53rd Saaremaa Rally to start Friday evening

Saaremaa Rally starts Friday evening, with two stages set to take off on the opening day.
Saaremaa Rally concludes the Estonian rally championship season, with the rally round also being the fourth of the Latvian championships season.
The official entry list currently holds 114 competitors, with only seven competitors from outside of Estonia. Regional newspaper Saarte Hääl (link in Estonian) reported that many foreign drivers decided to avoid this year's event, the 53rd of its kind, due to quarantine requirements.
Among those set to start the rally is Georg Gross, the winner of the last three Saaremaa rallies. Former WRC Academy driver Egon Kaur will also take part, rounded out by some solid Estonian professional and amateur drivers.
Rally director Villi Pihl said the preparations are in the final stretch and is set to take off in traditional fashion on Friday. He added that while the rally start and finish will be held on a podium with perhaps a few interviews done, spectators are obliged to wear masks, and there will be no formal event.
In addition to the race, local rally fan Hannes Bõstrov has developed a recreation of the Lada car that won the event some 30 years ago. That car, along with many other put on exhibition for fans to enjoy, will be at the event.
The rally consists of of nine total stages totalling 100-km of roads, on Estonia's largest island. Tickets for the event are available on Piletilevi.
The organizers of the rally have also set regulations for spectators:
- Don't come if you feel ill!
- Disinfect!
- Wear a mask!
In addition, the rally service area and rally center are closed to spectators.
The full rally programme is as follows:
Friday, October 9:
SS1 Järise - 7.95 km - 6.38 p.m.
SS2 Rahtla - 10.15 km - 7.06 p.m.
Saturday, October 10:
SS3 Undva - 21.41 km - 8.28 a.m.
SS4 Toomalõuka - 9.31 km - 9.31 a.m.
SS5 Oriküla - 2.65 km - 10.19 a.m.
SS6 Undva 2 - 21.41 km - 12.37 p.m.
SS7 Toomalõuka 2 - 8.36 km - 1.40 p.m.
SS8 Oriküla 2 - 2.65 km - 2.28 p.m.
SS9 Kuuse - 19.22 km - 4.51 p.m.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste