home. Oh well, next year the experience I have gained will be helpful and I'll be more prepared. Will definately go again, and maybe to other local rallies.

Cheers

[Az]

Ok here's a few of mine (all 800x550):











They were all shot with ISO 800/1600. Very low light and difficult to judge exposure with the light through the tree's etc. Not easy, but was my first time shooting rally cars so the experience will be useful for next year

As for the rally itself, it was enjoyable. Would have been nice to see more cars, hoped there may be a 205 T16. I could litterally go anywhere I wanted (not like WRC GB), really good for the spectator, though you do have to 'know the area' to know where's best to view. Still haven't seen an actual map plan of the Longmoor stage...