2015 Race of Champions at Olympic Park

2015 Race of Champions at Olympic Park

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FourWheelDrift

88,375 posts

283 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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I always used to like the Paris-Bercy Elf Masters karting at this time of year - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_Karting_Pari...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL_KbkXw914

rubystone

11,252 posts

258 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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It's also on Eurosport

sirtyro

1,824 posts

197 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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DaveGoddard said:
sirtyro said:
Genuine LOL.

For those interested the 'skill challenge' they are currently doing was developed with Terry Grant and a few others at none other than b'ham wheels oval track
How come I wasn't told about that at the time? I commentate on a lot of events there.
Dave, next time you commentate on a rebels race with a certain number 202, you can say he helped Terry Grant create the skills challenge at B'ham wheels. (This isn't TD by the way, but I was there when it happened)

Chrisgr31

13,440 posts

254 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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Its interesting reading the comments about ticket sales and prices as I was there last with a few friends and we were discussing why the venue was so empty. We pondered whether it was lack of publicity (3 of the 4 of us didnt know it was on until I got tickets) and whether it was also affected by the events in Paris.

However we also felt that ticket prices were high and that the website selling them was awful as it was very difficult to work out where seats were at what price.

Our tickets where won in a charity raffle and a remarkable bargain. We were fairly high up on the first corner on the outside start line, and had a very good view. We moved lower down in to the more expensive seats later and came to the conclusion that being higher was an advantage as you could easily see the whole track as you were looking down on it, rather than across it. The more expensive seats did have padding though!

The commentary was fairly poor too, and I guess the same was happening on TV with the commentator getting confused by the track and saying they had completed a lap when in fact they had only completed half a lap. After the first couple of races the commentator did realise that at the the first time they passed they had only done half a lap and the guy that started outside should be around 2 seconds ahead at that point.

As a spectator event it was OK, a bit disjointed, and probably would have been better with a much fuller stadium with plenty of atmosphere, the stadium was too empty to get any real atmosphere. Beer was damned expensive at £5 a bottle.

I'd go again but really would want a full stadium.

noell35

3,170 posts

147 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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The cheaper seats are mostly full today. The commentator is still having trouble with the splits.
I got my ticket through Ticketmaster earlier this week for £43. More than happy with the view. The people in the expensive seats had the finish obscured by a double decker bus and a bike jump. Poor luvs.

sirtyro

1,824 posts

197 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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noell35 said:
The cheaper seats are mostly full today. The commentator is still having trouble with the splits.
I got my ticket through Ticketmaster earlier this week for £43. More than happy with the view. The people in the expensive seats had the finish obscured by a double decker bus and a bike jump. Poor luvs.
What do you think of the event from a spectator at the circuit point of view? Would you go again?

noell35

3,170 posts

147 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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sirtyro said:
What do you think of the event from a spectator at the circuit point of view? Would you go again?
I think the track here is a bit short and tight and surprisingly for a stadium event it lacks a bit of atmosphere. I'm still enjoying it though so yes I probably would.

rscott

14,690 posts

190 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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I thought the atmosphere was pretty good today - apparently there were just over 27,000 of us in there.

The pursuit layout worked pretty well although the biggest issue was simply a lack of grip due to near zero temperatures and a wet morning.

geordiecraig101

80 posts

112 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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Just got back home and time to warm up, winter has arrived! Really enjoyed today's action, bought my ticket at the venue this morning, went for the "cheepie" seats above the large screen on the left side and the view was spot on. Cant believe the insane prices of the expensive seats as the view didn't seam any better.

The pursuit style competition worked fairly well i thought, just a pity the track layout was mainly low speed as this never let the cars or drivers stretch their legs. Will be back again as long as ticket prices stay close to current level.

AWRacing

1,710 posts

224 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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FourWheelDrift said:
I always used to like the Paris-Bercy Elf Masters karting at this time of year - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_Karting_Pari...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL_KbkXw914
I loved watching that back in the day, shame it's not held anymore

noell35

3,170 posts

147 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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geordiecraig101 said:
Just got back home and time to warm up
I'm still thawing out! I was probably harsh with my earlier comments about the atmosphere, I was thinking of rugby matches I've been to but it's never going to be like that.
I agree about the ticket pricing. To my mind you're better off in the higher (cheaper seats). It's not like you're miles from the action.

