Arctic Rally (Finland) - 25-26 Jan 13

‘Team GB’ finish their Arctic Lapland Rally adventure ten years on

Posted: February 1, 2014 5:44 PM

As the icy dust settles on the 2013 Arctic Lapland Rally, Daily Mail sports columnist Des Kelly and Sky’s motor sport expert Tony Jardine completed their adventure they started ten years ago, battling through the frozen wastelands of the arctic forests to reach the podium in an incredible 23rd place overall.

In 2003 the media duo took the challenge of competing in the Arctic Lapland Rally for the first time, which ended in Jardine and Kelly ploughing into a snow bank from which they couldn’t recover. Ten years on, as the only British Team competing and flying the flag for ‘Team GB’, the pairing returned to the ice-covered wilderness with the determination and spirit to finish. Kelly said: “I had been desperate to finish what we had started ten years ago, after months of preparation in 2003 it was so disappointing to not reach the finish line. This year, again with months and months of preparation, bringing on-board MIS Motorsport for our specialist insurance and our sponsor PlayStation®3 has enabled the whole journey to be filmed, it has been amazing to finally say ‘we did it’.”

Having started the 2013 rally in 75th place (out of 122 contestants), Day One saw an impressive day of driving in hazardous conditions by Jardine and Kelly resulting in the media duo moving an astonishing 47 places into 28th overall. Over 40 other entrants made critical errors in reading the ice and snow and ended up crashing into retirement, demonstrating the precarious conditions the pairing faced.

“At the end of Day One we were in a tremendous position,” commented amateur driver Jardine. “The Production Class Subaru N14 - provided by Rally Promotion Finland - combined with the special spiked tyres courtesy of our sponsor Pirelli, makes for a true arctic rallying machine. There were other cars spinning and crashing out everywhere we looked, but we kept it together resulting in our incredible climb up the results table.”

Day Two brought with it a fresh layering of snow and ice as the frozen fog from the night before settled on the ground. Jardine and Kelly showed impressive determination as they tackled the ‘Wild Arctic’ in -23 degrees centigrade temperature. However, the conditions were even more menacing which led to a more cautious approach to some of the stages, combined with a slow puncture, resulted in the media men losing time by midday.
“We had some dramatic moments in the first stages of the day which led to us losing some of our speed,“ said co-driver Kelly. “However, it wasn’t by much and we were keeping our pace up. We were really affected by the cold and snow. I was grateful to be kitted out in Alpinestars’ thermal underwear, designed for rallying in these surroundings – I don’t even want to imagine how cold it would feel without them!”

As the sun starting setting, the media men moved on to the last stages of their rally adventure, where they also faced their biggest challenge. Special Stage 10 is renowned for being one of the toughest stages in international rallying, and as the longest and most demanding stage it is where the worst can happen on the Arctic Lapland Rally. ProSpeed Group’s Olly Marshall, who was coordinating the team’s efforts alongside Rally Promotion Finland, and has been a vital component in many of Jardine’s rallying ventures, commented:
“After the second service, I thought Tony looked nervous. Stage 10 takes the cars to the limit; it is 48 km where anything could go wrong. It was incredible to hear from the pair when they made it through and we knew they were on the home straight to the podium.”

Having completed what they started ten years ago, Kelly said,
“It’s amazing that we have finished, let alone coming 23rd overall. It’s been a real rollercoaster, with some real hairy moments where we hit a snow bank and the car was transformed into a snow plough. We have had to face the harshest rallying conditions, constantly following a cloud of snow kicked up from previous drivers. We skidded, we slided – but we made it. These two days really did demonstrate the highs and lows of rallying. Incredible result, thanks to all the team!”

A jubilant Jardine said:
“the car, the team and Des were fantastic throughout the event, it is an amazing feeling to say that we have finished the Arctic Lapland Rally. Everything has slotted together and the additional support from Grand Prix Racewear, Arai and the Rovaniemi Tourist Board has been incredible. It has been a long week, but it was definitely worth it.”

Results

Posted: February 1, 2014 5:40 PM

Arctic Rally (Finland) - 25-26 Jan 13 - RESULTS

Results from at: Arctic Rally (Finland)

‘Team GB’ take up Arctic challenge

Posted: January 17, 2013 8:56 PM

As the dust settles on one of the most successful year’s ever for British sport, Daily Mail sports columnist Des Kelly and Sky’s motor sport expert Tony Jardine are planning to kick 2013 off in style, flying the flag for ‘Team GB’ as the only British entry in the Arctic Lapland Rally (25-26 January).

Renowned for its dramatic landscape, sub-zero temperatures and precarious conditions, the Arctic Lapland Rally is one of the toughest challenges in international rallying. Taking place over two days, the media duo aim to complete 796.66km, including 10 special stages over 243.32km, in a Production Class Subaru N14, provided by Rally Promotion Finland. However, with organisers promising a ‘real Finnish winter rally’ and temperatures forecast to fall as low as -30 degrees centigrade, the adventure promises to be a battle to survive, as much as finish.

The prospect of being severely tested by the harsh environment and weather has not deterred co-driver Kelly or amateur driver Jardine, but rather re-kindled their sense of adventure. The British duo first competed together in 2000 when they experienced the extreme highs and lows of rallying; the elation of successfully completing a round of the World Rally Championship, but also a horror crash which resulted in Des being pulled unconscious from the wreckage and the intervention of a rescue helicopter.

“I can’t wait to tackle the Arctic Lapland Rally with Des”, said Jardine. “If the driving conditions and sub-zero temperatures aren’t enough, we’ll be up against some of the best rally drivers in the world, including twice IRC Champion and VW ‘works’ driver Andreas Mikkelson, so this will be a huge challenge for us. We are the only British entry too, so we’ll be flying the flag for ‘Team GB’.

“We have an intense week ahead of us, recceing the stages and adapting to the harsh conditions. The Arctic Lapland Rally, based in Roveniemi, travels deep into the Arctic wilderness. It has a savage beauty which is why this rally is not just about driving; we’ll also have to learn basic survival tips. If you ‘go off’ you can be stranded for hours in the icy wilds, so we’ll be regularly checking our equipment and making sure we have basic survival kits with us. Both Des and I will be kitted out in Alpinestars’ special fireproof suits and thermal underwear, specifically designed for rallying in these conditions.”

Co-driver Kelly will have a considerable amount of work on his plate over the next week. When he’s not mapping out the special stages, planning or competing, the Daily Mail columnist and talkSPORT presenter will be filing updates from the Arctic for the Mail newspaper and website. “This is a chance to get inside a story,” said Kelly. “It’s always a privilege to report from a sports event, but to have the chance to actually step inside and participate is a rare experience. A lot of work and investment goes into a rally like this. It's a special challenge. Sponsors PlayStation®3 are helping us film the event for television and MIS Motorsport have not only joined the team, but they’ve mapped out my personal insurance, too – which is a precaution you have to take stepping into something as potentially dangerous as this.”

While Jardine and Kelly focus on preparing themselves for the rally, ProSpeed Group’s Olly Marshall will co-ordinate the team’s efforts with Rally Promotion Finland Team Principal Jarkko Miettinen. Miettinen will be spearheading a multi-car operation in the rally, so Marshall will be responsible for refreshing Des Kelly’s rally navigation skills. He has also worked with key supplier Grand Prix Racewear to customise Des’ Alpinestars suit and ensure his vital intercom system is working in his new Arai helmet. But his big task will be to help the crew keep the rally car on the road and to guide ‘Team GB’ to the finish. The high snow walls and tight forest tracks leave no margin for error, so the team’s support and expert knowledge will be crucial to overall success.

The adventure is also being backed by Pirelli, who have supplied special spiked tyres for the event. Pirelli has enormous experience of producing tyres to cope with all types of conditions, and Jardine is looking forward to testing them out, “We will be touching speeds of nearly 90 mph on the Special Stages in Finland, driving on the limit over thick snow and ice. Pirelli’s advanced technology and the spikes on our tyres will provide exceptional grip, giving us the confidence we need to hit the stages flat out.”

The team’s Arctic Lapland Rally experience is set to be broadcast on Sky Sports. Dates and times will be announced in the near future.

To receive regular ‘live’ updates from the team follow Des Kelly (@DesKellyDM), Tony Jardine (@tony_jardine) or HPS Jardine (@HPSJardine) on Twitter.

Event Website / Details / Regulations

Posted: January 3, 2013 4:47 PM

• Arctic Rally (Finland)