raybak
29th September 2010, 10:04
Here's a press release from CAMS regarding Rally Australia. Good news for all as the roads are so much better.
Rally Australia, Australia's round of the FIA World Rally Championship ("WRC"), will relocate to Coffs Harbour from 2011.
Coffs Coast has played a major role in Australian rally history, hosting many competitive stages of the famous International Southern Cross Rally in the 1960s and 1970s and more recently, regularly hosting a round of the Australian Rally Championship. The area, with its myriad of well maintained gravel forestry and shire roads, is regarded as having some of the best rally stages in Australia.
In announcing the move, President of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport ("CAMS") Mr Andrew Papadopoulos said the new location would allow the event to be designed on more compact lines and would bring to competitors and manufacturers in the WRC some of the most exciting and spectacular rally stages Australia could offer, based in one of Australia's most famous coastal regions.
"We are disappointed to be leaving the Northern Rivers area. We had very strong support there from the councils of Tweed and Kyogle, the local businesses and the majority of residents and I thank all those people for their support,” Mr Papadopoulos said.
“However, during this year we have in conjunction with our sporting officials and independent consultants and with considerable feedback from the FIA, North One Sport (the commercial rights holder for the World Rally Championship) and various teams and manufacturers, come to the conclusion that despite the overwhelming support we received, it is simply not feasible or practical to locate the event there in the future.”
Mr Papadopoulos said that a meeting of the FIA WRC Commission in Paris yesterday had endorsed the change of venue.
In welcoming the rally, the Mayor of Coffs Harbour City Council, Councillor Keith Rhoades said: “This is an absolutely fantastic opportunity for the Coffs Harbour region. The World Rally Championship is broadcast in 186 countries and has a global audience of 53 million viewers. From an economic perspective, we would see around $15 million directly injected into the local economy through this one event alone. Coffs Harbour has successfully staged legs of the Australian Championships in the past and I’m confident we will provide a great venue for the World Rally Championships in 2011.”
The three local government areas in the Coffs Coast region comprise the Coffs Harbour City Council, Bellingen Shire Council and Nambucca Shire Council.
Planning for the rally will commence immediately with extensive community consultation with all affected parties in particular the local councils in relation to the choice of the exact route and location of event infrastructure such as the Service Park, Media Centre and Rally Headquarters.
Mayor Rhoades stated: "There are many options available because we have been used to hosting rallies now for many decades. But securing a major world class event of this magnitude and significance is something for us all to be extremely pleased about."
The date of the event will be finalised soon pending discussions with television networks, the WRC Commercial Rights Holder (North One Sport) and the FIA, plus local resorts and businesses.
The Coffs Coast is located 500kms north of Sydney.
The Coffs Harbour Airport, the busiest regional airport on Australia's East Coast, has frequent regular direct jet flights to Sydney and Brisbane. It has a large accommodation base ranging from 4 star resorts to serviced apartments, hotels and motels, and budget-priced accommodation. September weather in Coffs is typically warm, dry and perfect for both interstate and overseas visitors.
Rally Australia, Australia's round of the FIA World Rally Championship ("WRC"), will relocate to Coffs Harbour from 2011.
Coffs Coast has played a major role in Australian rally history, hosting many competitive stages of the famous International Southern Cross Rally in the 1960s and 1970s and more recently, regularly hosting a round of the Australian Rally Championship. The area, with its myriad of well maintained gravel forestry and shire roads, is regarded as having some of the best rally stages in Australia.
In announcing the move, President of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport ("CAMS") Mr Andrew Papadopoulos said the new location would allow the event to be designed on more compact lines and would bring to competitors and manufacturers in the WRC some of the most exciting and spectacular rally stages Australia could offer, based in one of Australia's most famous coastal regions.
"We are disappointed to be leaving the Northern Rivers area. We had very strong support there from the councils of Tweed and Kyogle, the local businesses and the majority of residents and I thank all those people for their support,” Mr Papadopoulos said.
“However, during this year we have in conjunction with our sporting officials and independent consultants and with considerable feedback from the FIA, North One Sport (the commercial rights holder for the World Rally Championship) and various teams and manufacturers, come to the conclusion that despite the overwhelming support we received, it is simply not feasible or practical to locate the event there in the future.”
Mr Papadopoulos said that a meeting of the FIA WRC Commission in Paris yesterday had endorsed the change of venue.
In welcoming the rally, the Mayor of Coffs Harbour City Council, Councillor Keith Rhoades said: “This is an absolutely fantastic opportunity for the Coffs Harbour region. The World Rally Championship is broadcast in 186 countries and has a global audience of 53 million viewers. From an economic perspective, we would see around $15 million directly injected into the local economy through this one event alone. Coffs Harbour has successfully staged legs of the Australian Championships in the past and I’m confident we will provide a great venue for the World Rally Championships in 2011.”
The three local government areas in the Coffs Coast region comprise the Coffs Harbour City Council, Bellingen Shire Council and Nambucca Shire Council.
Planning for the rally will commence immediately with extensive community consultation with all affected parties in particular the local councils in relation to the choice of the exact route and location of event infrastructure such as the Service Park, Media Centre and Rally Headquarters.
Mayor Rhoades stated: "There are many options available because we have been used to hosting rallies now for many decades. But securing a major world class event of this magnitude and significance is something for us all to be extremely pleased about."
The date of the event will be finalised soon pending discussions with television networks, the WRC Commercial Rights Holder (North One Sport) and the FIA, plus local resorts and businesses.
The Coffs Coast is located 500kms north of Sydney.
The Coffs Harbour Airport, the busiest regional airport on Australia's East Coast, has frequent regular direct jet flights to Sydney and Brisbane. It has a large accommodation base ranging from 4 star resorts to serviced apartments, hotels and motels, and budget-priced accommodation. September weather in Coffs is typically warm, dry and perfect for both interstate and overseas visitors.