Beara Peninsula start for famed Rally of the Lakes

Organisers of the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes (May 1-3) will use the stages along the Beara Peninsula on the opening day of the event rather than the second and final day as in previous years.

Plans for this year’s event were unveiled at Scotts Hotel in Killarney on Sunday.

While business interests in the town continue to back the rally, their counterparts in Castletownbere have now weighed in with their support resulting in a change of location for the service park. For the first time in 23 years the area adjacent to the pier will be used for service. It is anticipated the move, apart from creating a better atmosphere for the rally, will also ensure a welcome spin-off for local business interests, who will also assist in marshalling duties around the service park.

With a number of positive sponsorship announcements in Irish rallying in recent months, clerk of the course Dermot Healy had further good news, with title sponsor, Cartell.ie extended its commitment until 2017. “We also continue to have the Gleneagle Hotel, KC Print and Ordnance Survey Ireland as our associate sponsors.”

The Killarney club were the first to introduce the Junior Rally concept to Irish motorsport and while there was huge disappointment when the organisers of the recent Circuit of Ireland dropped the category, there’s a very different approach in Killarney. “They (Juniors) are the life blood of the sport, it’s a simple as that and they will be part of our rally.” added Healy.

The event is the fourth round of the Clonakilty Black Pudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and also counts towards the FIA European Historic Rally Championship and the PlasticBags.ie Southern 4 Rally Championship.

The ceremonial start in the town centre on Friday evening, May 1 will be an integral part of the rally. In terms of the action, the Saturday stages are Moll’s Gap, Tim Healy Pass, Cod’s Head, Ardgroom and Kilmackilloge. Sunday’s itinerary features Moll’s Gap, Beallaghbeama, Shanera and Rockfield with the finish at the Gleneagle Hotel. As revealed in the Irish Examiner, Dubliner Robert Barrable — one of the stars of the recent Circuit of Ireland Rally will compete but it’s unclear at the moment if Monaghan’s Sam Moffett will defend his crown in Killarney.