Like any sporting event there is a mountain of preparation involved in running the Three Castles Trial. The course, regularities and tests have all been planned well in advance, the venues booked and contingencies put in place that aim to anticipate the unexpected. With the official opening of this year’s event less than a day away, the officials, volunteers and support staff file through the organiser’s office at rally HQ to collect their credentials, renew friendships and receive briefings on their roles. The Marshals have their own ‘central control’, thoughtfully located in a Mostyn Street cafe, where detail briefings and assignments are issued over coffee. Very civilised.
At Rally HQ in the Imperial Hotel, with packs made up for each competing car containing road books, rally plates and more, there is general air of anticipation as well as a thousand and one details to be checked, confirmed or if necessary amended. This year’s crop of blind side curve balls included an unexpected request for compensation from a business on the Great Orme which, being privately owned, can be closed to non-rally traffic on June 5th to make the tests and regularities possible. The frustration at the disruption this entails was at least understandable and accepting it is not possible to please all of the people all of the time, left negotiation the honourable recourse.
Competitors are arriving in readiness for the rally too. The Three Castles arranges secure storage for trailers for those bringing their car on one and a dedicated area in the Victoria Centre’s multi storey car park for competitor’s cars. Not all them get hidden away however. Parked at the kerbside outside the hotels, they represent an impromptu car show for passing motorists and pedestrians.
With with less than twenty four hours to go before the first flag drops, there is an eerie calm to the atmosphere but a slight edge to the relaxation in evidence on both side of the organiser/competitor divide. Could it be excitement or nerves? It is possibly both.