Cyprus Rally 2009 Mixed surface event

PRESS RELEASE


2009 FIA World Rally Championship
Round 3 - Cyprus Rally - 13-15 March 2009

CYPRUS BREAKS NEW GROUND IN WRC RETURN


With rally fans already celebrating the return of the Cyprus Rally to next year’s FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), excitement levels ratcheted up another notch today with confirmation that the 2009 Cyprus Rally will be a mixed surface event. A WRC first!

The organizers of the Cyprus event, the Cyprus Automobile Association (CAA), have been quick to take advantage of the WRC commission’s ruling allowing events to incorporate alternate surfaces. The CAA has confirmed that it has designed Day 1 of next March’s Cyprus Rally as an asphalt leg, while Days 2 and 3 will continue to offer the sort of challenging gravel stages for which the event is renowned.

Clerk of the Course Takis Kyriakides spoke about the announcement today: “This is great news for competitors and spectators alike and is a great way to mark our return to the WRC. We’re already excited about welcoming the WRC back to Cyprus next year, and this adds a little extra spice to our event. We’ll be leading the way in world rallying by being the first to test out this new itinerary and I’ve already been contacted by the organisers of other WRC events who are all keen to see how we deal with the challenge so that they can incorporate it into their events. Cyprus is a holiday island with a strong rallying legacy and our ability to host a mixed-surface event such as this shows how much our island continues to offer to the world of motorsport.”

The Cyprus Rally will be one of 4 events rewarding points for next year’s Junior and Production WRC championships and the news that a third of the event is to be run on asphalt is sure to cheer the crews, especially those tackling the Rally in 2-wheel-drive vehicles. Plus, the new format will mean minimal double-use of gravel stages.

Very interesting & I feel that it will not be the last rally with this mixed format in 2009.

Let's bring back a mixed surface San Remo Rally and also the mixed Catalunya rally, both had great gravel stage's. ;)

Interesting.. :-) So, If they don't change the road position rule then we can think what is going to happen? Are Citroen's going to the limit on asphalt to take big enough gap? It is also said that they are going to use less stages twice :-) That adds another dimension to the sport for sure :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Leon

PRESS RELEASE


2009 FIA World Rally Championship
Round 3 - Cyprus Rally - 13-15 March 2009

CYPRUS BREAKS NEW GROUND IN WRC RETURN


With rally fans already celebrating the return of the Cyprus Rally to next year’s FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), excitement levels ratcheted up another notch today with confirmation that the 2009 Cyprus Rally will be a mixed surface event. A WRC first!

The organizers of the Cyprus event, the Cyprus Automobile Association (CAA), have been quick to take advantage of the WRC commission’s ruling allowing events to incorporate alternate surfaces. The CAA has confirmed that it has designed Day 1 of next March’s Cyprus Rally as an asphalt leg, while Days 2 and 3 will continue to offer the sort of challenging gravel stages for which the event is renowned.

Clerk of the Course Takis Kyriakides spoke about the announcement today: “This is great news for competitors and spectators alike and is a great way to mark our return to the WRC. We’re already excited about welcoming the WRC back to Cyprus next year, and this adds a little extra spice to our event. We’ll be leading the way in world rallying by being the first to test out this new itinerary and I’ve already been contacted by the organisers of other WRC events who are all keen to see how we deal with the challenge so that they can incorporate it into their events. Cyprus is a holiday island with a strong rallying legacy and our ability to host a mixed-surface event such as this shows how much our island continues to offer to the world of motorsport.”

The Cyprus Rally will be one of 4 events rewarding points for next year’s Junior and Production WRC championships and the news that a third of the event is to be run on asphalt is sure to cheer the crews, especially those tackling the Rally in 2-wheel-drive vehicles. Plus, the new format will mean minimal double-use of gravel stages.

---

I wasn't aware that Rallyfans were celebrating the return of Cyprus. But I take my hat off to them for this bold move. And about time to - next we hope is the return of San Remo to it's rightful place. Let's hope the Manufacturers don't kick up a stink.

Very nice move by the organisers....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AndyRAC

I wasn't aware that Rallyfans were celebrating the return of Cyprus.

---

I don´t know if you ever visit Cyprus or the Cyprus rally, but there are a lot of rally fans in the event. Some of them are from this forum also. And yes as a rally fan I´ m celebrating the return of Cyprus in the WRC.

If you ever decide to visit us you are welcome. you will have un anforgettable experience for many reasons.

As it happens to all aspects in life, this is about preferences also..some people like it, some not.

And last....I don´t claim that the Cyprus rally is the perfect event.

Good news, hopefully San Remo and Cataluña will do the same.

wonder how much this idea will save the teams money.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tomi

wonder how much this idea will save the teams money.

---

Do you mean in the fact they will have to carry a great deal more spares & equipment to the event in order to carry out the conversion from tarmac to gravel & back again?

Will make shakedown interesting? A morning shakedown stage on gravel with a busy service park over lunch before a tarmac shakedown in the afternoon!?! Plus the change back if needed in case the first stage is then gravel. Just a little bit of extra work to do.

But it will make it more interesting for the fans.