Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Spectators’ places with areas restricted for photographers

23. 8. 2016 - Jakub Hofbauer

Barum Czech Rally Zlín is one of the most important events in the region of Eastern Moravia and therefore attracts a great number of spectators and media representatives. Every year, they all create an electrifying atmosphere to which all crews are looking forward to. That is both- those who compete in Czech Championship and those who take part in the prestigious European cup. It is not only the iconic city stage, which is held in the very centre of the regional city but also a lot of other places where fans create an energetic atmosphere every year.

The great interest of tens of thousands of fans, as well as great interest of photographers and camera crews sometimes creates tension between those two groups. Rally organizers workers take into account needs of fans and as well as publicity of the race in medias. Therefore this year they are putting forward a new way of managing this problem.

'International regulations instruct us about how to ensure safety of everyone during the race. If we consider the spectators, these rules say they should only stand in organized spectators' areas. But we often hear fans complaining that although they had arrived to those safe areas in advance with time to spare, a group of photographers arrived and obstructed their view minutes before the race begun,' said Miloslav regner, Clerk of the Course, to the issue of spectator areas. 'We have therefore chosen ten places on the entire rally route, in which we guarantee better view of the race without any obstructions. We will do so with banning access of photographers to areas lying between spectators and the road. In all cases these locations are official spectators' places mentioned and described in the official rally program. Forbidden areas will be marked by an icon of no entry to photographers and camera crews, who will be informed about this also via official rally press centre.'

Accredited news representatives are equipped with vests which enable them access to areas, into which regular spectators cannot enter due to safety reasons. However, even for media workers there are obvious no go areas, such as escape zones, areas in front of a solid barriers or places under level of the road.

Rally organizers believe that new arrangements will bring more joy and nice experience to the spectators, but in once will only slightly limit the media workers in their work. Despite all mentioned restrictions they still have enough possibilities for acquiring lovely pictures and videos. In the end, every fan should have great memorable experience from watching the race and then have the opportunity to relive it in various media outputs.

List of areas with limited access to photographers:
Shakedown – spectators' place A in Pohořelice
SS Březová – spectators' place C, reverse turn in front of finish line in Hvozdná
SS Košíky – spectators' place A, turn in front of a chapel in Jankovice
SS Košíky – spectators' place B, reverse turn above Jankovice on the road from Modrá
SS Hošťálková – spectators' place A, sharp turn right after the start
SS Hošťálková – spectators' place B, reverse turn "u milířů", turn to the road 437
SS Semetín – spectators' place A in Semetín
SS Kašava – spectators' place A, large spectators area following the jump in Vlčková
SS Kašava – spectators' place B, left reverse turn round the church in the village Kašava
SS Pindula – spectators' place B, behind the jump over the road 49026