Scottish Borders Hill Rally 2009.

Well it’s that time of year, when we all look to the Scottish Hill Rally Club (SHRC) for news on the second Hill Rally of the year. 2009 is no different, the SHRC are pleased announce that the Scottish Border Hill Rally is taking place on the 28th & 29th November 2009 at the new venue of The Forrest Estate, St johns Town of Dalry, New Galloway.

Some of you will be familiar with the venue as it has played host to the Scottish Cross Country Championship back in March ,the British Cross Country Championship in July, has hosted numerous rally test days and the Solway Coast Rally. The venue has certainly got a motorsport pedigree that we can all enjoy, the 2009 Borders Hill Rally will see competitors compete in fourteen stages over two days, comprising some 100 miles and with only 24 liaison miles of public roads (No road tax or mot needed) all for an entry fee of just £295.

Full details will be available on the new club website shortly : http://www.scottish-hillrally.co.uk

As ever with an event of this nature, the Scottish Hill Rally Club need help to staff the event. I have been asked to take on the role of Chief Marshal and accordingly I am asking for help to staff the event:

There are numerous jobs that need filling:

Instage Marshals,
Start and Finish Marshals
Radio Marshals.
Spectator Area Marshals.
Service Park Marshals.

We would welcome help from all whether experienced or not, as we can give training on the weekend and pair you up with an experienced person as well.


The venue is located here: http://www.multimap.com/s/MU8GgLdC

Accomodation:

Free Camping is available with Toilet facilities is available at the Venue.
Other accommodation is available locally please see: http://www.visitscotland.com/
Or try http://www.visitsouthernscotland.co.uk/
More details will be available on the Scottish Hill Rally Club website http://www.scottish-hillrally.co.uk


Food:
There will be a snack bar in attendance over the weekend, with a covered area set aside for eating/socialising.

Please let us know early if your coming as it allows us to plan the event, complete safety plans, print the paperwork and most importantly keep you up to date with what is happening with the event.

Please give me a call Colin Rodger 07767-726075 or email colin.rodger@virgin.net and I will add you to our plans for the event

If you have any questions regarding the event please get in touch if I don’t know the answer I will certainly be able to put you in touch with someone that does.

Regards, Colin.

The Scottish Borders Hill Rally.
http://www.scottish-hillrally.co.uk

Well we had another organisers meeting last night, so time for some more news.

The course consists of 14 stages, 7 stages on the Saturday and 7 stages on Sunday, 90% of the stages have not been used before by the SCCC or the BCCC, the most important bit is that we have cut out the rough bit from the earlier SCCC and BCCC rounds (the bit that caused all the tyre issues ).

We have a video being made on Saturday of the stages, so at least you will all see some of what's on offer.

We have had several visits to the site, the land owners and the organisers are in agreement about the whole route and the facilities being provided. The road books and stage diagrams have been double checked and will be off to the printers very soon.

Entries are as previously reported climbing, were into double figures.If your planning to enter, it makes sense to get in touch with the entries secretary soonest entries@scottish-hillrally.co.uk as the Royal Mail are intending to strike and this will almost certainly cause a major backlog with UK mail.

Marshals: Numbers are healthy, but as ever more volunteers would be most welcome. You don't have to have experience, we will show you whats required and pair you up with an experienced marshal. Likewise you don't need a MSA Radio to help out.

Spectators are welcome at the event and certainly the venue offers some great spots for viewing some of the best competitors and 4x4 machinery in the country.

On the whole with seven weeks to go, things are shaping up for a great event, so whether a competitor, marshal or a spectator can you really afford to miss what is almost certainly going to be one of the best events of the year.

If you need more information or want to come and marshal give me a shout colin.rodger@virgin.net or by mobile 07767-726075

Another update the video was made on Saturday and some clips of the stages can be viewed using this link borders vid 1

Nice one.

We'd have loved to come up, but it's just (she says) too far for a weekend .. Mind, when we were Trials riding we'd have thought nothing of it ..

Another update for everyone:

Entries: We now have 17 paid up entries and with the notifications that we have this is still set to rise further. If your entering remember there is a post strike and there will be a backlog to clear, let us know if your entering so we can look for the entry and let you know if it doesn't arrive. Its also worth remembering that event has a maximum entry level of 45 entries.

Competitors: Bulletin No1 is now available of the event website Borders

Marshals: Numbers are rising, although we do still need more as were expecting a lot of spectators out in the stages. We would like to ensure that we have as many areas covered as possible.

That's all for now but any questions or queries give me a shout colin.rodger@virgin.net or mobile 07767-726075

Full event details on the club website Welcome to the Frontpage

Guid yin Ah'm not a million miles away from the event, might just nip along on the sunday tae have a look

Well plans are well progressed now for this years Scottish Borders Hill Rally and were on target for the biggest Scottish Hill Rally entry for years.

Competitors if you have not got your entry in yet, you would be well advised to send it by either by registered post or special delivery to ensure that we get it on time. The event maximum for entries is 45. Any entry queries contact Helen Gentleman entries (at) scottish-hillrally.co.uk; 07761 555 389

As reported by our Setup Team Manager:

The route is a mixture of seasoned three ply,graded and newly made tracks with very technical off road sections - some of them have rarely been driven far-less raced on.We are only using a couple of short sections previously used on the SCCC and BCCC (only the interesting bits) and missing out the areas that cut up.The off-road sections are on a hard base and were an interesting drive in my car, with a couple of bus-stops that are designed to be slow in and fast out
There is a few roads that have been set up for rallying and have materials in position to stop cutting corners but remains very fast and flowing!

