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RALLY IRELAND (WRC) - 15-18 Nov 2007Posted: December 6, 2007 3:46 PM - 120113 Hits
ARTICLE 1 of 2 (Latest News)
Posted: December 6, 2007 3:46 PM
EMMA ENDURES HER TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YET The 15th November saw the World Rally Championship make its maiden visit to Ireland. This was to be Emma Mckinstry and Kenny Hull’s first taste of a full World status event, and it turned out to be their toughest challenge in their rallying career to date. The pair found the stages very demanding and the conditions very tricky, their unfavourable road position meant they had to contend with mud dragged out onto the road on nearly every corner. Combined with rain and fog in places, getting to the end of leg 1 unscathed was an achievement in itself. Leg 2 would be no different; the wet and windy weather left the stages treacherously slippery. Emma and Kenny would fall fowl of the conditions on not one but two excursions into the scenery, luckily with no damage, just considerable time loss. The third and final leg would see the crews tackle only four stages, having got this far, damage limitation was priority number one for the Banbridge team. An elated Emma and Kenny crossed the finish line of the final Mullaghmore test, in front of some of the biggest crowds they had ever seen at a rally. Emma commenting “it’s a great feeling to have made it to the end of such a high profile event, the conditions were some of the most difficult I’ve ever driven in” Emma and Kenny finished the event in 35th position, and wish to extend a special thanks to everyone who provided their support; Hankook Tyres, JMG Systems, Powerscreen Ireland, OMNI Architects Triton Showers, McGaffin Contracts, Protec, Shannon Holdings, Paddy White (Lough Allen Hotel), Mckinstry Motorsport and ID Graphics NI. Cathcart cruises it home on superb WRC debut Richard Cathcart from Enniskillen and co driver Martin Brady from Navan reached the finish of their first WRC event as N4 class winners having taken the attention of many as they strode to 13th overall on what many seasoned drivers called the most difficult challenging rally in the WRC calendar. Richard in his 2 year old Subaru began rally Ireland amazingly as first international event and only his 3rd closed road tarmac event, this presented some challenge but after concentrating on Recce knowing it was the key to a good event Richard went to the Start ceremony in the historic Stormont Parliament Buildings in a relaxed and confident mood. "Recce time schedule was very tight" he commented but Martin and I put in a big effort and barely stopped to catch our breath and it paid off as we got a real good set of notes made and more importantly we got every stage before darkness fell, we knew this would be important on the rally itself. A slight scare happened on the start ramp when a microphone failed on Martin's helmet and it resulted in a last second swap of helmets between Richard and Martin at least leaving Richard able to hear the notes, if somewhat uncomfortable in an unfamiliar full face helmet. Despite the last second drama Richard set a storming time and was only 2.5 seconds off the PWRC leader and left the excitement of the Stormont super special in a confident mood now that the event was finally here and underway. Friday dawned and the excitement was really rife as Ireland faced into its first full day of WRC competition and having studied the weather conditions the Ali Burrows Motorsport team sent Richard out onto the stages on a heavily cut Pirelli tyre, knowing it would suit Richard in the slippy mucky Geevagh test. It was a useful choice as being seeded at no84 posed some difficult challenges, firstly it meant driving in the path of considerable muck pulled out by the front running cars, which included the higher priority seeded PWRC crews which Cathcart & Brady had traded times with the previous night, and also it meant being destined to catch and try to pass slower cars that started the stage just in front of car 84. However difficult this proved Richard took it in his stride, setting a storming time that was 3rd fastest Group N car despite the extra muck and passing some cars on the stage. Smiling at the stop control when checking the times of the front running GrpN cars and having earned a time right amongst them Richard headed for stage 3 knowing it was a long rally and it was still time to be cautious, Rally Ireland still had much bite left in it. Over the Arigna mountain Richard steamed on in his Donnelly Subaru supported mount and while catching 3 cars and slowing to check on another competitor who had left the road he still was fit to set 6th fastest Group N time and now headed for service in 19th o/a. However a gearbox problem manifested itself on the way to service and despite the best efforts of the Ali Burrows team it proved to be a horribly difficult fault to repair and the crew checked out of service some minutes late and found themselves with a crippling 2 minute penalty. Reminding themselves that it was a long event and that at least the service crew were able to repair the fault it was up to Richard & Martin to drive on and keep proving the pace that they had been mixing with the PWRC regulars. A further penalty now due to the lateness car 84 was now running at almost the back of the field and resigned themselves to battling through increased mucky conditions and catching more cars on every stage. After 2 more stages however the fight back was proving successful as Richard had his mcaloon-construction.com car up from 41st o/a to 34th o/a. and was setting top 20 times amongst the world's finest drivers and cars. By stage 8 which was to be the last stage of the day for the crew they had battled back to 24th o/a on the overnight leader board, even after a cautious run over the Leitrim stage near Glenboy, the darkness just made us a bit cautious commented co driver Martin, "we had a small overshoot in the tail end of the twilight and we just treated it as a wake up call and opted to get back to Sligo service where the Burrows team could check the car once more and have us fit for a push again on the following days stages". Sloughan Glen was just the wake up call for every driver, it was to catch out many a brave challenger with its narrow and arduously slippy sections, yet Richard took it in his stride and set 2nd fastest Group N time. On the Ballinamallard test the pace continued as Richard set 4th fastest Group N time and winning the battle amongst the other Fermanagh Group N drivers by beating Jennings and McShea for unofficial home honours on this test. Stage 14 was again a lightning fast stage, with some high speed hang on jumps that were more reminiscent of the Finnish 1000 Lakes rally, and Cathcart & Brady flew beautifully over them taking 2nd fastest Group N time and now had claimed 18th overall and were continuing to claw back up the leader board in defiance of the 2 minute penalty that handicapped them, this was followed up by a 3rd fastest on the return to Sloughan Glenn, a stage now littered