Participation in Rally Talsi has been confirmed by the Latvian Rally Champion Aivis Egle (PROSPEED) starting with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX car. It has been announced that Aivis Egle, who won the Champions’ Cup in 2009, this year does not plan to start in the Latvian Rally Championship, and Rally Talsi will be his only start in this rally season in Latvia.

“Rally Talsi is held near my place of abode, and in this competition I have always felt great support from spectators. Besides, this year I have been invited to participate in the Rally of Champions, and I cannot miss such an opportunity,” Aivis Egle comments upon the upcoming start in Rally Talsi. “Willingness to sit once more behind the wheel of a rally car has not been lost, it still is the same as when driving full season. Although this year I have not started in rally events organized in Latvia, I will do my best to ensure that the Champions’ Cup remains in Latvia!”

This year Rally Talsi has been included also in the calendar of the Lithuanian Auto Rally Championship, and this time the honor of the neighboring country in the Rally of Champions will be defended by Ramunas Čapkauskas (CAPKAUSKAS RACING) starting in Talsi with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX car. “The last time when we participated in the rally competition was more than three months ago, and since then we have been working hard to improve several aspects of the car, among others we have changed shock and a gear box,” Ramunas Čapkauskas tells about preparation for participation in Rally Talsi. “The main task is to get to the Rally Talsi finish line. I hope that we will manage to find our pace so that we can drive safely, but at the same time fast. If we manage to do that, then no doubt we will be able to compete for high positions.”

The third participant of the Rally of Champions will be the Belarusian Rally Champion, the Lithuanian Vytautas Švedas (JUTA RACING) — for him this will be the fourth fight for the Champions’ Cup. “This year Rally Talsi is one round of the Lithuanian Rally Championship, and I have only one aim I will strive to achieve in all Lithuanian rounds, including this one, and it is victory,” Vytautas Švedas reveals his task; he will start with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X car. “Rally Talsi is a complicated competition demanding high level of concentration starting from the start line of the first stage. In Talsi there always are many fast competitors not willing to give up just so. Thus it will be my job to win victory, therefore just prior to leaving for Latvia I have envisaged tests so that to prepare as good as possible for rally and to achieve the established objectives."

We would like to remind that the tradition of the Rally of Champions was established in 2009 with the aim to determine the fastest champion in one rally and in equal conditions. Since 2009 champions from the Baltic States, the Scandinavia, as well as Belarus, Russia, United Kingdom and Slovakia have participated in the Rally of Champions. In Rally Talsi also pilots currently starting in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) have participated — the Norwegians Andreas Mikkelsen (Volkswagen Motorsport) un Mads Østberg (Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team).

Previous winners of the Champions’ Cup:
2013 - Dominykas Butvilas (LTU) / Renatas Vaitkevičius (LTU)
2012 - Jānis Vorobjovs (LVA) / Guntars Zicāns (LVA)
2011 - Vytautas Švedas (LTU) / Žilvinas Sakalauskas (LTU)
2010 - Jocke Nyman (SWE) / Bo Holmstrand (SWE)
2009 - Aivis Egle (LVA) / Mārtiņš Jerums (LVA)

Jānis Unbedahts, RA EVENTS. Photoo: Aigars Tīdmanis, go4speed.lv; Oļegs Patrejevs, autorally.lv