Rally “Kurzeme” will be also the first stage of a new FIA Baltic Rally Trophy as well as the second stage of Latvian rally and Latvian rally sprint championship’s fourth stage.

For the first time in the Speed festival „Lada” cup has been included in the program with the separate qualification stage for the cars, produced before 1995, including still popular rally driven „Lada” cars. Also, the special truck classification is established, since it were truck cars rally that was the  first rally in the history of the oldest Baltic states rally in Liepāja, back in 1965. 

“These auto rally veterans will have the honour to open rally competitions, promoting the cars that once were the winners of champion titles. At the same time we are honoured to open new FIA initiated regional cup championship, where points might be acquired also at the certain Estonian and Lithuanian rallies, and the best crews will travel to the final competitions in Austria to fight for the FIA European Rally Trophy”, says director of the Speed festival - rally “Kurzeme 2016” , Mr Uldis Hmieļevskis.

Rally competitions will commence on Thursday evening, May 5th with the test stage, and on Friday and Saturday sportsmen will have to perform 123 kilometres of both, classic and already legendary roads and turns, and some new and equally exciting routes.

Rally start is launched on Friday, May 6th at 16.30 at the Liepāja port promenade, but the awarding ceremony will take place on the evening of May 7th, at 20.30 next to the place, in the club “Fontaine Palace” nearby. 

“The rally route is designed in a compact way so it would easy for the spectators and crews to become familiar with it in one day, yet for the utmost convenience of the drivers we will introduce them with the route and spread out route papers also on Thursday”, says Mr Hmieļevskis.

Rally sprint route is designed in a compact one-day mode – the route introduction on Friday morning and first five competition stages total of 53 kilometres in the afternoon. Rally sprint participants will have a possibility to take part in the full rally distance as well if choose.

We have prepared pretty exciting road route this year, bending along the fast and picturesque Kurzeme roads, where drivers need to overcome interesting and curvy turns, tricky ramps and prove the master class on the difficult yet very enjoying fourteen stages. 

Background info:

Rally "Kurzeme" is an oldest and heritable auto rally in the Baltic countries, first time run in Liepāja back in 1965. Since 2010 rally „Kurzeme” has become somewhat more than just a rally – a Speed festival that gathers together best rally drivers from Latvia and its neighbouring countries and representatives of other motorsports. This year Speed festival program is boosted with “UPB Energy” speedboat cup as the first stage of Latvian open championship, as well as other motorsport activities.

Tickets are available in the offices of „Biļešu serviss” and at www.bilesuserviss.lv . Tickets foresale price is 12 Euros; starting from the festival week, from May 2nd all stages cost 15 Euros. Entrance free for kids up to 14 years old, attending events accompanied by at least one adult and upon showing age indicating personal ID. 

Speed festival – rally “Kurzeme 2016” is supported by Liepāja City, Port of Liepāja, “Vega 1”, “Lauma Fabrics”, “If Apdrošināšana”, “UPB Energy”, “Canon IB Serviss”, “LDC Datortehnika”, “Ramirent”, “Cēsu Alus”, transport porvided by “Sixt”, official car – “Nissan” from “Skandi Motors”.