with tales of woe as many drivers succumbed to its deep ditches or un forgiving walls. On the return to the Enniskillen stages a big push garnered a slip down a ditch and then up a bank just before the finish almost in Ballinamallard village this resulted in 9th fastest GrpN time and served as a reminder that perhaps the cautious approach had been working well, and as if to prove the point a cautious neat and tidy skip over the Tempo stage saw Cathcart take his first fastest Group N time on his first WRC event, a feat that is undoubtedly very rare at this level of competition, and this time was 13th time overall, right amongst the WRC regulars in their more powerful cars. This left Richard Cathcart beginning his final day of his very first WRC event in a fantastic 15th o/a and 5th Grp N production car behind what are undoubtedly the best in the sport. At this point Richard & Martin decided to "play the percentages" and take the car home in one piece and consolidate this fantastic result, a safe choice was made on Pirelli wet weather tyres and the Ali Burrows team made every final check and double check as the crew headed for the final 4 stages. Again perplexingly the cautious and safe approach had paid dividends as Richard was again 3rd fastest Group N car and took 21 seconds from 4th placed Group N competitor, Oscar Svedlund from Sweden, this slashed the advantage of Svedlund in half and he was to leave the road on the following stage and end his rally stuck on a fence post, cruel luck which served as a reminder that the rally was far from finished yet. Slowing at Svedlunds accident and ensuring their compatriots were ok meant Richard was 4th fastest Group N car over the stage but now had moved to 14th overall in the rally. More so now than ever Richard & Martin were focused on getting the F.R Cathcart building supplies car to the finish and still in its pristine condition. Despite this concerted effort to remain cautious and stay on the road it was up to Stage 19 to give the sting in the tail, "the most treacherous stage I have ever seen" commented Martin as 3 spins, each on slippy junctions gave the crew some uneasy moments. Still they reached the finish boards 6th best Group N car and relieved that they had made it past such a lethal section of road. Now all that remained was the picturesque coastline blast around scenic Mullaghmore and to end the rally in front of a huge gathering of spectators. Initially the crew had planned for an all out attack on the fast sea view stage, put on some big slides for big smiles but after the wake up call that was the Donegal stage it was all about caution and getting to the finish, and that they did. Once more the time was 6th fastest Group N which kept intact a rally long score sheet that was right amongst the World Championship regulars. Richard & Martin had reached the end of the final stage, the goal they had set themselves all those miles ago when the rally opened in Stormont. The result was in no uncertain terms fantastic, to take 13th overall on what was his first international event, let alone WRC event and for a driver with such limited tarmac experience. Richard was the 3rd Group N car over the finish and first non WRC Group N driver, this meant he had earned the winning trophy in the Group N class, and all this was in spite of a 2 minute time penalty, and without this the result would have been obviously much further up the time sheets. Tired but satisfied Richard reflected on the weekend at the finish ramp, saying "it was a tough rally, recce was a new experience for me and you are tired before the rally starts, but we drove safe all weekend always wanting to finish and Martin my co driver and I were always reminding ourselves not to push on because there were so many tricky places waiting to catch you. The times were still good and we kept on the road so I'm just delighted" Ford wins second consecutive world title with Focus RS WRC today won the manufacturers' title in the FIA World Rally Championship for the second straight season with the Focus RS World Rally Car. Fourth place for BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen in Rally Ireland was sufficient to ensure the crown with one round remaining next month in Great Britain. The team holds a 21-point lead with a maximum 18 available on the 16th and final event. Rally Ireland's championship debut proved every bit as challenging as was expected. The narrow, bumpy asphalt lanes were full of crests and dips and presented the kind of test not found on any other round of the series. Rain during the opening two legs of the three-day event provided treacherous conditions as cars dragged mud onto the already shiny asphalt, and drivers likened the special stages to driving on ice. This cross-border event was based in Sligo, and featured tests in the Republic of Ireland during the first leg before crossing the border into Northern Ireland on the second day. The final leg covered both countries, ending with a spectacular test hugging the Donegal Bay coastline which was broadcast live on television. Drivers tackled 20 stages in total, covering 328.72km of competition. Hirvonen's target from the outset was to obtain the points necessary to ensure BP-Ford's second consecutive manufacturers' title. Sixth position or better would provide the three points required to do that and his role became even more important when team-mates Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen crashed out during Friday's opening leg. Hirvonen settled into fourth on the first morning and adopted a safety-first policy throughout the rest of the event, happy to keep an eye on the times of the cars behind rather than chase the drivers in front. "It was a difficult weekend," he said. "I had to keep reminding myself to drive cautiously but I did the job that was required and it's fantastic for the team to win the title. I'm so pleased for everyone, they deserve it. It's hard to drive at less than flat out pace and find a rhythm but I had to do that because I wanted these points so badly. For some reason it feels better than our first win last year. I expected this to be a tough rally because the roads here are so narrow and bumpy. The rain made it even harder and this is definitely the most difficult asphalt round of the season," added Hirvonen, who has assured himself of third in the drivers' championship. Grönholm, who is now six points behind Sébastien Loeb in the drivers' series, returned home yesterday morning to rest after his accident. "While I am naturally still disappointed not to have finished the rally, I'm so pleased for Mikko and Jarmo who really did a fantastically cool job in securing the vital points," said the 39-year-old Finn. BP-Ford team-mates Khalid Al Qassimi and Nicky Beech finished 15th in another BP-Ford Focus RS on their last outing of the season. "Conditions here were incredible," said 37-year-old Al Qassimi. "The roads were more slippery than anything I have encountered before." As BP-Ford team director Malcolm Wilson celebrated a second title, he said: "It's a fantastic feeling to win