WORLD HITCH-HIKERS TROPHY
The world Hitch-hikers Trophy is the newest project
of PASL the Petersburg Auto-Stop League. This league is training hitch-hikers to travel
fast even in the most difficult terrain and circumstances.
The members of league travel in yellow suits, especially designed for hitch-hiking 24
hours a day, seven days a week, worldwide. Reflecting patches and flashlights make
hitch-hiking possible through the night.
PASL-Invitation for the around the world
The time has come for PASL to organize a race
around the world. For development and raising popularity of hitch-hiking as a sport,
everyone who supports hitch-hiking, is invited by the PASL to take part in the race around
the world.
Publicity should make it possible organizing the hitch-hikers world trophy on a regular
basis. Like the Regatta around the world or the rally Paris-Dakar.
Participants
Participants always travel in pairs. Minimum age is
16. Pairs do not separate during the competition. Pairs will take part after a check on
preparation, experience and equipment according to the safety standards.
Route
This route is rough indication and the approximate
time of travel is 2-3 months. The world can be traveled the other way round or by a
different route depending on the circumstances like visa regulations, sponsors, civil war.
First selection stage
The first selection stage of VHHC took part in
21-27 July 97 in Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Czechia. There were 7 pairs of
participants, but only 4 pairs of these 7 reached the finish point. 3 of them may
participate in the second selection stage around Europe in February 98. All participants
were Lithuanians except 2 Latvian girls Laura Stupaka and Zane Piegazne from Cesis. The
lenght of the route was 3,500. Route: Vilnius(LT) Panevezys(LT) - Kekava(LV)
Jelgava(LT) Siauliai(LT) Kaunas(LT) Marijampole(LT) Augustow(PL)
Olsztyn(PL) Malbork(PL) Gorzow WLKP(PL) Jelenia Gora(PL) Ceska Lipa(CZ)
Doksy (camping near Machovo lake)(CZ) Mlada Boleslaw(CZ) Hradec Kralowe(CZ)
Wroclaw(PL) Opole(PL) Czestachowo(PL) Piotrkow Trybunalsky(PL)
Kutno(PL) Plock(PL) Augustow(PL) Marijampole(LT) Vilnius(LT). Also there
was 24 hours REST time in Doksy. Some participants even have visited Prague. All the route
participants were accompanied by arbiter. He went in sponsors car and made the daily
reportage by phone to the Lithuanian radio Ultra Vires. The general sponsor of the
competition WEST.
The first selection stage of PASL was organised in August 97 in Russia and Byelorussia.
All participants were Russian except one Bosnian hitch-hiker Sahin Sisic from Breda,
Holland. There were 11 pairs of participants, but only 9 of them reached the finish point.
The length of the route was 11,000 km of the terrible Russian roads. It took about 2.5 of
week. 6 pairs of them has a right to take part in the second selection stage.
Till February 1998 hitchhikers of all countries could organise their own first selection
stage, but onlu Lithuania and Russia have organised it.
Second selection stage
The second selection stage was organizing by PASL.
There were 20 participants from Russia and Lithuania, who could participate in these
competitions. In fact only 6 pairs from Russia and 2 pairs from Lithuania took part in
this selection stage.
The competition started in 15 March 1998 in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania and finished in
1 April. The route of the competition passed via Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria,
Italy, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Danmark, Sweden, Norway and Russia. The
length of the route was about 11,000 km.
At the middle of the route there was the compulsory 36 hours rest time in Kulturherberge
hostel, near Alfeld, Germany. Also all participants had a 140 hours rest which, they may
devide to a 30 parts.
Lithuanian Team:
Vladas Sapranavicius,
Augustas Kligys,
Audrone Ruksaite,
Lina Ratkeviciute
Russian Team:
Alexey Vorov,
Sonya Lazareva,
Andrej Kuritsin,
Yulya Korotkova,
Lena Galkina,
Andrej Galkin,
Nikolay Svistun,
Viktoriya Barsukova,
Artyom Kiyaev,
Yulya Zaichenko,
Dima Dem'yanko,
Olga Kurchakova
The general sponsor of Lithuanian Hitch-hiking team
in this stage - "West" company.
Story from the
second stage is available here!
Results of the race:
1. Andrej Kuritsin + Yulya Korotkova
1. Nikolay Svistun + Viktoriya Barsukova
2. Augustas Kligys + Audrone Ruksaite
3. Alexey Vorov + Sonya Lazareva
4. Lena Galkina + Andrej Galkin
5. Artyom Kiyaev + Yulya Zaichenko
Other participants have finished their route
earlier and they won't take part in the race around the World.
Regulations
The races around the world will take place
according to hitch-hiking competition
regulations. A doctor will participate during the race and will test all participants
before the start of the final race.
Finance and Visa
Neither PASL nor VHHC are not able to finance the
organization and preparation of the project. The first and the second rounds were not so
expensive. The race itself demand more financial support from the participants.
To overcome this problem, all participants are welcomed to encourage sponsors to invest in
the project. If any major sponsors will be contracted, youll notice from these pages or
by E-mail. Visa have to be obtained by the participants themselves.
E-mail:
President of PASL, Russia Alexej Vorov.
President of Vilnius Hitch-hiking club Vladas
Sapranavicius. |
