SPECTACULAR OPENING STAGE FOR THIS YEAR’S RALLY
When the second edition of the BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia, part of the FIA European Rally Championship, takes place in Sweden and Värmland on June 13-15, it will kick off with a spectacular opening stage just outside central Karlstad. This year’s event begins with SS BAUHAUS, which will run just outside the BAUHAUS department store at Välsviken.
The dream of driving a stage around the BAUHAUS department store in Karlstad was ignited last year, and since then, work has been underway to bring the project to life.
In the initial version of the proposal, there was a spectator area right in front of the main entrance. However, that proposal had to be put on hold as it was difficult to find a solution regarding all the logistics involved in building the arena, in combination with visitors to the department store and its merchandise transports.
But a solution has been developed, and SS BAUHAUS can now be run with a unique rally arena right in front of the department store’s main entrance.
“As the title sponsor of the Swedish leg of the FIA European Rally Championship, having the opportunity to organize the official opening and the first stage in front of the gates to our newly opened department store here in Karlstad feels absolutely fantastic; the whole idea is just crazy enough,” says Johan Saxne, BAUHAUS Marketing Director.
“For us as organizers, it has been important to create a really good rally stage and arena in Karlstad where the audience can easily and closely experience the rally and the party. At the same time, it’s almost unreal to be able to tie our partnership with our title sponsor in this way and make the store a part of the competition,” says Glenn Olsson, CEO of BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia.
“For television, passing through the store would probably have been an exciting thing. But for the audience and visitors on-site, the setup with the main arena in front of the entrance is quite clear; now we have the opportunity to do what we wanted from the beginning,” says rally CEO Glenn Olsson.
THE RALLY FESTIVAL STARTS IN KARLSTAD
SS1 BAUHAUS starts at 20:05 on Thursday, June 13, and the program begins at 17:30 with a lineup of competing cars, driver interviews, autograph sessions, live performers, and an official opening with speakers. Inside the area, there will also be food trucks, exhibitors, and try-out activities.
Accessibility for the people of Karlstad and other visitors will be maximized as everyone attending the rally will ride for free on the city buses to and from Välsviken. New for this year is also that the Royal After Rally will be held Thursday through Saturday at Olssons Bazar in Karlstad harbour.
