In the build-up to this weekend’s inaugural World Rally Championship event in Norway, Kiwi’s Andrew Grant and Glenn Goldring had an up-close encounter with a bull Elk.

Completing 25-hours worth of pre-event reconnaissance, they had the legend bull Elk bound across the road as they came over a crest on an icy Norwegian road.

“We had heard they were in the forest but it was a real shock and a lucky miss,” said driver Andrew Grant. “It was an amazing site to see this mystic looking creature but we were lucky to miss it only the ice caked road.”

About to start the three-day event based around host city Hamar, Norway, the Auckland driver/co-driver are en-route to the first of 18 stages before Sunday afternoon’s finish.

Driving a leased Mitsubishi Lancer EVO8 for the rally, Andrew commented: “It’s been very very tough. We didn’t use snow tyres for our reconnaissance and the car was all over the place for the 2000km’s of very tricky roads. We used a few snow banks in places (to slow the car) but are very pleased to have that out of the way now. Shakedown went without a hitch and we are eagerly awaiting the rally start tomorrow morning. We have seen the most incredible roads during our checking. Some very tricky, but some flowing smooth snow with big snow banks to lean on, in-fact some were so good that my grin turned into joyful laughter.”

Event organisers had notified foreign competitors of the ‘King’ bull Elk that was roaming the wooded region where the pair encountered the beast by saying: ‘Chances are fair that the drivers, the public and the TV-audience may spot the King or his Queen and Princes, the cows and calves, during the rally. You won’t get it more Norwegian than that.’

Ends.

Editors notes:

* Contact with the pair in Norway is difficult, email if you would like to establish a time for telephone type interview.

* There is a shore broadcast quality video clip from testing also available. For more information: lance@inspire.net.nz

For more information: www.agr.co.nz or http://www.rallynorway.com/en/

Photo images:

* The 'King' bull Elk encountered by Kiwi's Andrew Grant and Glenn Goldring during their build-up to this weekend's inaugural WRC Norway. Photo: Mona Trandum Click to download

* Norway's extreme winter has Kiwi pair Andrew Grant and Glenn Goldring well rugged up ahead of tomorrow morning's start to the Rally of Norway. Click to download

Video and audio footage will be available during the event. For more information: lance@inspire.net.nz

Andrew Grant 021 309 448
Glenn Goldring 027 277 4321
Lance Hastie 021 329 909 lance@inspire.net.nz