#ROCLondon-3953 by northernladgonesouth, on Flickr

#ROCLondon-3950 by northernladgonesouth, on Flickr

#ROCLondon-3094 by northernladgonesouth, on Flickr

carl_w

9,154 posts

257 months

Saturday 21st November 2015
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I was in the £80/ticket seating (row 35 in the bottom tier) and the view was fine. Got some half-decent photos and a video of Pascal Wehrlein doughnutting the W04.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd4nD49DGTk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itwyTfmpPdo for some other stuff including some slo-mo of the Merc

I think I'd go again, but I might take more clothes next time.

Wh00sher

1,587 posts

217 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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What happened to the Karting after the racing ???

The page on the ROC website has been removed, but it said
"After Saturday’s individual ‘Champion of Champions’ is crowned, the greats of F1, Le Mans, IndyCar and Touring Cars will take to karts for a bonus race

...

Crowds at London’s former Olympic Stadium are in for a special treat this weekend as the assembled driving legends take to the track for a kart race following Saturday’s individual Race Of Champions.

After the overall ‘Champion of Champions’ is crowned on Saturday, the drivers will go back to their roots in karting, battling for supremacy around the iconic London venue. They will compete in two heats, with the top ten drivers progressing to the big final.

This will be the first time that the Race Of Champions has featured a kart race – and it has been made possible by the new, wider pursuit-style track being used for this year’s event, which no longer needs to be separated into two lane"

Titan

122 posts

247 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Thought yesterday's event was very good and was suprised at how many spectators there were, especially as Friday's event looked less supported from the pictures on the TV.
It was a shame that the spectators were not given the opportunity to watch the kart race run by Daytona in the morning.
Okay there were no professional or celebrity drivers but 25 teams racing in the snow,then rain, then a drying greasy track provided some fantastic track action. The big screen informed everyone the race positions and the commentary was good and enthusiastic. The several hundred stadium staff that arrived throughout the event all took seats and seemed to enjoy it,and several I spoke to agreed.
So for me a really great full days entertainment!

Richie C

637 posts

205 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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We went yesterday. Frankly it was pretty dull. I wouldn't bother again. Commentary was terrible. Zero atmosphere (probably because it was so dull).

They reckoned there were 27,000 people there, I'd say that was way off.

Chrisgr31

13,440 posts

254 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Richie C said:
We went yesterday. Frankly it was pretty dull. I wouldn't bother again. Commentary was terrible. Zero atmosphere (probably because it was so dull).

They reckoned there were 27,000 people there, I'd say that was way off.
The stadium seats 80,000 so it would be around a third full with that number in it. I didn't see the old format but wonder if the pursuit format works, the issue being you you can only see how the drivers compare at the middle and end of the race. In addition it is difficult to see both cars in the pursuit format (easier if up high) so you can miss some of the action.

RichB

51,431 posts

283 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Chrisgr31 said:
The stadium seats 80,000 so it would be around a third full with that number in it.
I did have originally, it holds 54,000 now.

FourWheelDrift

88,375 posts

283 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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At least the pursuit way means they don't have to have a bridge which has been a cause of problems in the past especially when it's rained. I think one year they had to stop using some cars (I think it was the year they had the Vantage GT3) and limit running to the buggy and the xbow.

carl_w

9,154 posts

257 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Wh00sher said:
What happened to the Karting after the racing ???
They said that they would do it after the podium ceremony but we were bloody freezing so left.

Some people in front of us gave up at about 4pm.

chris333

1,034 posts

238 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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[quote=Wh00sher]What happened to the Karting after the racing ???/quote]

There was a reply to a comment on their Facebook page:




Shame it didn't happen, but I was freezing by the end!

I booked the tickets earlier this week and got some on offer at half price (agree with a previous comment about the terrible website though). I thought £30 was pretty good value for the show and this view:



Edited by chris333 on Sunday 22 November 12:20