The Cardiff Super Special 1

Length: 2.45 km

How to get there?

Two views of the entrance toSS1 docks area

Obviously, there is no need to tell you here how to get to Cardiff, but to actually get to the docks area is a different story. Your best option is to use one of the free park-and-ride facilities which Cardiff will organise for the event. A popular park-and-ride in 2002 was the one from Cardiff Athletics stadium - Leckwith Stadium.

From the Rally HQ, head towards the castle, and you will get onto Castle Street (A4161). Keep heading West towards Port Talbot.

Just after the Posthouse hotel (on your left), go over the bridge over the River Taff. The A4161 will now change name into Wellington Street.

You will now approach a large crossroads. Take the left junction into Leckwith Road. Continue down this road and the Athletics Stadium will be on your left. Park in the large car park, and get changed into clothes which you will be comfortable in for a few hours. Park-and-ride buses will shuttle you to the Alexandra Docks every 10 or 15 minutes. Remember the number of your shuttle bus, as you will need to get on the same one for the return journey.

When you approach the Alexandra docks - which should take 10 to 15 minutes depending on traffic, you will start to see the crowds as they congregate on the Super Special. The 2 pictures on the left are views of the approach to the docks area.

As you enter the docks, again make sure you remember where you are dropped off, as you will need to come back to exactly the same point to pick up your bus for the return journey back to your car later.

Stage Maps

Thanks to Multimap.com, you can now view Stage Maps here.

Click here for the SS1 dock area (1:10000).
Click here for the SS1 dock area (1:25000).
Click here for the SS1 dock area (1:50000).

Hints and Tips

One of the main grandstands

The fireworks kick off the Wales Rally GB

Traffic is very busy. Remember that you are in a large city and it will be early evening. In 2000, the rally coincided with an international rugby union match. As you can imagine, the city's traffic came to a standstill. Every available patch of grass and tarmac around the dock area was used - even the roundabouts. For 2002, the organisation was improved and you are strongly advised to use one of the park-and-ride bus services (which are all free).

Remember the park-and-ride is from Leckwith Stadium, NOT the huge Millennium Stadium.

Once you get to the stage, remember the bus number that you came on (provided for spectators to get them to the stage from the docks entrance). You are told to go back to the docks entrance on the same bus (which will go back and forth throughout the running of the stage).

Once at the stage itself, some people in the past have queued up for nearly an hour and were then told they were not allowed in because they did not hold a proper pass. Make sure you have the correct day pass or the specific Super Special tickets for SS1 before you queue up or you will be disappointed. In 2002, the 2 Event Passes did not gain you access to this stage. This is likely to be the same for 2003. For ticket information, contact the Wales Rally GB official website at www.walesrallygb.com or telephone the ticket hotline on 0870 060 1764. You can also look at the Ticket Details section of this site.

If you want a seat in the grandstand, you will definitely need a proper Grandstand ticket. In 2000 the ticket checking was very slack but was much tighter in 2001 and 2002. If you are going to watch any of the Superspecials, I would recommend a Grandstand ticket, but be warned they will sell-out very quickly - as you can see from the full grandstand on the left. In 2002 I didn't get a grandstand seat, and the view was not nearly as good.

The price for a grandstand ticket at SS1 will be £30.

If you like the excitement of a good show, the Superspecial will appeal to you. As SS1 kicks off the rally, there is always an excellent firework display (as the picture on the left shows) to welcome the drivers to the arena. 2002 also had other displays such as a cheerleading dance routine, and more are planned in 2003.

There will also be music and news boomed out through the PA system, which all adds to the atmosphere.

All of the car parks at the free park-and-ride facilities are excellent, as you would expect from a large modern city like Cardiff. These park-and-ride sites are at Leckwith Athletics Stadium and Splott Market.

Be warned - as it is a large car park in the middle of a large city there may be thieves around. Do not leave any valuables (such as your tickets to other stages) in sight.

From where you are dropped off from the park-and-ride, the stage will be on average a 5 minute walk away, obviously dependant on where you are dropped off, and which part of the Stage you are spectating at.

Best spots for spectators

The type of view you can expect

It's close-up action all the way !

The view from the open areas

The best place that we found in 2000 and 2001 was in either of the main grandstands, but to be honest the whole stage has been designed around the spectator so anywhere you decide to sit you should get a good view.

The first picture on the left is from the grandstand I sat in at the 2001 rally. It was next to a fast sweeping bend, where the 2 competitors were very close to each other.

Take a look at the 2001 Gallery section to see the kind of views you can expect from the Grandstands. The second picture on the left is Marcus Gronholm in full "power-slide". The action really is that close, even from a grandstand, and unlike some other motorsport events you really do feel part of the action.

The views I got in 2002, where I spectated from the open areas, were not as good in my opinion. The third picture on the left shows the kind of view you can expect.

As you can see from the 2002 Gallery, there are not even any pictures of any competitors, simply because we were not close enough to the action to take good enough photographs.

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