The first car on Saturday will start at 11.00am with the last stage about dusk so there will be some night driving so be prepared for some dark driving action!

The Service Area has been regraded and rolled to provide a good clean hard standing for servicing with Rally H.Q. in the middle -which will be used as an area for socialising on Saturday night(bring your own drink and seats)

Click to expand...

Marshals - most of the time controls are all manned now, however I still need more people who want to go instage and man a junction.

Not sure whats involved? well basically we need you to drive to a nominated post, park up in a safe place and then watch the competitors going by. If they break down or go off into the scenery, you need to check their okay and report back. Its not difficult and in reality you will spend most of your time watching some of the best action from posts that would only be accessible by a vehicle and not by spectators on foot.

Setup - If your planning to come and help with setup, please let me know and I will tell you the plan.

If you can help on one day or two it doesn't matter your help would be most welcome, give me a call 07767-726075 or email colin.rodger@virgin.net

Latest news on entries is that we have 33 paid up entries as of today and with the phone calls saying that the entry is in the post, won't be long before we reach the event maximum of 45 entries and have to start a reserve list.

Todays news is that we now have 43 paid up entries.

If anyone fancies coming along and helping at what will be a great weekend of cross country motorsport then I am still looking for more marshals. If you can help give me a shout Colin Rodger 07767-726075 or email colin.rodger@virgin.net

Well the big news of the week is that the event is now Sold Out, we have reached the full entry of 45 and now have a reserve list running.

Thank you to everyone who has entered and look forward to seeing you all out at a great weekend of motorsport.

We do still need more marshals and if your thinking of coming, please let me know in advance as it helps make the planning and running the of the event on the day more efficient.

Well with just over two weeks to go till the Scottish Borders Hill Rally, the organisers are pleased with the overwhelming support for the event from the competitors. With 45 entries and more on the reserve list, the event certainly promises to provide a great mix of competitors and machinery, competing at what ranks as one of the best cross country motorsport venues in Scotland.
The full entry list and an official statement on entries can be found at www.scottish-hillrally.co.uk
With a full entry the organisers are working hard to ensure that the weekend goes as planned, however we cannot do this without the help of you the enthusiast. While we have had a great response from marshals, we still need a lot more, Can you help? if you can please give me a call 07767-726075 or by email colin.rodger@virgin.net
Thanks to everyone who has entered and to those of you who are coming to help.
Regards, Colin.

wish i could go...

Well the weather is looking reasonably good Metcheck.com - 14 Day Weather Forecast for Dumfries - [Updated on 18 November 2009 at 17:00] - Weather Feeds - Live Data - Long Range Weather Forecasts and we have given the midges the week off, so no excuses for not enjoying yourselves.
The seeded entry list and spectator information will be posted shortly on the event website www.scottish-hillrally.co.uk


For those of you who cant come we hope to provide an online results service and sms results, will post details once we finalise things.

Well with just over a week to go, competitors will be in their garages checking their vehicles ready for what will be the best supported Borders Hill Rally for years.

With a full entry of 45 cars, machinery of all types and competitors from all over the UK, this is certainly going to be a great weekend for the marshals and radio crews who are out in the Forrest Estate making this event happen.

We haven't forgotten you the spectator whether at the event or at home wishing you were there. We have arranged for live results and a SMS text service to keep you up to date on all the action.

The seeded entry list and finals will be available on line Tomorrow (Friday) here:

http://scottish-hillrally.co.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=68

You can order your SMS Results here, please read the instructions and conditions carefully:

http://www.nersresults.co.uk/sms/html/events_index.html

Live results will be available here:

http://www.nersresults.co.uk/html/2009/sb_hillrally

As with any event of this nature, results will be updated as soon as practicable and SMS results will be subject to cellular coverage.

For those of you undecided whether to come or not, I do still need more marshals and would really appreciate your help.

As ever if you have a question or can help give me a call 07767726075 or email colin.rodger@virgin.net

Spectator information is now available at www.scottish-hillrally.co.uk

Radio/safety plans and marshals information have all been emailed out this evening, if you have not received one and feel you should please email me colin.rodger@virgin.net

Anyone still looking to volunteer, I do still want your help please. Give me a call if you can come colin.rodger@virgin.net or email colin.rodger@virgin.net

Well got home this afternoon after a full week away in Dalry and was in need of a sleep
I would as part of the organising team like to pass on our grateful thanks to all the marshals that came and helped us to put on a successful 2009 Borders Hill Rally, without your assistance we could not have done it. I would also thank the sponsors who helped support the marshals; Britpart, Campbells Shortbread, Alba Water.
We certainly had the weather on our side, yes it was cold (icy cold yesterday and today) but it was dry, not a midge to be seen. The venue is still looking good and pleased to see that despite the problem with the camping site, everyone rallied round to make the new one work.
Also its important not to forget the competitors, thank you for coming and taking part, it helped us to put on a great event that we all enjoyed.
As with any event we will be having a debrief meeting in the not to distant future, so if you have comments good or bad, I want to know and will take them directly to the organising team, send them to colin.rodger@virgin.net
If anyone has any pictures or video that we can put on the club website, please sent it to me colin.rodger@virgin.net
Full results are available here: http://www.nersresults.co.uk/html/2009/sb_hillrally/final.pdf
Thanks again to all the marshals and setup people who came and helped.
Regards,
Colin
Chief Marshal
The Scottish Borders Hill Rally 2009
www.scottish-hillrally.co.uk