RALLY IRELAND (WRC) - 15-18 Nov 2007 (Page 2 of 2)

Posted: April 30, 2007 3:10 PM

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02/02/07
RALLY IRELAND CONFIRMS NORTH WEST LOCATION
Rally Ireland has this week said that next November’s round of the prestigious World Rally Championship (WRC) will take to the roads of the north western counties following a detailed study requested by the sports global governing body to examine the feasibility of hosting the event on the east coast.

"We carried out a very rigorous comparative study covering all elements involved in hosting a World Championship round, and we can now confirm that the North West came out as the best venue," said promoter Seán O’Connor.

A new feature of the cross-border event, which is expected to draw 150,000 spectators, will be the introduction of a Super Special Stage, where competitors race head to head, and which will give spectators an opportunity to see all the action up close. Rally Ireland have confirmed that they are at advanced stages of discussion with RTÉ, Eurosport and other broadcasters regarding prime-time live TV coverage of this, which will be the opening stage of the WRC round in Ireland.

Whilst the detailed route has yet to be confirmed, Rally Ireland has stated that Sligo, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Roscommon, Cavan and Donegal are under consideration as part of the 1,400 kilometre route. It is anticipated that final sign-off on the route should be secured from the FIA, the sport’s governing body, within the next month.

The event will see the best rally drivers in the world compete on the island for the first time, including defending Champion Sebastian Loeb (France), Marcus Gronholm (Finland), Dani Sordo (Spain) and Petter Solberg (Norway). With entry numbers capped at 90 cars due to the limited number of satellite timing tracking devices capable of being monitored, competition amongst drivers north and south is likely to be fierce for the remaining slots on the entry list.

Independent research carried out last year by the University of Ulster estimated the economic impact of a WRC round to be €46 million and Rally Ireland are confident that this figure will be exceeded. The Rally starts on Thursday 15 November with the Super Special Stage and will finish on Sunday 18 November.

More Details:

Rally Ireland Offical Website - www.rallyireland.org

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship

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06/01/07
Stormont for Superspecial? - Freddy Liox tests venue in George Tracey's 206 WRC
Rally Ireland, the cross-border round of the World Rally Championships (WRC) which takes place in November 2007, descended on the estate over the christmas holidays to test it as a potential venue for the event’s Super Special Stage, which would see the world’s top rally drivers competing head-to-head on a specially designed track throughout the grounds.



Belgian WRC ace Freddie Loix took to the roads more used to the sound of rallying cries than rally cars. He has driven WRC cars for Peugeot, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Toyota, and provides technical advice to Michelin for their WRC teams, including the Citroen team of 2005 World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb. Following his visit to Belfast, Loix is off to compete in the famous Paris-Dakar Rally. The test was undertaken in a Peugeot 206 WRC owned by Irish Rally Driver George Tracey.

Loix was full of praise for the venue. "I’ve competed in Super Special Stages in many countries around the world and without doubt, this is the most spectacular one I’ve seen. Parliament Buildings makes a stunning backdrop and the roads are exciting and challenging to drive on. I think it makes a perfect venue for a WRC Super Special Stage," he said.

Secretary of State, Peter Hain M.P also participated in the test event accompanying Freddie Loix as his co driver. Speaking after test driving the stage he said, "It’s no secret that I’m a great fan of motorsport which is why I have authorised today’s event in the Stormont Estate. I am also grateful to all the officials who have worked tirelessly to organise this special test run (today).

"I have given the Rally Ireland bid my full support since its inception, attending both the inaugural event in October 2005 and the official WRC candidate event in March this year. One of our greatest sporting successes of 2006 has been to secure a round of the World Rally Championship for the island of Ireland in 2007.

"Part of that success was the fact that our bid was an ambitious joint initiative where both Governments, North and South, worked together on this unique project.

"We all hope that today’s trial will be a success. If it is it would be a great spectacle for this venue to be used as the ceremonial start and first stage of Rally Ireland 2007. It would provide an opportunity for the residents of Belfast and beyond to experience the thrills of a rally stage on their doorstep as at times the remote location of some rally stages make it difficult for people to access them.

"In the past Stormont Estate has welcomed international artists who have delighted fans with their singing. It will be music to the ears of the motorsport loving public across the island of Ireland if a super special stage of Rally Ireland were to take place in these grounds.

