NZ’s first Kiwi team to contest the Norwegian WRC Rally had a lucky escape after an 1000kg bull Elk ran across their path during there 25 hour reconisance of the Norwegian rally.

Co driver Glen Golding commented “we had heard they were in the forest but it was a real shock and a lucky miss when the elk bounded from the bush just as we came over a crest. It was an amazing site to see this mystic looking creature but we were lucky to miss it only the ice caked road”

Over the last two days driver Andrew Grant and Glenn spent 25 hours writing pace notes for the snow and ice roads. Andrew commented “it’s been very very tough, we did not have snow tyres and the car was all over the place for the 2000ks of driving over very tricky roads. We used a few snow banks in places but are very pleased to have that out of the way now. Shakedown went without a hitch today and we are eagerly awaiting the rally start tomorrow morning. We have seen the most incredible roads during reconisance. Some very tricky but some flowing smooth snow with big snow banks to lean on, infact some were so good that my grin turned into joyful laughter.

We have just officially started the rally and the first stage is under way.

http://www.rallynorway.com/en/news/elks_on__stage.htm