The Baltic Sea Rally Championship, consisting of four events, is contested in Latvia, Finland, Lithuania and Estonia.
The Baltic Sea Rally Championship, consisting of four events, is contested in Latvia, Finland, Lithuania and Estonia.
The winners are determined in six competition classes and between nations. The season starts on February 10 with Sarma Rally in Latvia and continues with Länsirannikon Rally in Finland in May. In August, Paide Rally will be contested in Estonia, and the season will end in September with Samsonas Rally Utena in Lithuania.
“The Baltic Sea Championship is a good opportunity for drivers to test themselves in international competition at a reasonable cost. The events are not geographically far from any of the participating countries, but they are held on roads with varying characteristics and at a high level of sportsmanship,” said Emilia Abel, chairman of the rally committee of the Estonian Autosport Union. “Two Baltic Sea events, Länsirannikon Rally and Paide Rally, are held together with the Estonian Championship series races. This will probably give some Estonian drivers incentive to take part in the entire Baltic Sea Series. Besides, Estonia has to defend the first place in the Nations Cup from last year.”
Abel added that there is a lot of interest in the Baltic Sea Championship. “Already at the end of last season competitors were asking if the series would continue and which rallies are part of it. In any case, the first season went well and I believe that 2024 will be even more successful.”
The Baltic Sea Championship took place for the first time in 2023. In total, more than 150 crews from 11 countries took part in the competition. In addition to the first place in the Nations Cup, Estonians also won podium places in several classes. This championship has a regional status and is intended to close the large gap between the national championships and the FIA European Rally Championship. This is a good step for the crews to gain sporting kilometers abroad and experience before going to the European level.
As for the performance of us Lithuanians in this championship, there is not much to say, to put it mildly. To be included in the championship classification, you have to take part in at least two events, and there were almost no Lithuanians in the stages of Jyvaskyla, Cesis and Paide. The only Lithuanian accent in the overall standings is Serhii Potiiko’s victory in Class 1, as the Lithuanian-based Ukrainian took part in all events. Mantas Bartkuvėnas could also be included in the classification, as the native of Vilnius took part in the Žemaitija and Paide rallies, but was not registered for the BSRC in the Žemaitija rally. The winner of Class 2 was Estonian Kristjan Kajakas, Class 3 – the well-known Turk Can Alakoç, Class 4 – the winner of the Utena Rally Karl Peder Nordstrand, Class 5 – the Finn Jari Valtaala, who drove a Lexus in the Žemaitija Rally, and Class 6 – the young Estonian Oskar Maennamets.
The general instructions and conditions of the Baltic Sea Championship can be found HERE
Baltic Sea Rally Championship (BSRC) calendar 2024
10. February – Rally Sarma, Latvia
24.-25. May – Länsirannikon Rally, Finland
23.-24. August – Paide Rally, Estonia
26-28 September – Samsonas Rally Utena, Lithuania
Photos – Pille Russi, Vilius Šaltenis