"Such an event in the beautifully maintained grounds coupled with the splendour of Parliament Buildings offer the perfect visual backdrop for spectators and millions of television viewers worldwide."

Rally Ireland CEO, David Marren commented that the Super Special Stage would be broadcast live on television in a number of countries throughout the world and provided an excellent opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland overseas.

He said that the decision to test the venue to assess its suitability had been taken for a number of reasons. "We want to make the first time the World Championships comes to Ireland a real spectacle for everyone. Traditionally in rallying, spectators travel to rural areas to watch cars pass along the roadside. Our goal is to bring this event to as many people as we can by concentrating the fast-paced action in a venue where tens of thousands of people can easily access it and get a feel for just how exciting and exhilarating the sport is, and why 800 million people in 200 countries around the world watch the championships on television," he said.

He said that Rally Ireland’s technical and sporting team would be discussing the outcome of today’s test and hoped to confirm the event route in the very near future.

Rally Ireland Offical Website - www.rallyireland.org

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship

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11/12/06
Minister honoured for WRC role

Minister O’Donoghue is pictured receiving is award from John Naylor, Chairman of Motorsport Ireland.
Also pictured from left are Seán O'Connor, Ronan Morgan and
David Marren from Rally Ireland Management.

Motorsport Ireland has presented a special award to Minister John O’Donoghue TD at its Annual Awards Luncheon in Dublin on December 5th in recognition of his services to motorsport and his efforts in securing a round of the World Rally Championships.

Rally Ireland Offical Website - www.rallyireland.org

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship

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13/11/06
Formula One expert appointed as new CEO for World Rally Championship Round
David Marren, Founding Director and later Managing Director of M&C Saatchi Sponsorship, one of the UK’s leading sponsorship agencies, has joined Rally Ireland this week as new Chief Executive Officer.

Marren, who has over 20 years global experience in the fields of PR and Sports Marketing, comes into the post to oversee Ireland’s entry into the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in November 2007. The WRC has a global television audience of more that 800 million people in almost 200 countries. Rally Ireland will be the largest sporting event on the island in 2007 and is the biggest north-south sporting initiative ever undertaken.

Speaking about his new role, David Marren said:
“Securing a round of the World Rally Championships for Ireland is a huge coup for the island as a whole and for motorsports fans in particular. Rally Ireland WRC has the opportunity to come into the Championships with a clean slate, fresh ideas, innovative thinking and really show the world what we’ve got.

“Ireland is the best location in the world for WRC, with great scenery, excellent stages and enthusiastic fans. My role with Rally Ireland will be to put in place the additional resources and infrastructure to showcase that, so as to ensure our long-term position in the Championship and to raise the bar in terms of not only how international sporting events are run in Ireland, but how we’re perceived internationally as a top-class venue,” he concluded.

With experience in spearheading and implementing commercial sponsorship strategies for many global blue-chip clients including Philip Morris (Marlboro), Heineken and Gallaher PLC, and as Director of all the sponsorship activity for Benson and Hedges with Jordan Grand Prix in the FIA Formula One World Championship, Marren brings vast commercial experience in motor sport to his new role.

He has also worked in Formula One, GP2, International Formula 3000, F3, World Sports Car Championship; World Touring Car Championship and on the PGA European Tour and for the International Golf Association. For many years he was involved with the World Cup of Golf as a commercial adviser and international press officer.

Rally Ireland Offical Website - www.rallyireland.org

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship

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19/10/06
Rally Ireland not on 2008 WRC Calendar.
Rally Ireland along with the 2 other new rounds Norway and Portugal have not been included in the 2008 WRC details announced by the FIA. Mexico is also dropped from the calendar.

These rallies have been replaced with Australia & Turkey which were dropped for 2007, and the Jordan Rally, with the final place going to either Cyprus, South Africa or Poland.

More Details:

www.wrc.com - World Rally Championship Offical Site

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10/10/06
Irish Welcome Tours plays host to Rally Ireland
Irish Welcome Tours (IWT), one of Ireland’s leading destination management companies, has been appointed as the official tour operator, destination manager and accommodation provider for the largest sporting event that will take place on the island of Ireland next year.

Rally Ireland, which takes place in November 2007, will see the top competitors in the World Rally Championship (WRC) take to the roads for the penultimate round of the season. Ireland secured a place in the championships for the first time earlier this year against stiff international competition.

