Gavlis
Gavlis (გავლის) is a Varkan word literally meaning "pass". It refers to a mountain pass or any of the narrow, winding roads that can be found in and around the mountains of Varkana and other geographically similar areas. In order to decrease the incline of mountain roads, thereby making them easier for commercial trucks to pass, engineers place a series of S bends in steep roads that provide access to and from high mountain elevations. These passes have become popular with street racers and motorsport enthusiasts because they provide a challenging, albeit dangerous, course.
Racing[edit | edit source]
Cat and mouse[edit | edit source]
The cars start almost bumper to bumper (one in front of the other). The lead car wins if the space between the cars increases considerably. If any car spins out or crashes, the other car wins the race. In the event of the following car keeping pace, the race is usually rerun with the positions swapped.
This style of battle is often chosen when the road isn't wide enough to allow passing, but if the car in front does indeed somehow get passed, the overtaken car loses if it does not re-pass.
Grip Gambler[edit | edit source]
If the road is wide enough, this method comes into use. Instead of the lead and chase type of start, the cars are lined up next to each other. If there exists a power handicap, a rolling start would be employed up until the 1st turn. Whoever is in the lead at the end of the "gavlis" road, is the winner. Then if the chaser manages to keep up they switch roles until someone wins.
Time attack[edit | edit source]
Ghost battles are challenges in racing. Opponents do not actually race at the same time, instead, they are timed separately over a particular length of road and the racer with the quickest time wins.
Spontaneous gablis battles may also be initiated by random encounters between racers on the street. The challenge is communicated through the use of the hazard lights, then, depending on the race setting, one of the first two gablis types is chosen for the battle. Those races are however illegal.
Popularity[edit | edit source]
Gavlis grew in popularity in the late 1990s with media attention. While highly illegal at the time, gavlis was eventually decriminalized in 2005. By then, technology had evolved enough to help the sport grow even more, despite Varkan law obliging cars to be fully electric. Electric cars being faster, the law was not entirely badly received by the gavlis enthusiasts. The Gavlis Racing League, an organized non-profit gavlis organization, was created in 2006 with a website to watch races around the country by streaming. For each official gavlis race, a camera is set on a racer's car on a rigid aluminum frame to avoid shaking. This practice allowed fans to watch any race at any time online without having to physically be present at a mountain pass. By 2014, new measuring instruments were added, notably a speed counter.
Legality[edit | edit source]
A gavlis race may only be legal in Varkana if the race has been communicated to communal law enforcement authorities in advance, so the race's road may be blocked to avoid any collision or accident. Most races are organized through the Gavlis Racing League, but seeing some private rivalries set through illegal races is not uncommon.