NORTHERN FOREST 2008
"Northern Forest" International Baja will be on February 21-24, 2008, in the Russian Federation, at the territory of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region. It has the status of FIA International Cup for Cross Country Bajas Candidate as well as 1st stage of the Russian Cross Country Championship and 1st stage of the RAF Cross Country Cup 2008.
The event will start in Saint-Petersburg from the Administrative Checks and the Technical Scrutineering on February 21, 2008, in LENEXPO Expocentre. This same day the headquarters and the Media Centre of the event will be also opened there. After the technical scrutineering all cars will be put to Parc Ferme in a closed pavilion of LENEXPO Expocentre. On first day evening a pre-event press conference and a briefing for crews will be held in the official rally hotel "Park Inn Pribaltiyskaya".
Numerous hotels of St.Petersburg are available for participants' accommodation. Organizers recommend for accommodation the official event hotel "Park Inn Pribaltiyskaya****" as well as "Morskoy vokzal" hotel. Both hotels offer excellent conditions and are situated near LENEXPO Expocentre.
On February 22, 2008, in the morning all cars follow in the convoy from the Parc Ferme to a pre-starting zone. Official Event Opening Ceremony will take place in the Peter and Paul Fortress in the center of Saint Petersburg. After the Official Event Opening Ceremony automobiles follow in the convoy to start of the Super Special Stage. Start of the Leg 1 which includes Super-SS will take place in Technoring Motorsport Stadium in Pavlovsk, a suburb of St.Petersburg, 45 km from where the Official opening ceremony will take place. Before the start of Super-SS there will be Service zone with limited service (replacement of tyres will be permitted only). After the Super-SS, there will be a Service zone (1.5 hour) and a liaison (about 150km) to Igora Resort where are HQ and Parc Ferme placed.
All participants will be accommodated in Igora Resort and in tourist centers compactly located near it.
Leg 2 will take place on Saturday, February 23, 2008. It will start with a liaison (about 40 km) to the start of the 2nd / 3d / 4th Special Stages (each about 85 km). The race route is shaped in form of a ring, start and arrival of all SS are in Gromovo village. Before the start of SS 2, there will be a Service zone, between SS 2 and SS 3 there will be a Service zone and a Regrouping, between SS 3 and SS 4 there will be a Regrouping.
After the SS4, there will be a Service zone with limited service (replacement of tyres will be permitted only). Then crews will run a liaison to Igora Resort (about 40 km), where will be situated a long Service zone and the night Parc Ferme.
Final Leg 3 will take place on Sunday, February 24, 2008. It will start with a liaison (about 40 km) to the start of the SS5 and SS6 (each about 85 km). Before the start of SS 5, there will be a Service zone, between SS 5 and SS 6 there will be a Regrouping, after SS 6 there will be a Service zone with the limited service (replacement of tyres will be permit only), then competitors will run a liaison to Igora Resort (about 40 km), where the podium ceremony and final Parc Ferme will take place. Final technical scrutineering, prize giving and final banquet for all competitors and guests will also be held there.