CEO of Rally Ireland, John Bristow, said: “With the prospect of generating thousands of bed nights and welcoming tens of thousands of spectators, we wanted to put in place a very professional service for the overseas Rally visitors and local spectator alike. Irish Welcome Tours impressed us with their credentials and we’re confident that their professionalism, experience and customer service will help us in ensuring that Rally Ireland WRC is the best round of the Championship in 2007.”

IWT Marketing Director Tim McStay is similarly enthusiastic about the appointment. “The Ryder Cup showcased Ireland as a world class destination for international sporting events and the World Rally Championship will consolidate that global reputation. Irish Welcome Tours will be responsible for providing a range of accommodation and hospitality services to event officials, competitors, teams and spectators and have a multi-lingual, professional and highly skilled team in place to do so to the highest standards.”

“According to Tourism Irelands’ Facts and Figures 2005 report, the Irish Tourism Industry as a whole was worth almost €4 billion / £2.7 billion to the economy and brought around 8 million people to the island last year. Of those visitors, 10% were here to engage in a sporting event or festival, so events like Rally Ireland represent a huge value to the economy on an annual basis,” he concluded.

Research undertaken on behalf of Rally Ireland in 2006 has shown that it will have a direct contribution of €46/£30 million to the economy. Rally Ireland WRC will take place from 16th – 18th November 2007. The FIA World Rally Championship has a global television audience of more that 800 million people in almost 200 countries.

IWT has been successfully operating since 1989 and has earned a very high reputation in the Irish tourist industry and includes some of the world’s leading Tour companies among its clients. The company operates in the 3, 4 and 5 star sector and has an international client base through its Incentive House partners worldwide, which in the past year has included end users like Pfizer, Saab, and Glaxo Smith Kline.

The company is headed by Managing Director John Waldron, who has over 20 years experience in the tourism sector in Ireland, and employs a total of 30 dedicated and multilingual staff.

Rally Ireland Offical Website - www.rallyireland.org

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship

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27/09/06
Rally Ireland on Provisional 2007 Production World Championship Calendar.
Rally Ireland has been listed on Provisional 2007 Production World Championship Calendar, along with Sweden, Mexico, Argentina, Greece, New Zealand, Japan and Great Britain.

Calendar will be finalised on the 18th of October.

More Details:

www.wrc.com - World Rally Championship Offical Site

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25/09/06
North and South on board for Rally Ireland WRC
Rally Ireland has announced the appointment of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Course for its inaugural WRC Round in November next year.

Tom Walsh, best known in Irish rallying as Billy Coleman’s former team manager, is to take on the mantle of Clerk of the Course, whilst Belfast-born Fred Gallagher will be Deputy Clerk of the Course.

Walsh has been a familiar name in Irish Rallying since the mid-1970’s, not only in his role as Coleman’s team manager at the peak of his success, but also for his work as co-ordinator for numerous international teams and his chairmanship of the Tarmac Rally Organisers’ Association.

A Limerick native, Tom now lives in Westport, where he is manager of the local Allied Irish Bank. He is a former member of the Motorsport Ireland Rallies Committee and is very much involved with his local club, Mayo and District Motor Club.

Fred Gallagher, meanwhile, has an impressive track record in rallying going back almost 30 years, competing as co-driver from 1981-1991 and again as recently as 1999. He also has three Safari Rally wins under his belt and has competed in almost 60 countries, from Ireland to the Ivory Coast.

Gallagher maintains his position as Clerk of the Course at Wales Rally GB, where he has served for the last 12 years. In addition, he has undertaken rally consultancy work in the US and Middle East and was Strategy Manager to the Nissan Rally Raid Team for the 2003 and 2004 Dakar Rallies. He is also active as an FIA Steward and delegate in the World Cross Country Cup.

Welcoming the announcement of the new team members at Rally Ireland, Motorsport Ireland Chairman John Naylor said: “We’re delighted that Tom and Fred have agreed to come on board as Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Course for the first ever Rally Ireland WRC. Their appointment further reinforces that we have the skills and world-class talent in place to make Rally Ireland WRC the best round of the championship next year.”

Rally Ireland WRC will take place from 16th – 18th November 2007. The FIA World Rally Championship has a global television audience of more that 800 million people in almost 200 countries.

World Rally Team compliments Irelands' Ryder Cup Organisation
The management of Irelands' next major global sporting event, Rally Ireland, have complimented the organisers of the Ryder Cup.

