Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian legendary rally teams will compete for the Cup of Mārtiņš Sesks, who is the founder of Rally Kurzeme. The race will feature three famous drivers on each team: Ivars Caune, Andris Kārkliņš and Agris Staņēvičs on Latvian team, Eugenijus Tumalevicius, Rolandas Mackevicius, and Egidijus Paulauskas on Lithuanian team, and Margus Murakas, Raido Rüütel, and Russian driver Stanislav Gryazin will compete on Estonian team.

"For one event we have gathered rally legends, who have won countless USSR, national championships, as well as international rallies. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Rally Kurzeme these men will return to the rally track and rally fans will be able to experience them fighting in a fierce battle for victory, in spite of the fact that some of them have left rally racing ten years ago, they have not lost their excitement for competition and excellent skill achieved during thousands of kilometres they have driven in these races,” says the director of Speed Festival Rally Kurzeme 2015 Uldis Hmieļevskis.

In the Battle of Rally Legends all the drivers will race in Ford Escort MK2 with rear-wheel drive manufactured during 1970s which were among the best rally cars at the time. Their power exceeds 200 HP, which means that even these outstanding racers will have to be trying really hard to achieve the best possible results.

"The fans have repeatedly discussed, what the results would be, if some drivers had faster cars or had not been experiencing technical difficulties during the race. The Battle of Rally Legends will be a unique opportunity to determine who is really the fastest driver," explained Hmieļevskis.

The Battle of Rally Legends will be a team race, and the winner will be determined by the sum of all the results scored by all members of each team.

During semi-final each team will compete against the two other teams. There will be simultaneously two drivers on the track, and the winner of the race consisting of three laps will receive two points. The winners of the semi-final will participate in the final, whereas the two remaining teams will compete against each other in one last battle. The two most successful teams will compete in the final for the King of Gravel title.

The Battle of Rally Legends will start in no less legendary Vecpils track, where at 12:30 the final race on Radio Skonto Vecpils autocross track will determine who will be the King of Gravel. The battle for the Rally Legends Cup will take place on Saturday evening on Liepaja super special stage, where at 7 pm teams will compete again against one another. This time each driver and co-driver will race in one lap. The team showing the best result in standings will be determined by the results from races on Radio Skonto Vecpils autocross track and Liepaja special stage.

The Battle of Rally Legends on both Radio Skonto Vecpils autocross track and Liepaja super special stage Liepaja Port will take place soon after Rally Kurzeme 2015 stage, thus the fans will be able to follow the race on these stages already from 11:00 and 17:30. Also on both locations of the Battle of Rally Legends there will be catering services available, whereas children will have an opportunity to take part in creative workshops in Liepaja and Vecpils which will be available all day.

The entrance in SS7 Radio Skonto and SSS12 Liepājas osta, as well as in the Battle of Rally Legends and other competitions taking place along these races will be available with Spectator's Cards designed for attending the Speed Festival, or with one-time ticket for separate rally special stages for 10 euros which will be sold at the selling points located at the stages.

For information:

Rally “Kurzeme” is the oldest and tradition-richest rally in the Baltic States. This year rally “Kurzeme” celebrates its 50th anniversary. The significant anniversary celebrations began already in April when 50 cherry trees were planted next to the legendary speed stage Vecpils. The exhibition “From the garage to the victory” in the garage of the Liepaja museum, address: 16/18 Kurmajas avenue (Kūrmājas prospektā), takes the visitors through the development and rally history. The exhibition is on view until August 31. The festivities will culminate with the Speed Festival in Liepaja - rally „Kurzeme” from August 27 to August 30.

Speed festival - rally "Kurzeme 2015" is organized in co-operation with "LDz Cargo", Liepaja city, “Lauma Fabrics”, “VEGA 1”, “Canon Business Center’’, “LDC Datortehnika” “Cēsu Alus”, “IF Apdrošināšana”, official auto – “Nissan” from “Skandi Motors”.

Tickets can be purchased in five Kurzeme region’s Tourism information centres: in Liepaja, Kuldiga, Saldus, Talsi and Tukums, in more than 40 “top!” shops in Kurzeme and Jelgava, in auto centres “Skandi Motors” in Liepaja and Riga, as well as in the cash registers of “Biļešu serviss” and in on-line sales point “Bilesuserviss.lv”.

Dzintars Hmielevskis (Dzintars Hmieļevskis), Press Representative of Rally “Kurzeme”