Just like last year, this year the moment I’ve been waiting for all year has arrived. Summer vacation together with Rally Acropolis! For another year the race is demanding and difficult with many kilometers for spectators and drivers. Thursday morning and the race begins with the shakedown. Quite a few people on the mountain in good weather waiting to see the new Rally 1 category. Personally I liked last year’s route better. Next destination Athens for the first special race at the Olympic stadium. Incredible experience with a packed stadium applauding the drivers’ double passes.
Few hours of sleep and the Friday program has Loutraki twice and Bauxites. Several issues with the spectators who ultimately don’t mind and the second Loutraki was done with difficulty as some spectators and professional photographers of the third age ignored marshalls and police officers. Finally, the passage to Bauxites was not possible as there was incredible traffic in Loutraki and combined with the tiredness I had decided not to go.
On Saturday had two passes at Pyrgos but the malaise and fatigue I had brought me close to giving up. After I managed to regain my composure a bit I forced myself to go to the Tarzan special. Fortunately, there was not much traffic and access to the special was easy. Quite a crowd with the judges doing an incredible job and the crowd obeying.
Sunday the program was easy with a passage to the special Elateia as I wanted to avoid the crowds that Eleftherochori had. Walk 2.5 kilometers uphill to reach the point with the incredible view.
Finally, this year’s Acropolis was unfortunately not as I expected, as the program I had made did not work out for me. A lot of kilometers and fatigue but that’s how the real races are. I hope that next year the spectators will be smart enough to know where they should sit and we won’t see incidents like the spectators walking in the road next to the races or cutting down trees because they spoil their view…
