Rovaniemi hosts Arctic Lapland Rally on Jan 26-27

The two-day Arctic Lapland Rally 2018 will be held in Rovaniemi on January 26.

Organised by Rovaniemen Urheiluautoilijatry, 135 drivers from across the globe are taking part this year in the championship, locally known as the Fells Rally.

The racing will start from the city’s Lordi Square at 12.00 am on January 26 and is scheduled to end at around 07.30 pm at the same place on January 27.

The organisers said they have completed all-out preparations to hold smoothly the only international event of its kind to use solely ice and snow-covered roads.

“According to the weather forecast, there is no snowstorm during or before the rally. So the organisers expect a very entertaining rally amidst a nice weather this time,” the leader of the competition, Jorma Poikajärvi told the Daily Finland.

The Press Officer of the event, Marjut Haiko said, “Eighteen R5 cars are entering the competition this year and we think it is a record for this type of cars in a Finnish rally championship.”

Haiko, however, could not confirm whether it is the northernmost rally in the world or not.

The rally that will now be held for the 53^rd time on Rovaniemi’s wild terrains has already cemented its unique position in Europe because of the magical and unique environment of the Arctic Circle, loved by both the drivers and the spectators, said the organisers.

The event and the visitors’ attraction to it also reflect the city’s street scene to which they bring excitement and a buzz in the dark, late-January days.

Every year the rally entices a host of the sport’s followers, enthusiasts and aficionados as well as top motorsports names from around the world, the organisers observed.

The rally will be held in a number of categories including International Classes, National Classes, Group F, Vakio 1600, WRC, Historic classes, two and four-wheel drive for seniors over 50 years and legends over 60 years, A-juniors, B-juniors, foreign drivers, etc, sources said.