Obstacle course, overturned cars and broken glass. How the "Baja Belarus-2015" rally took place in Polotsk region
From May 29 to 31, Polotsk hosted the third stage of the Russian Rally-Raid Championship and the first stage of the Belarusian Championship – "Baha Belarus-2015", which was attended by over 50 crews from Belarus, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland. The competitions combined two historical dates: the 70th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War and the 1153rd anniversary of the oldest city in our country.
Polotsk will celebrate its birthday on June 6. However, the events dedicated to it last for several weeks. The rally races adorned the rich program, popularizing high sportsmanship and a healthy lifestyle.
The international off-road competition is held with the support of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee and the Polotsk District Executive Committee, as well as under the auspices of the Russian and Belarusian Automobile Federations.
The grand opening of the event on Freedom Square gathered several thousand people. The organizers were delighted with such warm support from the residents of Polotsk. The guests of the city were cordially welcomed by the Chairman of the Polotsk District Executive Committee, Nikolai Shevchuk, who wished the athletes a beautiful competition and unforgettable impressions.
The Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Vladimir Terentyev, expressed hope that the competitions would become traditional and noted that they add another honorary title to the oldest city in the republic. The center of Belarusian statehood, spirituality, and culture becomes the capital of international rally-raids.
Veterans of the Great Patriotic War were among the honored guests of the event. The organizers and participants of the competitions paid tribute to them, presented souvenirs, and then laid flowers at the monument to the Liberators of Polotsk. The theme of gratitude to the heroes of the Victory was also central during a grand concert on Freedom Square, followed by a colorful parade of crews. To the enthusiastic applause of the spectators, 22 off-road vehicles and 5 trucks drove through the starting arch.
The racers paid special attention to the pupils of the Polotsk Social Orphanage and the Vetrino Boarding School. Children were seated in the vehicles, which made a lap of honor around the city, and the institutions were gifted laptops.
The sporting part of the race took place at the Dretun training ground, where participants faced a challenging route of approximately 500 km. The tracks of the first and second days differed and included a wide variety of terrains: coastal sandbanks, river floodplains, ravines, and winding forest roads. A special surprise was a specially constructed ford across the Polota River. Cars overturned, lost windshields, and landed on one wheel. Pilots and navigators had to demonstrate exquisite skill and resourcefulness, while spectators enjoyed a thrilling competition where rivals were literally breathing down each other's necks and fighting for seconds. The race director, Vladimir Korolev, noted that "Baja Belarus" demands dedication and endurance not only from people but also from the equipment.
In general, the most resilient crews reached the finish line. The award ceremony for the winners took place on Freedom Square in Polotsk. The best racers drove onto a specially equipped podium, received cups, posed for photos, threw branded caps to the spectators, and, according to tradition, celebrated with champagne. Emotions ran high!
– Thank you, Polotsk! We are impressed by your hospitality, we want to come back here again and again! – the guests from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tver, Vilnius, and various cities of Belarus repeated in unison.
The main organizer of the Belarusian stage, Evgeny Seliverstov, expressed his immense gratitude for the high level of preparation for the competition to the leadership of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee and the Polotsk District Executive Committee, as well as to all support services, which, according to him, worked tirelessly.
The winners of the third stage of the Russian Rally-Raid Championship were the crew of the PEC team, Evgeny Firsov and Vadim Filatov, who showed the best result in the absolute standings in their «Toyota Hilux».
The first stage of the Belarusian Championship «Baja Belarus-2015» also found its heroes. In the sports car category, Ivan Kuzminykh and Dmitry Shanchuk from Grodno took first place in their unique self-designed «Bobby Willis» . In the «Raid 1» category, both in their subgroup and in the absolute standings, the best were Yuri Guzovsky and Dmitry Moiseev from Ratomka. Strong competition was provided by the lovely ladies Olga Danilenko and Svetlana Martysyuk from Minsk, who took second place in their well-worn «Nissan Patrol» .
Representatives of the Minsk Automobile Plant performed excellently. The «MAZ-SPORTauto» crew, consisting of Sergey Vyazovich, Pavel Goranin, and Andrey Zhigulin, won in the truck category of the Russian championship, as well as in the «T4» and «Sport Absolute» categories of the Belarusian championship.
After the awards ceremony, the team members, consisting of 20 people (nine drivers and technical support), continued to sign autographs and take photos with enthusiastic Polotsk fans for a long time.
– We felt that we were expected here. The track was overflowing with spectators. Cheering us on, the crowd rejoiced, which gave us strength and relieved fatigue, – admitted Sergey Vyazovich.
He noted that by participating and winning in international competitions, the plant's representatives demonstrate the power of Belarusian MAZ trucks, prove that the vehicle is competitive on the world stage and can establish itself in the elite of motorsport. And after the competitions, the drivers will again immerse themselves in routine work, improve the vehicles, and prepare for new victories.
Larisa Malashenya, "Vitebskiye Vesti"