again. Nothing will surpass our 2006 title but back-to-back world championships sends out a message about how strong we are as a team. To win with one event remaining is amazing. We've had so much support from the drivers and the entire team, and thanks to Ford for its magnificent backing. Mikko did a perfect job this weekend. After Marcus' retirement, Mikko fully understood the role he had to play this weekend and he did it to perfection." Ford TeamRS director Jost Capito said: "After last year's title success we knew we had to raise our game in 2007 if we wanted to defend it. The reigning champions become the target of all their rivals and it is an old adage in sport that is harder to defend a title than it is to win it in the first place. It gives me great pride to reflect on this achievement and see the confidence throughout the team. I would like to thank Marcus, Timo, Mikko and Jarmo for their leadership. Their passion has inspired everyone in the team to give their very best to help Ford take rallying's crown again." The capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, was celebrating today, as its partner in the FIA World Rally Championship, BP-Ford clinched the Manufacturers’ title of the 2007 series*. Mikko Hirvonen responded perfectly to his brief to finish in sixth place or better, reaching the finish ramp in fourth in the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, the position he held for the duration of the event. The pressure was heaped on the young Finn’s shoulders on the first day of the event, when team-mate Marcus Grönholm crashed out on the fourth stage. Abu Dhabi’s rally representative Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi completed his fourth and final event of the 2007 series in an excellent 15th place overall, to complete his program of directly representing the emirate in the world’s most dramatic form of motorsport. Present to join in the celebrations was Ahmed Hussein, Deputy Director General of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the body responsible for bringing the emirate into the WRC. “Abu Dhabi cars have been seen all around the world this year, from Ireland to New Zealand, and this marvellous achievement rewards the team’s year-round dedication and hard work,” said Ahmed Hussein. “I extend not only my congratulations to everyone in the team but also my thanks, as they are playing a vital role in establishing the name of the UAE capital in all corners of the world. “Rallying is sport without borders and one where everyone is welcome - it is like a big family. This is one of the reasons we chose to partner with what we believe is the world’s most dramatic form of motorsport, and the manufacturers’ victory only adds to what has been a brilliant debut season for Abu Dhabi’s WRC involvement.” Abu Dhabi’s ground-breaking partnership with Ford in the World Rally Championship forms part of its range of initiatives to build awareness of the emirate as a world-class destination for leisure, culture and business. The prominence of the sport, with global TV audiences of 800 million is also the reason why Abu Dhabi has recently become Official Destination Partner of the WRC, giving it further opportunities to promote the destination to the global rally community. BP-Ford World Rally Team Director Malcolm Wilson was also delighted with the team’s achievement this weekend, bringing the second Manufacturer’s title to Ford in as many years. "It has been a solid, reliable drive by Mikko and Jarmo. Mikko fully understood the role he had to play and did that superbly, with increasing maturity throughout the season and he and Jarmo are established as one of the world’s best partnerships and natural successors to their retiring colleagues. “The result of his steady drive this weekend and the whole team’s hard work all season is a second consecutive Manufacturers’ title – it’s a great achievement. We now head to Rally GB looking to win the drivers’ title too and we’ll be giving Marcus all the support he needs to really go for it.” Sheikh Khalid al Qassimi endured a difficult rally, coping with weather conditions that were so bad that even the local drivers, who many expected to excel, were complaining. “What an event! Firstly, congratulations to Marcus, Mikko and the whole team for claiming the Manufacturers’ title, It has been an amazing experience watching them in action and I’m looking forward to linking-up with Mikko again next year. I’m sure that Marcus will also stay close to the WRC family because he has been such an amazing ambassador for the sport. “For me, this season has been about gaining experience and learning the car and the various surfaces I’ve had to contend with in my four events. “I have a lot more WRC events next season, and I would like to again extend my gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon, the ADTA Chairman, everyone in the Authority and of course all of my fans in the UAE who have given me the confidence to represent Abu Dhabi in the WRC. “It is a tremendous honour and one that fills me with pride. I hope I have made everyone proud of Abu Dhabi, and I’ll be going into next season determined to keep on spreading the name of the UAE capital and representing my country to the best of my ability.” With the manufacturers’ title secured, the Abu Dhabi-backed BP-Ford World Rally Team now heads for the final round of the 2007 season, Wales Rally GB where Marcus Grönholm, now trailing Sebastien Loeb by six points after the Frenchman’s win in Ireland, will be hoping for more luck than he had in Ireland. Wales Rally GB runs from 30 November to 2 December, the same weekend as the Middle East Rally Championship season-ending Dubai International Rally. Team Abu Dhabi driver Al Qassimi – who leads the MERC standings by two points - will be hoping home advantage sees him lift a second MERC drivers’ title so he can celebrate alongside Grönholm at the end of the season. *Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA Owen Murphy Second in class in the Hankook Fiesta on RALLY IRELAND Owen Murphy and Liam Brennan finished a creditable 51st on Rally Ireland Owen's first time ever on a WRC event. Owen who was having a ball in the Hankook Fiesta enjoyed his run very much however their was a little disappointment when unfortunately he had a minor off Sunday morning that broke the stub axle and meant he would slip back a few places from a stunning 34th overall where he was Saturday night.. Owen had a 17 minute lead in the class but could re enter the rally under super rally rules even with a 20 minute penalty Owen still finished second in class and 51st overall a great achievement. Owen said after the event we lacked a little luck , people were going off everywhere on this rally turning the car and driving off, the Fiesta broke away and we were unlucky to hit something hard however may be we had a little luck and super rally brought us back into the event and a second in class , Owen said the rally was a great experience the organization was fantastic from the marshalls to the time keepers and every one else involved thank