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2018 Wales Rally GB route revealed

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2018 Wales Rally GB route revealed

The route for this year’s Dayinsure Wales Rally GB (4-7 October) has been revealed – and it will indeed finish with a closed-road stage around the Great Orme and Llandudno, although the Power Stage has been pencilled in for earlier in the day (SS20, Gwydir 1).

Other stages will also benefit from the recent legislation allowing local authorities in England and Wales to suspend the Road Traffic Act for authorised motor sport events, as forest stages are linked – making them longer and easier for spectators to reach.

Here is the 2018 WRGB route, in day-by-day running order:

Thursday 4 October Following a final pre-event Shakedown held in Clocaenog Forest on Thursday morning, the competitive WRC action blasts off at sunset under the spotlights at Tir Prince Raceway, near Rhyl. With high-flying jumps and flames lighting up the night sky, the short Thursday evening curtain-raiser proved an instant success when introduced last year and returns by popular demand in 2018 to provide an equally spectacular prologue to the forest stages that follow.

Friday 5 October Taking advantage of the new closed roads legislation, Friday’s schedule is based in the forests of north Wales, with eight speed tests split either side of a midday return to the busy Rally Village in Deeside for service.

The day opens close to Ruthin in the classic Clocaenog Forest and then features two new stages both using stretches of closed public highway to link forest sections together and create greater challenges. The first is an exciting new combination of last year’s Brenig and Alwen stages, the second is further west in the famous Penmachno Forest. All three of these stages are repeated in the afternoon.

Adding to the spectator experience, Friday’s programme also includes an all-new stage at Slate Mountain at The Slate Caverns, where cars will run twice in quick succession, providing visitors with a double dose of WRC thrills. The world-famous venue, set near Blaenau Ffestiniog in Snowdonia, is well-known to adrenalin-seekers for its extraordinary underground adventures as well as being home to Zip World Titan, Europe’s first four-person zip line.

Saturday 6 October Billed as ‘Super Saturday’, the rally’s longest and most demanding day features five epic special stages, all set in the mountains to the east of Aberystwyth with excellent spectating for the large numbers of weekend visitors.

Myherin, Hafren, Dyfi and Gartheiniog are world-renowned as true classics that always push crews to their limits and provide fans with some outstanding viewing opportunities. Hafren has been extended this year to incorporate the Sweet Lamb rally complex – always a fans’ favourite with its jumps and water splash.

All four stages are tackled twice – either side of the day’s new live TV stage set in Dyfnant Forest in the periphery of the Cambrian Mountains. A lunchtime regroup on the busy streets of central Newtown punctuates the action.

Sunday 7 October After Saturday’s arduous exploits in mid Wales, Sunday sees the WRC action return to north Wales with two tough forest stages in Snowdonia.

An all-new Elsi stage has never been used before in the WRC, while the more familiar Gwydir has been doubled in length by using another section of closed public road and will be the event’s Power Stage for which extra points are awarded to the fastest five drivers.

The action then moves to Llandudno for a spectacular finale around the iconic Great Orme. The history-making stage blasts off on Marine Drive, takes in the spectacular ribbon of asphalt that clings to the rugged rock face circling the Great Orme and concludes on the closed streets of Llandudno. Here the rally route switches to closed public roads by following North Parade around the shoreline, before turning inland towards the town centre for a sprint up-and-down either side of the Gloddaeth Street dual carriageway. A spectacular jump is the prelude to a beachside finish on Llandudno’s curving Promenade, home to many of the resort’s top hotels.

With the Ceremonial Finish and prizegiving podium also located on the Promenade, it promises to be a very fitting finale to the FIA World Rally Championship’s annual Welsh adventure, perfectly epitomising Wales’ official ‘Year of the Sea’, which is celebrating the nation’s outstanding coastline in 2018.

Here is the 2018 WRGB route in stage running order:

Thursday 4 October SS1: Tir Prince

Friday 5 October SS2: Clocaenog 1 SS3: Brenig 1 SS4: Penmachno 1 SS5: Slate Mountain 1 SS6: Slate Mountain 2 Service: Deeside Rally Village SS7: Clocaenog 2 SS8: Brenig 2 SS9: Penmachno 2 Service and overnight: Deeside Rally Village

Saturday 6 October SS10: Myherin 1 SS11: Sweet Lamb Hafren 1 SS12: Dyfi 1 SS13: Gartheiniog 1 SS14: Dyfnant (Live TV) Regroup: Newtown SS15: Myherin 2 SS16: Sweet Lamb Hafren 2 SS17: Dyfi 2 SS18: Gartheiniog 2 Service and overnight: Deeside Rally Village

Sunday 7 October SS19: Elsi SS20: Gwydir 1 (Power Stage) SS21: Great Orme Llandudno 1 SS22: Gwydir 2 SS23: Great Orme Llandudno 2 Ceremonial Finish: The Promenade, Llandudno