Rally Ireland, a round of the 2007 World Rally Championships, had a number of officials attending the Ryder Cup to study a range of areas including traffic management, hospitality, helicopter services, security and media relations. A spokesman said: "the level of organisation was of the highest standard and we have learned many valuable lessons for our November 2007 event."

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14/09/06
Something Special for Rally Ireland
Rally Ireland has announced ambitious plans to introduce a Super Special Stage to its premier WRC round next November.

Organisers today released concept drawings of a track layout they’re planning to custom build which will see here two competing cars set off on two parallel tracks and race head to head. Rally Ireland’s Super Special Stage will kick off and conclude three days of action that will see the cream of the world’s rallying talent compete against top Irish drivers.

Sean O’Connor, co-promoter of Rally Ireland said: “We want the first WRC round in Ireland to be spectacular. We know that rally fans will turn out in their tens of thousands to witness this event, but we want to appeal to people who may never have been at a rally before and encourage them to come and see our sport, and to see how thrilling and exciting it is.”

O’Connor went on to say that Rally Ireland has met with ISC, the international television rights holders who expect strong international interest from broadcasters for such a live feed from Ireland. “Starting and finishing the event with the Super Special Stage will greatly facilitate live TV coverage internationally and, as such, really help establish Rally Ireland in the WRC,” he concluded.

A number of WRC events have incorporated Super Special Stages into their event, which have proved to be a huge hit with spectators. The most famous of these is the Acropolis Rally in Greece, which won WRC Rally of the Year in 2005, and who host their Super Special in the Olympic Stadium in Athens.

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01/09/06
Rally Ireland has announced three additions to its key management team
Former Clerk of the Course at Rally Finland, Kai Tarkiainen, joins the Rally Ireland team as Sporting Director with responsibility for overseeing all of the sporting elements of the event.


Rally Ireland General Manager John Bristow (right)
welcomes Sporting Director Kai Tarkiainen to the team.

Tarkiainen has an impressive career in WRC, having worked his way up through the ranks in Finland over the past ten years, and gaining international experience as Assistant Clerk of Course in Rally Turkey. Additionally he has been FIA Steward in Monte Carlo and Sweden and is a former member of the FIA WRC Commission's Organisers’ Working Group. He is still actively co-driving in the Finnish Rally Championship. Rally Finland has won the WRC “Rally of the Year” four times.

Belgian Alain Penasse comes on board as Quality Assurance Manager to oversee event management. Penasse brings to the table significant WRC management experience, having been assistant manager of the Championship-winning Toyota team. His experience in motor sport includes the development and management of WRC Guest Programmes, client liaison with manufacturers, event management, driver management and event promotion; all valuable assets to the team at Rally Ireland.

The role of Spectator and Safety Management is to be taken on by Dubliner Noel Clarke, who has over 28 years experience in rallying, including acting as Clerk of the Course and Competitor Liaison Officer for numerous national and international events. A member of the Serious Incident Advisory Group at Motorsport Ireland, Clarke was part of the group that compiled the Strategic Plan for motorsport in Ireland and was also part of the implementation group for the plan. Clarke is an Inspector in the Irish Police service, An Garda Síochána attached to Garda headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin.

Rally Ireland General Manager John Bristow said: “We have great skills and knowledge of rallying both north and south, but the World Rally Championship is a huge step up for us. We’re delighted that Kai, Alain and Noel with their extensive international experience will be part of the team delivering WRC and embedding our place as one of the top rounds in the championship.”

Rally Ireland WRC will take place from 16th – 18th November 2007. The FIA World Rally Championship has a global television audience of more that 800 million people in almost 200 countries.

London Irish Motorclub

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SLIGO HONOURS RALLY IRELAND
The Mayor of Sligo, Councillor Tom MacSharry, hosted a Civic Reception at City Hall to congratulate everyone involved in securing the World Rally Championship for Ireland from 2007.

Councillor MacSharry said he was delighted to welcome the Rally Ireland team and praised the efforts of so many volunteers who had worked together on both sides of the border to deliver a successful event that had so impressed the FIA, the world governing body of motorsport.

Also in attendance were Councillor John O'Kane, Chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Councillors and officials from both areas, and representatives of Motorsport Ireland and the ANICC.

Event Promoter Ronan Morgan said: "We've still not had a chance to come back down to earth since the WRC announcement. What has astounded us is that people all over this island bought into the dream of a World Rally Championship and put their time and efforts, their heart and soul into achieving it. The thousands who volunteered on the event and the spectators are the key individuals who matter here - they have delivered since day one of this bid. We're proud to have rewarded that passion for rallying with a WRC round."