you for a great weekend. I must also thank all the people who helped , Hankook who gave us their full backing our associate sponsors, our service crew ,Tony Kellys service crew , Allister Fisher for the door and every who helped all weekend , Liam Brennan was once again perfect on the notes. Thanks to our sponsors ,Hankook Tyres,O'Flynn Construction,Irish Aggregates, O Brien Crowley Accountants , Nihan Motors,Permafrost and Carnet.ie,in association with Motorsport Ireland and Cork Motor Club. www.owenmurphyrallying.com O’Mahony and Higgins finish Rally Ireland County Cork driver Brian O’Mahony and County Mayo co-driver John Higgins completed a difficult Rally Ireland this weekend (15-18 November) as they finished 65th overall. The recently crowned Dunlop National Championship class 6 champions were third in class six in their OM Concrete Products and Fitz Samuels Insurance-backed Super 1600 Renault Clio, run by O’Leary Motorsport, following four-days of asphalt action. The crew did not have the smoothest of runs on their second appearance at World Rally Championship (WRC) level across their home stages. A broken radiator on the car on day one on Friday meant they had to sit out nine stages before restarting on Saturday under the SupeRally rule with 45 minutes worth of penalties. Further problems struck on the final stage on Saturday when the windscreen steamed-up and, worrying that the radiator fault was going to return, they stopped. Everything appeared to be ok but the windscreen failed to clear and the pair lost even more time. Sunday threw up its fair share of issues as O’Mahony and Higgins got a puncture on the first stage of the day before tackling stage 18 which they had only manage to recce once. The pair were, however, 36th fastest over stage 19 and 29th quickest over the final test before they headed back for the finish ramp in Sligo. There were more problems on the last road section however; as the automatic fans packed up and they were forced to use the manual fans before any damage was inflicted on the engine. “I noticed the engine temperature was getting a little high so I knew there was something wrong, lucky for us there is a fan override switch to turn them on manually,” 23-year-old O’Mahony said. “The rally itself was a fantastic event and it was great to be a part of the first Rally Ireland and compete on a WRC round at home. “At the same time it was a difficult event for us with the problems we had and we didn’t do as well as we’d hoped but we made it round and got a result over the really difficult stages.” Rally Ireland, the penultimate round of the WRC, was O’Mahony and Higgins’ last rally of the 2007 season. Results 1 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) 3h 01m 39.2s, 2 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Citroen C4 WRC) 3h 02m 32.6s, 3 Jari Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (Ford Focus WRC) 3h 03m 27.4s, 4 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (Ford Focus WRC) 3h 03m 56.9s, 5 Petter Solberg/Phil Mills (Subaru Impreza WRC) 3h 04m 35.0s, 6 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Subaru Impreza WRC) 3h 07m 37.1s, 7 Matthew Wilson/Michael Orr (Ford Focus WRC) 3h 11m 44.1s, 8 Gareth MacHale/Allan Harryman (Ford Focus WRC) 3h 12m 47.5s, 9 Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene (Ford Focus WRC) 3h 14m 47.4s, 10 Niall McShea/Marshall Clarke (Subaru Impreza N12B Gp N) 3h 18m 11.3s, 11 Gabriel Pozzo/Daniel Stillo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 3h 18m 55.4s, 12 Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Ford Focus WRC) 3h 19m 18.1s. Group N Production class: 1 Niall McShea/Marshall Clarke, 2 Gabriel Pozzo/Daniel Stillo, 3 Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady (Subaru Impreza N11 GpN) 3h 20m 37.2s. Class winners: Kenneth McHale/Derek McCarthy (Toyota Yaris SR), Jarlath Barry/Kieran Carroll (Honda Civic), Adrian McElhinney/Gary McElhinney (Citroen C2-R2), Toni Kelly/Gemma Price (Honda Civic). Leaders After: SS1 Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautiainen (Ford Focus WRC) SS2-3 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS4 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Citroen C4 WRC) SS5-20 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) Stage Winners: SS1 Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautiainen (Ford Focus WRC) SS2 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS3 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Citroen C4 WRC) SS4 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Citroen C4 WRC) SS5 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS6 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS7 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Citroen C4 WRC) SS8 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS9 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Citroen C4 WRC) SS10 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS11 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS12 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS13 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS14 Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prevot (Subaru Impreza WRC) SS15 Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) SS16 Jari Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (Ford Focus WRC) SS17 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (Ford Focus WRC) SS18 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (Ford Focus WRC) SS19 Jari Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (Ford Focus WRC) SS20 Petter Solberg/Phil Mills (Subaru Impreza WRC) Full Results Package Stage Times, Interim Times, Split Times, Stage Winners Average speeds etc.
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Joe Dier's Audio Podcasts on Wexford Motor Club www.wrc.com - World Rally Championship Official Site PRE EVENT NEWS Eamonn Boland will use his S12 Subaru for Rally Ireland, instead of his newly acquired Ford Focus WRC. 14/11/07 Rally Ireland Stage Change Rally Ireland is shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of lives in a domestic fire in Omagh on Monday Morning. Organisers have learned that the home of a close family member of the victims is adjacent to its Sloughan Glen Stage, scheduled to run on Saturday 17th November. Out of respect to the family, the organisers have shortened the stage and diverted competing cars and spectators away from the area. The spectator areas near the village of Lack, off the B4, will no longer operate. Those wishing to view the rally are advised to go to the spectator areas near Drumquin off the B84. Rally Ireland extends its sympathies to the family at this sad and tragic time. SS11 & 14 (The flying finish will now be located at km 20.95) More Details: 09/11/07 Unofficial News - Whose in, out, codriving and changing cars Out: François Duval, JJ Fleming, Seamus Leonard, Willie Fannin In: Toni Kelly, Michael Cummins and Brian Pat Doherty. Allan Harryman sitting with Gareth MacHale Paul Nagle sitting with Kris Meeke Noel McCarrick to use a Ford Focus WRC