VIDEO // PETTER SOLBERG @ 2009 CYPRUS RALLY

Continuing our promotion of the World Rally Championships return to stateside television, here is a bit of onboard footage from Petter Solberg's SS03 stage at the 2009 Cyprus Rally. Making its return to the WRC calendar in 2009, the Cyprus Rally, held in the Republic of Cyprus (a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean) since 1970, is a combination gravel-tarmac rally that tests both the driver and their car. Follow the link for a look at the footage, as well as the schedule for Discovery HD Theater's WRC coverage... [read more]



FXPRO CYPRUS RALLY Sunday, October 18 from 8-9 PM ET
Based on the south side of Cyprus, this mixed-surface rally combines asphalt and gravel stages to crown the FxPro CYPRUS RALLY champion. The Troodos Mountains challenge drivers as they take on the twists and turns of mountain roads and gravel paths during the three days of action.

VODAFONE RALLY DE PORTUGAL Sunday, October 25 from 8-9 PM ET
Portugal’s long rallying tradition is on display during the Vodafone RALLY DE PORTUGAL, a gravel event that is widely considered one of the most notorious and difficult rallies on the schedule. Both the Algarve and Alentejo regions host stages in Southern Portugal, as this event attracts some of the largest and most unruly crowds within the series.

RALLY ARGENTINA Sunday, November 1 from 8-9 PM ET
With the series’ first trip outside of Europe, RALLY ARGENTINA is held in the area around Villa Carlos Paz in the heart of the Cordobese Sierras on narrow, sloped roads best known for their spectacular water splashes. The high-speed action takes place across open plains featuring sandy river crossings and high-altitude landscapes that resemble the surface of the moon.

RALLY D’ITALIA SARDEGNA Sunday, November 8 from 8-9 PM ET
Sardinia is now home to the RALLY D’ITALIA, where the stages are made up of fine and sandy gravel that is surprisingly fast, given the course’s tight and narrow nature. The stunning landscape for the opening two days of the rally crosses Olbia-Tempio, Nuoro, Sassari and Goceano before the competition heads north to the opulent Costa Smerelda region.

ACROPOLIS RALLY OF GREECE Sunday, November 15 from 8-9 PM ET
As one of the longest-standing events in world rallying, ACROPOLIS RALLY OF GREECE is a mix of rough, curvy mountain stages with blistering heat and choking dust. The undersides of the car take a pounding from the rocks hurled up by the wheels, and tire wear is an especially big issue for teams to overcome at this event.

ORLEN RALLY POLAND Sunday, November 22 from 8-9 PM ET
After not being included in the WRC for over 35 years, Poland’s most prestigious motorsport event celebrates its 66th anniversary with a return to the top level of rallying. The Mazurian Lakes District provides an exceptional backdrop to these spectacular gravel stages, where the WRC regular drivers are challenged by experienced Polish drivers racing in their backyard.

NESTE OIL RALLY FINLAND Sunday, November 29 from 8-9 PM ET
As one of the biggest annual events in Scandinavia with over 500,000 spectators, Neste Oil RALLY FINLAND features high-speed runs along tree-lined tracks, peppered with high-flying jumps that demand absolute commitment. Located in central Finland, this rally requires efficient technique to cope with the high speeds and mammoth jumps that litter the loose-surfaced gravel stages.

REPCO RALLY AUSTRALIA Sunday, December 6 from 8-9 PM ET WRC heads down under to the new base of Repco RALLY AUSTRALIA in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. The hard-packed gravel stages located in the Kyogle, Murwillumbah and Mullumbimby regions will be a new and unfamiliar challenge compared to the rally’s historic stages on red earth and ball-bearing-like gravel roads near Perth.

RACC RALLYE DE ESPANA Sunday, December 13 from 8-9 PM ET
Providing some of the fastest stages of the series, the sweeping asphalt roads of the Tarragona region southwest of Barcelona play home to the RACC RALLYE DE ESPANA. As the penultimate round of the WRC series, this rally plays a critical role in the overall championship with only one event left in the schedule.

RALLY GB Sunday, December 20 from 8-9 PM ET
As the final rally of the season, RALLY GB is one of the oldest rallies in the world and is hosted in Cardiff, Wales. This spectator-friendly event runs through gravel forest roads that often become wet and slippery. The event also features stages on the exposed military land to the north of Brecon, which is prone to fog that can wreak havoc on drivers’ ability to navigate turns. FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP programming is produced by International Sportsworld Communicators Ltd — A North One Television Company. For HD Theater, Sean McKnight is executive producer, Bob Scanlon is vice president of production and development, and Clark Bunting is president and general manager.

Photo: Wikimedia