WORLD RALLY (CYPRUS) - ORGANIZERS GEARING UP

New stages, HQ, Service Park planned; Historic Cyprus Rally to bring out classics!

2007 marks a new start for the Cyprus Rally. Every year, the organizers strive to stage the best event ever. . . For 2007, they've decided it's time for a major overhaul.

Following the FIA decision to move the Cyprus Rally from the World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar to the Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) calendar for this year, the organizers re-assessed and re-examined every aspect of the Cyprus Rally, to craft an all-new, reinvigorated event, built on the strengths of what came before, which will be an exhilarating, unforgettable experience for teams and fans alike.

Several new stages are being introduced for this year's event, while those classic Cyprus Rally stages which are being re-used are in great shape, thanks to last year's surface regrading and regular maintenance. Plus, a number of stages will be used just once during the course of the rally.

Following requests from the teams, 2007 will also see the return of the popular "Seafront Service Park" on Limassol promenade. Always a hit with fans and competitors alike, having the Service Park just metres from the sea and from Limassol's many cafes and restaurants adds to the Mediterranean atmosphere of the event.

A new Rally Headquarters is also being set up. It should be stressed that the revamped Cyprus Rally has actually been crafted as a three-day event, ready for its return to the WRC, but for 2007 an abbreviated event will be run, in keeping with the two-day nature of MERC rallies.

Round 6 of the 2007 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, this year's Cyprus Rally will be held in the autumn, thus avoiding the intense heat of the Cyprus summer. Scheduled for Friday 12th to Sunday 14th October, the Cyprus Rally is expected to be observed by the FIA, with a view to a return to the WRC calendar in 2008 / 2009.

Cyprus Rally Press Officer Chris Christodoulou said: "The Cyprus Rally is always a lot of fun, with an upbeat and friendly atmosphere, both in the Service Park, between the teams, and among the fans. Statistics prove that the Cyprus Rally is a favourite with fans all over the world. In 2006, we were second behind only Greece for the number of WRC broadcasts, with a cumulative audience of over 54 million people and a total of 327 hours of coverage - placing the Cyprus Rally third among the 16 rounds in the 2006 calendar! With the changes in place for this year's event, I'm sure the 2007 Cyprus Rally will be an exciting and unforgettable experience for all."

Cyprus is hosting two rounds of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship in 2007. The Troodos Rally, round 3 of this year's MERC, was held in Cyprus earlier this year and ended with a clear victory for Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah (the defending FIA Middle East and PWRC Champion) and co-driver Chris Patterson.

Current Middle East Championship leader Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi of the UAE and co-driver Nick Beech, driving for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), would have welcomed a Troodos Rally win in their Subaru Impreza WRX STi, but transmission problems meant that they ultimately left with five points and their Championship lead intact. . .

With Al Qassimi currently 11 points ahead of Al Attiyah on the leaderboard, both drivers can be expected to push hard for maximum points at this year's Cyprus Rally.

And the Cyprus Rally won't just be one event this year; it will be two! Alongside the 2007 Cyprus Rally will run the Historic Cyprus Rally - a round of the 2007 FIA Historic Rally Championship. A chance to see legendary cars from the history of rallying competing once again, this sporting event is sure to appeal to rally fans of all ages. To mark this special occasion, the event organizers are offering special packages, including an entry fee which includes free transportation for every entrant's historic rally car and support vehicle from mainland Greece to Cyprus.

Entrants for the 2007 Cyprus Rally and the Historic Cyprus Rally are expected from as far afield as Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Greece, the UK, Lebanon, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and, of course, Cyprus - all battling for victory in the October sunshine.

The Cyprus Rally is organized by the Cyprus Automobile Association (CAA) and is sponsored by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, Chevrolet and Valvoline.

Clerk of the Course Takis Kyriakides is upbeat ahead of the event: "We're really looking forward to October. Hosting three FIA events in one year is a great honour for Cyprus. After the success of the Troodos Rally back in April, we're confident that the 2007 Cyprus Rally and Historic Cyprus Rally will be a great experience for drivers and fans alike. With mid-October dates, we expect mild temperatures, which means ideal conditions for competitors to do battle against the backdrop of the island's beautiful countryside."

2007 FIA MIDDLE EAST RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR

16-18/02/2007 - NBK Group Qatar International Rally (QA) 14-16/03/2007 - Rally Oman 2007 (OM) 20-22/04/2007 - The Troodos Rally (CY) 10-12/05/2007 - Jordan Rally (HKJ) 07-09/06/2007 - Syrian Int. Rally (SYR) 12-14/10/2007 - The Cyprus Rally (CY) 09-11/11/2007 - Rally of Lebanon (RL) 29/11 - 01/12/2007 - Dubai International Rally