Participation in the Rally Talsi 2012 is confirmed by the World Rally Championship participant Mads Ostberg with the co-driver Jonas Andersson, who in the recent Rally de Portugal won their first WRC victory and are currently third in this year’s overall. The rising rally star and the Norway Rally Champion 2011 enjoyed his first round of the World Rally Championship already at the age of 19, and right now he represents the “Adapta World Rally Team”.In the “Rally Talsi 2012” Ostberg will represent the team „MML Sports - ASRT” with the N4 group Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, thus evening up the technical strength with other participants of the Rally of Champions.

Last year for the second year in turn the title of the Latvian Rally Champion in the N4 group was gained by the „LMT Rally Team” crew consisting of Andis Neikšāns and Pēteris Dzirkals, for whom last year the fight for victory in Talsi ended in the last stage due to a damaged tire. This year this crew starts also in the Rally Class of the World Rally Championship, and in the WRC round in Portugal they won the high second place in the N4 group.

In the Rally of Champions behind the start line it will be possible see another crew from Latvia — Jānis Vorobjovs with the co-driver Guntars Zicāns, who with the N4 group Mitsubishi Evo X concluded the last season as the Estonian rally champions overall. In the Rally of Champions the champion’s title will be defended also by the Estonian N4 group champions Kaspar Koitla/Andres Ots.

This year the crew of Vytautas Švedas and Žilvinas Sakalauskas will defend not only the honor of the Lithuanian, Baltic and NEZ champions, but also the Champions’ Cup, which they won last year in Talsi. The Champions’ List is concluded by Dmitry Tagirov — the Russian Sports Master and the Russian Rally Champion 2011 overall, who in the Rally Talsi 2012 will participate together with Anna Zavershinskaya.

“I am glad to announce to rally fans and participants the composition of the Rally of Champions 2012. This will be a great possibility both for local and foreign sportsmen to compete with one of the leading WRC crews. Besides, it will be even more intriguing because Mads Ostberg will start with the N4 group rally car. Sportsmen and spectators can await an exciting weekend in May,” tells the Rally organizer Raimonds Strokšs.

As usual also this year the Rally Talsi will be not only a motorsports event, but also an entertainment programme for the spectators — different activities in the Talsi City and the grand concert and disco between both rally days in the Open-air Stage Sauleskalns. Further information about the event programme and tickets will be announced in the near future.