George Tracey to use a Ford Focus WRC Alan Ring to use a newly built ADR Evo 9 EDDIE IRVINE RALLIES FOR RED BULL The Red Bull VW Touareg – the top team in cross-country rallying will make a special appearance at the Super Special Stage of WRC– where Rally Ireland will kick off on Thursday the 15th of November in Stormont, Belfast . Northern Ireland ’s own, Eddie Irvine will turn back the clock & take to the wheel of the Red Bull VW Touareg on this very special occasion. Cheered on by his home crowd, expect the ‘Swerve’ to show he still has what it takes when he thrills the crowd with a demonstration of what the Touareg can do. Irvine famously drove in Formula 1 for Jordan and drove with all time great Michael Schumacher at Ferrari. The spectator friendly event, which opens the first ever round of the World Rally Championship to visit these shores, kicks off on Thursday 15th November at 6pm and sees the top rally drivers compete head to head around Parliament Buildings’ grounds and a flying finish over the specially designed Creagh Bridge. Rally Ireland will then move to Sligo where it will be based for the weekend as different stages are held throughout the North -West region. World Rally legend Carlos Sainz recently captured the World driver’s title in the Red Bull VW Touareg but his place in Belfast will be taken by a legend from another sport! The sport is most famous for the epic Dakar Rally, which takes the competitors through the desert planes of West Africa . EMMA AND KENNY ALL SET FOR IRELANDS DEBUT WRC ROUND November 16th to 18th sees an important milestone in the history of Irish Rallying, Irelands first counting round of the world championship. This will be an important milestone in the rallying career of Banbridge driver Emma Mckinstry and co-driver Kenny Hull, as this will be their first taste of a full world rally championship event. With preparations well under way, Emma and Kenny have been overwhelmed by the level of support they have received from sponsors old and new. Regular sponsors Triton Showers, McGaffin Contracts, PROTEC and ID graphics NI have all pledged their support as well as tyre supplier Hankook. New sponsors for this event are JMG Systems, designers and manufacturers of engine control systems and solutions from Omagh, and omni architects. The pair are also delighted to welcome back Powerscreen Ireland and Shannon Holdings as sponsors for this event. The pairing will be using the Mckinstry Motorsport S9 Impreza WRC, as used by Mark Higgins to win the Cork International Rally in 2006. Emma and Kenny commence a two day reconnaissance of the stages on Tuesday next week, with the event kicking off with a head to head super special event in the grounds of Belfast’s Stormont buildings, followed by three days of demanding stages based around counties Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Fermanagh and Tyrone. Once again the Banbridge pairing would like to extend their thanks to all those people mentioned above for their support, without which competing on this event simply would not be possible. 07/11/07 Programmes available 14th November Details: Rally Ireland takes to the Skies! The only thing likely to distract attention from the action on the road will be the whirring of helicopters in the skies above. The inaugural Rally Ireland WRC will transform a small part of Ireland into the aerial epicentre of Europe. More than 60 helicopters will fly between 50 separate, cross-border landing sites. The operation will shade the air transport logistics of all major sporting events previously held in Ireland, including last year's Ryder Cup. "Given the number of helicopters involved and the various sites it is fair to say we expect the operation to exceed the movements at Dublin, Shannon and Cork combined," according to Sé Pardy, Aerial Events Manager for Celtic Helicopters, who also handled the logistics at the Ryder Cup in Co Kildare last summer. "There may have been more helicopters landing at the K Club but it was concentrated on a single site." The sheer complexity of aerial operations is dictated by the unprecedented number of sites involved, which will require full ground-handling facilities, including measures to deal with accidents and emergencies. The major hub at Sligo IT will also require security, check-in, refueling and maintenance facilities. In the air and on the ground safety will, of course, remain the biggest priority. Air traffic control will ensure helicopters comply with mobile exclusion zones, designed to ensure chopper pilots don't distract the rally drivers in their desire to get as close as possible to the action. The volume of sites and number of choppers concentrated in a relatively small area makes co-ordination vital. "We have had full support from Sligo and Enniskillen airports, where we have had meetings for the past eight months," Pardy explained. "We have also surveyed every site, which mainly consist of playing pitches and farmers' fields." Fixed wing aircraft also comes into play in ensuring that the event runs smoothly, with Aer Arann set to transport all the top competitors from Sligo to George Best Belfast City Airport, just two miles from the Stormont Estate, on Thursday for the Super Special Stage and opening ceremonies. An additional plane will fly over the rally route throughout the event, loaded with high-tech gadgetry that receives signals from the competing cars and bounces them back down to Rally Headquarters, ensuring that timing information and the car’s locations are tracked to within hundredths of a second. Most of the helicopters are privately owned and all of them will have been registered prior to the event. Those fortunate enough to experience the event in the air will obviously benefit by being able to see more of the rally and by gaining access to the kind of terrain that can be difficult to reach by road. The rally caps a busy year for Pardy who, aside from the Ryder Cup, has already handled many high-profile events, including the Bray Air Show and the Budweiser Irish Derby. He is confident the rally will represent his biggest success to date. "Arnold Palmer cited our handling of the Ryder Cup as 'a triumph of organisation'. It was a great endorsement but we judge our success on being appointed to an event the next time round and we are always determined to get things right." Northern Ireland's largest Skoda retailer to represent Ireland on the world stage at Rally Ireland! Northern Ireland's largest Skoda retailer to represent Ireland on the world stage with the only Skoda Fabia diesel EVER to participate in the FIA World Rally Championship! Next month's Rally Ireland may be the first time that Ireland will host a round of the prestigious FIA World Rally Championship, but it also marks a special occasion for one successful Randalstown businessman. John Mulholland, managing director of Northern Ireland's largest Skoda retailer, is set to represent Ireland on the world stage with the only Skoda Fabia diesel rally car ever to participate at a round of the FIA World Rally Championship in the history of the series! John will be