Rally Albania: 101 rallyteams to start today in the Albania Rally 2013.

Albania again invited the international rallyscene - and 101 competitors were following the invitation. 73 Bikes, 10 quads and 18 cars were counted at the scrutineering, which was held in a resort directly at the beach of the City Durres in North-West Albania.

It´s the 9th edition of rally, which is also called as one of the toughest events in the amateur-scene, because next to the "beloved" speed-areas there will be also stony regions, more similar with trial (for cars) or enduro (for bikes).

Even if it´s officially an amateurrally, the event also has international starters from 18 countries, which are well known from the "Dakar", "Africa Race", "Breslau", "Australasian Safari" or "Rainforest Challenge".

Favourites in the bikes are Martin Fontyn (Belgium, winner of the Africa Race and Balkan Cup), Guilleaume Martens (Switzerland, 2nd Africa Race), Christian Pastori from Italy, Patsy Quick as "Dakar Lady" (UK) or Vasilis Boudros (Greece), winner of the greek "Hellas Rally" in April 2013.

In the quads there are Dakar-Lady Zornica Todorova from Bulgaria or Erik van Eerd from Holland, in the cars we see the "Rainforest Challenge" experts Janaszkiewicz/Janaszkiewicz (Poland) with a Land Rover Discovery Proto, Dakar (quad)-winner Josef Machacek from the Czech Republic or the nice couple of Rainhard and Pauline Friedl from Austria with their Mitsubishi Evolution.

But the real favourites in the cars will be the regionals... like Marku/Flamuri (Albania) with an interesting Jeep Cherokee Proto or the last-year´s winner Sina/Wittberger (Albania/Austria) with their Toyota Land Cruiser.

In 7 stages the event will cross almost all regions of Albania... a big circle from Durres in the western coast to Dibir in the north, Pogradec in the east, Berat in the middle of the country and back to Durres. The participants have to reach 1.500 kilometers overall, 700 kms in timed specials.

2013/06/07 | 15:47 CET | ARTICLE: MR/HS