The drivers shook the dew off their tents and took their stands in their 4 wheel machines and started the round. Roar of powerful motors broke the silence of a small meadow. The fourth round of the 2011 Ukraine Trophy started this way.
Gloomy morning* hummed the competitors before the start. The song was right for the occasion as the racers were swallowed by a tight fog for just a few seconds at the word of the judges. An early fog is a sign of bright weather. The belief proved itself right.
However, even the sunniest weather following pouring week-long rain did not make stripped forest easy to overpass. The racers continued with the steersman leading the way before forcing the next obstacle just like three days before. The sportsmen believe that the better the steersman the further the car goes.
Earlier starters got lucky. They were met with an unrutted road that was easy to go. Viktor Yanukovych the Junior was a lucky bastard. Those trailing along at his back tremble to remember the squash left at check points instead of a road.
The drivers of geared-up off-road cars were watched carefully everywhere. A helicopter of Inter TV crew watched the race from the sky. Drivers and co-drivers made new and new jokes when a helicopter camera focused on the crew. I would like a coffee and a sandwich , – shouted one of them. Take me home to my mom! – jokes another one.
However, despite the expertise of the co-driver and their readiness to anything, ropes and winches won’t lay around during the race. The same was true this day. A folk wisdom proved itself: the cooler a jeep, the more it is towed by a tractor. Fortunately, everybody could rely completely on sports solidarity. All swamped in a bog or dirt were pulled out successfully by their rivals despite the fact that most of them are business competitors.
The fourth day was also remembered by some unpleasant moments. First penalties were put onto the competitors due to violation of the competition regulations. The Protasovs’ family crew (number 731) had to pay 500 hryvnyas for speed infringement.
- It seems that someone blew a whistle on us, – says Iryna Protasova. - There is no other explanation for figuring it all out. We came by 10 minutes earlier than two other cars. That said, they took all check points and we missed one point. Did not they infringe the speed? I am confused…
- A track logger is installed in each car, – explains Serhiy Molochnyy, the race director. – They are used to define the speed. We can rely on the device.
The Stasenko-Kozel crew (number 755) was also penalized in the end for dangerous driving across a bivouac, and Hyba-Rozumovskyy (number 715) for violating environmental regulations of the race.
As we can see, passions are rising with the finish being near. There is a lot behind the scenes. The racers were heading for Shatsk being the final point tomorrow. Many competitors were thorough in preparing for the finish. Some of them scrubbed their iron horse despite the superstition not to wash the car for rain avoidance. They were aware of the fact that we were going to race across a boggy and washed dirt road, nevertheless they paid their respect and showed their love for the car that became so close for almost a week in race.