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London Irish Motor Club present trophy to Rally Ireland
At its first ever meeting the London Irish Motor Club presented Rally Ireland with a trophy for their WRC event. The trophy will be presented to the youngest finisher of Rally Ireland next year.

Having attended the inaugural meeting of the club, Rally Ireland General Manager John Bristow said: ‘This is a wonderful gift to receive, and it will be an excellent incentive for the young drivers competing in the event next year. It will give them recognition of the hard work they’ve put in to enter, and more importantly finish Rally Ireland.”

London Irish MC chairman, Mickey Smith said ‘it was great to see so many people from the Irish rallying community at our inaugural meeting, and we’re honoured that Rally Ireland accepted our trophy, and that we in London have a connection with what should be a great sporting occasion next year. I’m looking forward to it already.’

London Irish Motorclub

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05/07/06
Ireland wins place in World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is coming to Ireland for the first time ever with the announcement today in Paris that Rally Ireland has successfully secured a place in the WRC calendar from the 2007/2008 season.

The first Rally Ireland WRC will take place from November 18th - 20th 2007, and is set to become the largest sporting initiative ever undertaken on the island of Ireland.

Max Mosley, president of motorsport’s world governing body the Féderation International de l’Automobile (FIA) was full of praise for the Irish event: “We are pleased to welcome Ireland to the FIA World Rally Championship. Your team worked hard in their bid and set very high standards. Rally Ireland will bring many new and unique features to the championship including being the first round to run competitive stages cross border.”

Sponsored by Fáilte Ireland and the Northern Ireland Events Company, Rally Ireland’s entry into the WRC has been the culmination of 18 months work by the team, and their sponsors.

Speaking of the success, Minister of Arts, Sport & Tourism, John O’Donoghue TD said: “This is a wonderful success for Irish motorsport and Irish sport in general and all the more so as it is a cross-border initiative. The WRC has an annual TV viewership of more than 800 million, so the images of Ireland shown abroad will be of great benefit to the tourism industry.”

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt. Hon. Peter Hain MP was similarly delighted with the impact that the WRC will make: ‘As a motorsport fan, I am delighted with this decision made by Max Mosley and the FIA. Having seen at close hand the impact that Rally Ireland has made to date, I am excited by what hosting a full WRC round will be able to contribute to the economy and the development of social cohesion.”

Research commissioned by Rally Ireland in 2006 found that the WRC could be worth more than €46 million each year, generated from spend by spectators, as well as the international media coverage from the event.

The WRC is run on all types of surfaces - snow, gravel, tarmac and ice. The season has 16 rounds and begins with the historic Monte Carlo rally. The championship visits countries as diverse as Argentina, New Zealand, Japan and Sweden. The current world champion is Frenchman Sebastien Loeb who drives a Citroen Xsara. The WRC has one of the fastest growing TV audiences, with an annual viewership of more than 800 million in almost 200 countries.

Rally Ireland was founded by Ronan Morgan and Seán O’Connor, who have almost 35 years WRC experience between them. Dubliner Ronan Morgan, a former championship-winning co-driver rallied for more than 20 years, and was the event Director of Wales Rally GB before starting the Irish bid. Wicklow-based Seán O’Connor has worked since 1991 in the World Championship as a sponsorship and marketing consultant and has managed a number of top International drivers.

Rally Ireland is a joint initiative of Fáilte Ireland and the Northern Ireland Events Company (NIEC) and is supported by both the Irish and British governments.

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Ireland Achieves World Championship Status
Motorsport Ireland Press Release

Motorsport Ireland, the governing body for motorsport, confirmed today that Ireland has been granted a round of the FIA World Rally Championship in 2007. The bid for this major sporting event has been a cross-border initiative supported by Failte Ireland and the Northern Ireland Events Company.

The event will take place from November 15th to 18th next year which is ideal for the opportunities it presents in what would normally be a quiet period for the tourist business.

John Naylor, President of Motorsport Ireland said:
“I am absolutely delighted that Rally Ireland has achieved such a wonderful outcome for Irish Motorsport. This is the culmination of two years intensive work by a professional team supported by the volunteer sector without which none of this would have been possible.”

Rally Ireland Offical Website - www.rallyireland.org

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship