Roadbook Ramblings: Chapter 2 - A dream

Welcome back!

In the first chapter, we talked the history of Finnish rallying. The topic of Hankiralli was brought up, and seemingly caught some attention too! It is an interesting tale, one which definitely deserves to be remembered.

But as those of you who read through the post will remember, it wasn't exactly a fairytale. By the time late 1970's rolled around, Finnish rallying had a bit of a dilemma in its hands. Peter Geitel, editor of Vauhdin Maailma magazine proposed a solution, one which we left hanging last time. So, let's get to that, shall we?

 

Picture of the original editorial in VM issue 5/1991

 

 If you're jumping off your seat and doing your best Leonardo DiCaprio impression (sans dumping your wife when she turns 25, we hope), you have probably spotted that title in central left of the picture. Yes, that's where this event gets its name from. It's a good one; might as well use it.

While statistics show that only 98% (with 2% margin of error) of the people still reading this are Finnish, I saw it fit to nonetheless translate the editorial. Understanding it is necessary to understand the roadbook, and what we're trying to accomplish.

WELL...?

In these dreary times, savings are in order.
That is why we are re-publishing the editorial from Vauhdin Maailma issue 3/78 and see if organisers of Tunturiralli and Hankiralli really have used their sound judgement to end up with the solution we proposed 13 years ago...

BOTTOM LEFT, VAUHDIN MAAILMA 3/78:

 
FINLANDIA-RALLI
Yet again has Finland hosted two European Championship rallies with a fortnight between them. Entries were low and internationality non-existent - apart from Swedes saving Hankiralli a little.

It would be a good time to combine southern and northern efforts and organise one proper grand tour. It could start from Helsinki and finish in Rovaniemi, so everyone would be satisfied. With proper foreign marketing and travel-related matters taken into account, there should be ingredients for succeeding. At least in Sweden they have.
There's no longer room in Finland for two competing European Championship events in Finland. Organisers of Tunturi- and Hankirallies: There's still a year until next winter.


...OR MAYBE NOT...

...Because combining our European events will without a doubt bring many practical issues, though one wonders if they'd be any larger than the summed ones of current events.
Combining two exotic winter rallies via Eastern Finland we could at least offer FISA an event which fulfils the requirements set to the super series European Championship events. Doubt the sponsors would mind either.
Whether we'd still get foreign competitors or that elusive 20-coefficient is a whole different matters. Let us still promote Finland by naming it Finlandia-Arctic Rally, for example.
If this plan comes to fruition, it becomes even more crucial that Finland uses the same rules regarding winter tyres than Sweden, and not yet another 'interim-overrun season solution'. Tyres just so happen to be the largest obstacle in getting foreign competitors to Finnish winter rallies.

Believes,

Peter Geitel

I remember reading this almost 30 years later, and immediately wheels started turning in my head. Combining Hankis and Tunturi? A grand winter rally- nay, an adventure from Helsinki to Rovaniemi? Sure, it seemed a little far-fetched, but by no means impossible. Technically, it was doable. More to the point, it was exciting. I let my mind wander, picturing an event of epic proportions.

I saw the starting gate in Helsinki, with masses of excited spectators gathered to witness the start. I saw scenes reminiscent of Jyväskylä in the heat of August, only with heavy coats and thick mittens. I saw breath condensing into vapour above their covered heads as a soothingly familiar voice announces each entrant rolling off the ramp. I saw children munching on treats from concession stands, others sitting on the shoulders of their mom or dad, trying to catch a glimpse of those exciting machines.

In short, I saw a dream.

It wasn't limited to just Helsinki either. All along the route, towns and villages competed for who gets a special stage near them, or perhaps even a service park, showing themselves to the eyes of rally fans across the world. Winter funfairs, cosy fires, hot drinks, and snowy forest. So much snowy forest. Having the rally stop at their little town is a dream for any mayor looking to promote their tourism, while local businesses get a boon from all the travelling fans who need accommodation, food, and especially drink. They could sell anything from clothing to accessories and trinkets commemorating the rally, and even once the dust clears and last crew had left, the memories remain. Just imagine someone like Juha Kankkunen, Ari Vatanen, or Carlos Sainz eating at your restaurant or stopping by your local store! A reality for some, but a far-fetched dream to others.

Clearly, Mr. Geitel was onto something here. Rightfully he noted that there would be practical issues, and it's clear he anticipated plenty of backroom squabbles as the two event organisers jousted for supremacy. It's a big blow to lose your one major event, after all, but he believed that it would ultimately be for the common good. 

He also rightfully foresaw that things cannot go on this way. 

 

In our reality, Hankiralli struggled and clawed its way through most of the economic turmoil before eventually filing bankruptcy after the 1994 edition. Tunturiralli survived, now as the sole international winter rally in Finland, and saw a boom period in mid-late 1990s, with stars such as 1982 F1 champion Keke Rosberg and Mercedes bigwig Norbert Haug taking on the Arctic challenge. In 2009, the entry list featured four former or current F1 drivers, including two world champions in Mika Häkkinen and Kimi Räikkönen. That kind of crossover appeal is unprecedented in the hyper-focused, ultra-commercial world of modern motorsport.

It then begs the question of "What could have been?" Imagine, for a moment, the kind of appeal a race across Finland in winter could have, especially in the era of social media and all sorts of crazy challenges. On the other hand, Arctic Lapland Rally features the most exotic parts of our nature, and while popular, hasn't risen to quite the imagined prominence. It's also a question of whether drivers and stars have the time to take on an event that's even longer than the Arctic, demanding (in its imagined form) five days of driving, not to mention all the practice and preparation.

In other words, dreams are easy. Reality is often much harsher, and involves plenty of hard work.

 

Regardless, that's enough speculation. In the next chapter, we'll get to what you're all here for. Stay tuned!

Continued in Chapter 3!