rubbing shoulders with some of the world's elite when he enters next month's cross-border event, which starts at Stormont on Thursday 15 November. His John Mulholland Motors and NIIB backed Skoda Fabia vRS TDi, which boasts in having more than 200bhp, will be a unique car in the 90-strong field. "This will be a boyhood dream come true for me," John enthused. "When I was 12 or 13 years old, I remember getting a bus to Belfast to watch the start of the Circuit of Ireland. Year after year, I stood tirelessly collecting autographs of all the world class drivers such as Timo Makinen, Per Eklund, Henri Toivenen, Stig Blomqvist and many others. Now I find myself lining up in my Skoda alongside the world's best, it's great! I just need to get to the finish now, but I'll carry her over the line if I have to!" John is no stranger to the rally scene, and has brought his diesel Skoda Fabia rally car to numerous successes since he started driving the tarmac munching machine in 2006. Even multiple Irish and British rally champion, Billy Coleman, gave the car his seal of approval, when he jumped behind the wheel at a rain-soaked Rally Ireland test stage in July earlier this year. "It was my first time driving a diesel rally car and my first time driving a front wheel drive car on a stage!" Coleman admitted. "It was a very different sensation of speed because it has a very low revving engine, but it was very good and predictable. It's just a shame it was so wet, the conditions weren't ideal but the car was impressive." John's impressive Skoda mount will burst into action in front of live television cameras when the rally kicks off at Stormont on Thursday 15 November. One stage will be held around Parliament Buildings, before all crews return to the event headquarters in Sligo. Action will resume on Friday 16 November, when John will tackle the first of three long days of rally action, before crossing the finish ramp on Sunday 18 November. 21/10/07 Rally Round – It’s Coming! The countdown to Rally Ireland has begun in earnest today with the release of the entry list of the 90 competitors who will take to the roads of Belfast and the north-western border counties next month as Ireland makes its debut in the World Rally Championship. Twenty one countries are represented on the Rally Ireland entry list, with competitors coming from as far as Qatar, Japan and the USA, and an impressive entry of 53 competitors from the island of Ireland, north and south. The Key battle on the event is likely to be between reigning World Champion Sébastien Loeb, the French Citroen competitor and Finland’s Marcus Gronholm of BP Ford, who currently leads the Driver’s Championship by just four points. The only female driver taking part is Emma McKinstry from Banbridge, County Down. A daughter of Irish rally legend Kenny McKinstry, Emma has competed in the 2006 Rally Ireland candidate event and is a regular on national and International rallies. The three members of the MacHale family are also set to make an impression as father Austin and sons Gareth and Aaron all take to the roads in their Ford Focus WRC cars. In a country that has a higher percentage of WRC cars than any other in the world, 34 WRC cars are entered, with 11 makes from BMW to Toyota making the start list. All will be competing for one prize; the “Hands Across the Divide” trophy specially commissioned by Rally Ireland. The four days of action kick off with the Super Special Stage at Stormont on 15th November, where the best in the world compete head to head on a specially designed circuit of Parliament Buildings and Stormont Castle. The following three days see the rally action take to the roads of Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Roscommon, Fermanagh and Tyrone. Action on the Tyrone and Fermanagh stages will focus on Saturday and Sunday of the event before the final stages on the Atlantic coast in Donegal and Sligo. Tickets for the Super Special Stage are available online at www.ticketmaster.ie and are priced from £12.50 upwards. Park and Ride facilities will be available for Stormont and some of the Special Stages, with all the latest spectator and sporting information to be found on the rally website 17/10/07 List of Entries on the official website under "Competitors" 05/10/07 20/09/07 Superspecial Tickets on Sale from 9:00am Friday 21st September 03/09/07 Entries open for inaugural World Rally Championship Event Rally Ireland, which sees the World Rally Championship (WRC) come to these shores for the first time ever in November, is now accepting entries from competitors. The event, which kicks off with a Super Special Stage at Stormont, Belfast’s Parliament Buildings, on 15th November, will see three days of cross-border rally action in the north-western counties and a Service Park based in Sligo. Ninety cars will be entered in Rally Ireland with all the major manufacturers’ teams, including Citroen and Ford, represented. The event is also a round of the Production Car World Championship. Clerk of the Course Tom Walsh said: “We’re certain that we will have a large number of entries from national and overseas competitors alike and that will ensure we have the best possible mix of sporting talent for our WRC debut.” With a nail-biting 0.3 seconds between them on the most recent round in New Zealand and just 10 points separating the two top drivers, Marcus Gronholm from Finland, and France’s Sebastian Loeb, Rally Ireland could well see a Championship decider on the November event. 03/09/07 Regulations available! .....on the rally website under "Competitors": 17/06/07 Rally legend Billy Coleman drives diesel Skoda Fabia vRS at Stormont! Rally legend Billy Coleman climbed behind the wheel of a Skoda Fabia vRS diesel rally car last Friday and raced around Belfast’s Parliament Buildings at Stormont, in what was a pre-Rally Ireland test day. The venue will play host to the ceremonial start and will provide the opening stage of the four day event on Thursday 15 November, which will see the world’s top stars and teams arrive in the country for round 15 of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). The cross-border event marks the first time that Ireland has hosted a round of the WRC. Plans are already well in advance and last week’s test day saw rally cars go head to head at the specially designed track within the grounds of Stormont. Randlestown’s John Mulholland kindly provided one of just 19 cars in action, giving rally legend Billy Coleman his first taste of diesel rally power. Coleman, a former Irish Tarmac and British Rally Champion, was full of praise for the NIIB Finance backed car, and despite the difficult wet conditions, he thoroughly enjoyed his ride. “It was my first time driving a diesel rally car and my first time driving a front wheel drive car on a stage!” Coleman admitted. “It was a very different sensation of speed because it has a very low revving engine, but it was very good and predictable. It’s just a shame it was so wet, the conditions weren’t ideal but the car was impressive.” Coleman even showed multiple British and Irish champion, Jimmy McRae, the delights of the car. McRae, who is father of 1995 World Champion, Colin McRae, was equally impressed by the power and torque of the 200bhp Skoda. “I’ve driven a few road car Fabia vRS and I’ve always thought they would make a good clubman rally car,” McRae said. “I had a look around John’s car and it looks really well. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to drive it as the day was hectic, but maybe another time!” The car’s owner, Randlestown based dealer, John Mulholland, is hoping to enter Ireland’s round of the World Championship in November with the diesel Skoda. However, he has other outings planned between now and November, including next month’s Armagh based Ulster Rally. The two day event starts on Friday 31 August and John will be aiming to repeat last year’s success which saw him finish second in class. Building Bridges at Stormont ........ 16/07/07 Rally Ireland Building Bridges at Stormont Rally Ireland, the cross-border round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) which takes place this November, took over the grounds of Belfast’s Parliament Buildings at Stormont this weekend to test a new bridge designed to add top-class excitement to the opening of the event. Almost twenty top rally drivers including Jimmy McRae and Billy Coleman, were on hand to test the new Creagh Bridge, built by Northern Ireland company Creagh Concrete, which will provide an adrenaline-filled finale to the stage. The four-day event opens with a Super Special Stage in Stormont on November 15th, where rally cars compete head to head over a specially-designed circuit of the Stormont grounds, finishing with a spectacular jump over the bridge. Sport NI Chairman Eamonn McCartan said: “We are thrilled to be sponsors of Rally Ireland for the first time that the World Championship comes to these shores. This test is proof positive that we have the capacity to deliver world-class sporting events and our strong grounding in motorsport through the many clubs north and south will ensure that Rally Ireland in November is a treat for competitors and spectators alike.” John Rafferty, Head of Product Marketing at Fáilte Ireland was equally impressed by the test stage and said: “Our objective in sponsoring Rally Ireland is to showcase Ireland to the world as a truly spectacular natural sporting arena and tourism destination. Rally Ireland takes in eight counties, north and south, from the splendour of Stormont to the majestic mountains and countryside of Sligo and Donegal. We believe that Rally Ireland will showcase the very best welcome that Ireland has to offer in terms of scenery, hospitality and attractions to the world and encourage people to come back time and time again, and indeed bring new visitors for Rally Ireland when it is expected to return in 2009 and thereafter.” Rally Ireland makes its debut in the WRC this November with a four day cross-border event starting in Belfast and finishing in Sligo. The 1,100 km long event run on tarmac roads in the North West will be the island’s largest sporting event attracting 150,000 spectators. The WRC has a global TV audience of more than 800 million viewers in 180 countries. Rally Ireland is jointly funded by Fáilte Ireland and Sport NI. Under new proposals from the sport’s governing body, the FIA, Ireland, subject to running a satisfactory premier event this November, would next host a round of the prestigious series in 2009 and again in 2011. 28/06/07 World Rally Championship set to stay in Ireland Rally Ireland has welcomed the news that Ireland is now on track to host a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) on a bi-annual basis. The news was released today by motorsports’ world governing body, the FIA, following a meeting in Paris that will see 24 countries host a round of the WRC once every second year. Rally Ireland makes its debut in the WRC this November with a four day cross-border event starting in Belfast and finishing in Sligo. The 1,100 km long event run on tarmac roads in the North West will be the island’s largest sporting event attracting 150,000 spectators. Rally Ireland was founded by Seán O’Connor and Ronan Morgan in 2005 and is jointly funded by Fáilte Ireland and Sport NI. Under the new proposals Ireland, subject to running a satisfactory premier event this November, would next host a round of the prestigious series in 2009 and again in 2011. “This is great news for Ireland and the culmination of three years hard work by thousands of volunteers and officials ‘’ said Ronan Morgan. “We welcome the FIA move as it will introduce much needed stability into the series.” “Our team now has a clear goal to put on a top class event this year and so ensure a long term place in the world championship for the island of Ireland,” said Sean O’Connor Currently the WRC series is made up of sixteen rounds and includes famous rounds such as Monte Carlo and 1,000 Lakes Finland. Under the new format which, will start in 2009, the series will feature twelve rounds on an annual basis. The WRC has a global TV audience of more than 800 million viewers in 180 countries. 18/06/07 Rally Ireland Website Re-Launched. 15/06/07 Rally Guide 1 available on the rally website under "Competitors": 30/04/07 FIA PRESIDENT TO ATTEND RALLY IRELAND President of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), Max Mosley, will attend a lunch in Dublin and the official start of Rally Ireland at Stormont Castle on 15th November next. President Mosley’s visit is most welcome as he has provided much encouragement to Motorsport Ireland throughout the long and sometimes difficult process of gaining a round of the FIA World Rally Championship for Ireland. Commenting on his visit President Mosley said: “Ireland is particularly suited to hosting an event at the top level of rallying as it offers a unique cross-border course with varied terrain and stunning scenery. I am looking forward to attending the first ever FIA World Championship event in the region.” Rally Ireland will be the largest sporting event in Ireland this year with 150,000 spectators expected over the four days (15-18 November) of the event. Rally headquarters will be at the Clarion Hotel in Sligo with the Service Park nearby. The route takes the event to counties Fermanagh, Tyrone, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan, and Roscommon. 