Candidates for 2nd Winter Rally in WRC

[Sulland]

What would be good candidates for a 2nd Winter Rally in the World Championship, in addition to Rally Sweden?

[mknight]

Marketing and promoter-wise the only one that would make sense is something in North America.

[Rallyper]

No need speculating. Two rallies, with let´s say two weeks apart in February is perfect. Sweden and Finland is really good enough, seeing Sweden doing their rally in Östersund area.

[Crazy J]

Nothing forces to limit snow rallies to two if three or more would be better for the sport. Like said above marketing and promoter-wise North America is important, but probably so is Asia and Japan. Japanese mountain areas might have guaranteed snow conditions also outside of Hokkaido, plus they have all manufacturers and stronger rally culture than North America. How about routes & winter in southern parts of Chile / Argentina, any possibilities to have their rounds as snow rally? Eventually, it looks like for sometime Norway has been the best represented country WRC drivers wise, so in that sense it might be important for Rally Sweden to be located into area where it could visit Norway for a day.

[mknight]

Japan might work, but again they won't run 2 rallies in the country. Is there any rallying scene in South Korea?

Chile/Argentina is a bit of a long shot due to different season imo. It wouldn't work all that well for mostly northern hemisphere audience to watch a winter rally in the middle of summer.

[KiwiWRCfan]

It wouldn't work all that well for mostly northern hemisphere audience to watch a winter rally in the middle of summer.

I have no problem living in Southern hemisphere summer and watching a snow rally in Northern hemisphere. Something about swimming at beach in the afternoon then sitting on deck in evening wearing shorts and t-shirt while watching WRC cars in a winter wonderland really makes you appreciate the global nature of WORLD Rally Championship

Do not write off the idea, it is actually very enjoyable and surreal thing to do.

[Crazy J]

New Zealand South island of course missing from the list. There is a lot of alpine skiing events, but does anyone know has NZ ever organized a snow rally?

[HKSjbg]

I seem to remember a few editions of the Canterbury Rally, Otago Rally and Southland Rally having snow, but not by choice of being a snow event. I don’t think there’s enough mileage of rally roads up in the Southern Alps where there’s guaranteed snow

[AMSS]

New Zealand South island of course missing from the list. There is a lot of alpine skiing events, but does anyone know has NZ ever organized a snow rally?

Back in the 90`s Pirelli and Michelin did winter tire test in New Zealand, but don`t know how the climate is there nowadays and how long roads are available..

[Co-driven]

Sno-Drift would appear to be a good candidate looking at this years conditions. If global warming is affecting the USA like this winter would seem to suggest then its a win as the promoter needs a rally in North America $ wise.

The fact that it's not allowed to use studded tyres on most states in USA could be an obstacle?

[Rally Hokkaido]

We seem to have this same discussion here every five years or so. It is quite easy to list several locations that have the basic ingredients of snow and stage length to hold a WRC round. However, any new WRC Organiser would face challenges far greater than if organising a gravel or tarmac round. Consider just one item like officials and their vehicles. It is hard enough to get sufficient numbers of each for three days or longer normally, now add the fact that they will be on stage in snow and minus temperatures (remember the ambulance issue at Monza!) and it will be twice as hard or expensive! Also, in the case of Japan (and Canada, I think) there is a huge legal hurdle to overcome as spike tyres are banned on most public roads. OK, an unlimited budget can overcome most things, but without strong government support I cannot see a second winter WRC round ever being held outside of the Nordic countries..........(thinks a bit)..... Hey, what about Russia?

[Sulland]

The fact that it's not allowed to use studded tyres on most states in USA could be an obstacle?

No chance of getting an exeption to the rules for an event like this?

[Crazy J]

In some timeframe studded tyres will be probably banned in public use from whole globe and snow rallies can be organized only with special permissions or with a new tyre innovation (?) reaching similar grip to studded tyres. But yeah, surely snow rallies are most likely to be organized on locations where it comes naturally, without extraordinary effort or cost. Quickly it sounds like there isn't much of snow rallying heritage outside of Nordic countries.

[Tarmop]

No, they won`t be. Something like that has gone on for a while...one normal winter, like this season, and all those banners are quiet. Seen it beforne, seeing it now. And where they are banned, chains are allowed....so 9mm spikes vs 1.5 on a roadcar aren`t comparable in every way.

[spark13]

We seem to have this same discussion here every five years or so. It is quite easy to list several locations that have the basic ingredients of snow and stage length to hold a WRC round. However, any new WRC Organiser would face challenges far greater than if organising a gravel or tarmac round. Consider just one item like officials and their vehicles. It is hard enough to get sufficient numbers of each for three days or longer normally, now add the fact that they will be on stage in snow and minus temperatures (remember the ambulance issue at Monza!) and it will be twice as hard or expensive! Also, in the case of Japan (and Canada, I think) there is a huge legal hurdle to overcome as spike tyres are banned on most public roads. OK, an unlimited budget can overcome most things, but without strong government support I cannot see a second winter WRC round ever being held outside of the Nordic countries..........(thinks a bit)..... Hey, what about Russia?

Russia is not going to happen by natural, I.e. economical reasons. Only with some political will may be, but i think, thats not even in 20 of sports that current poloiticians interested in now. Its not loud and big event like Olympics or football, hockey world cup. Numbers of followers is small too (related to football or hockey) . Car market is very small, despite relatively big population, so no big interest in manufacturers to go there to promote. Low level of peoples average income making autosport unreachable for vast majority of people and so, very few interested in doing it and even spectating it. Yes there are about 15 years of some little rumors here and there floating about wrc round, but tge only real tging was one event. Couple years ago there was one candidate(for erc or wrc) tarmac rally in Viborg with some delegates from fia.
But it ended with nothing. And i didn't have heared anything about it since.

[Rallyper]

Sum up so far:

Seems like Sweden, Norway and Finland candidates for 2nd winterrally if FIA wants it.

Sweden have the heritage and a move to better snowconditions is a must. (Östersund and Umeå are quite equal in many ways, although I know Östersund has a slightly upside)

Norway, well, they burnt themselves economically last time they arranged WRC winterrally. Don´t think they´ll try unless they get one or two remote stages if Östersund will have it.

Finland: did a remarkable rally for so short time of preparation. Shows just what was mentioned above that heritage is one part of success. Rovaniemi is perfect place. No problem arranging two rallies a year for Finland with Kai and Kari as captains. They were borned to organize top notch rallies... :)

Marketing nowadays is as said above or in Arctic thread, going on mostly online. We have perfect coverage from All Live and Media just love winter, so no reason to argue Sweden and Finland in combination can arrange each rally in a fortnight, maybe as soon as next year. My bet! :) :)