04/04/07 Venue and Routes announced for Rally Ireland Rally Ireland has today announced the venue and routes for the Irish round of the World Rally Championship. "The challenging tarmac stages for Rally Ireland pass through some of the most scenic landscape that the island of Ireland has to offer. Given the great array of international talent that will compete, I’m confident that the event will be a sporting triumph and great entertainment for committed rally fans and first time visitors alike," said Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O’Donoghue TD. "This event will be great fun to watch. One of the key strengths of Rally Ireland’s bid in securing this Championship was the unique cross-border nature of it. We believe that this is the best location in the world for WRC and that Irish and international spectators alike will agree with that," he concluded. Speaking at a simultaneous announcement at Stormont Parliament Buildings in Belfast, Minister at the Northern Ireland Office Paul Goggins MP said: "Having the opportunity to bring the WRC to a well-known venue such as Stormont means that thousands of spectators will get the opportunity for the first time ever to experience the thrills of this exciting sport. "I’m sure that having the opening stage here will greatly increase the sports’ following in Northern Ireland. With many millions of people viewing the event in over 200 territories around the world, kicking off this world championship round at Stormont will be another wonder full opportunity to raise the profile of Northern Ireland internationally." Rally Ireland will be the biggest sporting event on the island of Ireland in 2007 and could see up to 150,000 live spectators. The event has introduced a major carbon reduction initiative with the goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 50% this year. Rally Ireland is seeking to secure a long-term slot in the World Rally Championship calendar, and is confident that the support and enthusiasm of spectators and competitors alike will help them secure that objective. Also attending the announcement were John Naylor, Chairman of Motorsport Ireland, the governing body of the sport, John Rafferty, Head of Product Marketing and Keelin O’Rourke, Sports Tourism Officer from Fáilte Ireland. Clerk of the Course Tom Walsh and Assistant Clerk of the Course Noel Clarke were on hand to show the route to the Minister and guests. The event begins on Thursday 15 November with the Super Special Stage in the grounds of the Stormont Parliament Buildings in Belfast. This spectator-friendly event will see two cars at a time competing head to head on a specially designed loop of the Stormont grounds. Competition over the four days will also take in a route that covers seven more counties in the north-west of the island: Fermanagh, Tyrone, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan and Roscommon. Rally Headquarters will be at The Clarion Hotel in Sligo and the Service Park, where all necessary mechanical work on competing vehicles is carried out, will be at Sligo Institute of Technology. "The route of the event covers one quarter of the counties on the island of Ireland, north and south. That gives us a phenomenal opportunity to reach out to existing fans, but it will also encourage others to come out and see a rally for the first time in their lives, knowing that they’ll be watching the best drivers in the world," said Rally Ireland Co-Promoter Ronan Morgan. Rally Ireland is the penultimate round of the World Rally Championships and will take place from 15-18 November. 27/03/07 Open Letter from COC Tom Walsh to All Motor Clubs and Rally followers November 2007 will be a momentous time for Irish motor sport when for the first time we host a round of an FIA World Championship. November 15th to 18th 2007 is the date for Rally Ireland WRC, round 15 of the World Rally Championship and is a major achievement for Irish Rallying North and South. It is the result of a number of years of hard work by a close group of promoters and enthusiasts, with the support of Motorsport Ireland, The Association of Northern Ireland Car Clubs and the Motor Clubs throughout Ireland. Ireland has a place in the 2007 World Rally Championship but is effectively on trial as the FIA seek to find the best 16 events from the 22 that are scheduled to run over 2007 and 2008. All rounds of the WRC (old and new) will be evaluated under a new scoring system over the two years and the FIA will then decide the best 16 for 2009 and future years. As you can see it is essential that we run the best WRC round in the world if we are to maintain our position in the championship long term. The major difference between organising a round of the World Rally Championship and one of our existing major rallies, apart from the scale of everything, is meeting the exacting requirements of the FIA and the Manufacturer Teams who operate on a totally professional basis. They expect the organisers of a WRC round to meet their many almost daily demands for information and services. There are a number of areas which pose a particular challenge for Rally Ireland: Route: As the rally is a joint North/South venture supported by both Governments, we have an obligation to deliver a rally which is equally divided between North and South in terms of special stages and economic benefit. From a WRC perspective we must run a minimum of 340km and maximum of 360km of special stages with the distance of each loop between visits to the Service Park set at minimum 40km and a maximum of 60km. In addition the entire rally must be serviced from one Service Park. Special Stages: The efficient and safe running of all special stages at their scheduled time will be a key requirement for a successful rally. In order to do so we will need excellent spectator management and control. There will be a substantial impact on local communities from the number of spectators and traffic in the area during the running of the rally. The WRC media including the TV and Radio crews will need access to stage starts and finishes to conduct interviews and arrangements must be made to give them access while the stage is running. In addition there will be specific media points on stages. We will appoint Special Stage Mangers to take overall charge of each special stage with responsibility for putting together the team to run the stage including all marshals. They will be supported by a Stage Commander who will take the normal stage commanders role when the stage is live with the Special Stage Manager looking after all the other peripheral issues. Each stage will also have a specific Stage Safety Officer. Service Park: The Service Park is the centre of the rally and is used as a base for the teams for the week of the event. The WRC teams normally start arriving in the service park on the Monday of the event and will construct their base for completion on Tuesday. The manufacturer teams must get a space 40mtrs by 20mtrs each which includes their hospitality units. These spaces must be serviced with electricity, communications, water and waste disposal. ISC, who provide the timing, tracking and TV coverage of the WRC, must get approximately 80mtrs by 30mtrs in the main area of the Service Park. Tyre manufacturers and other trade affiliates also need considerable space. Spectators: In Ireland we normally have high numbers of spectators and it is anticipated that Rally Ireland will attract even greater numbers who must be catered for in a controlled way. Movement of spectators will be a major issue as we must ensure that it does not interfere with competitors on road sections. A traffic plan will have to be implemented throughout the route, in conjunction with An Garda Siochana and the PSNI. The management of spectators a
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