PRESS AND MEDIA INFORMATION

Saturday 21st February 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Round 1 - Rallye Sunseeker, Bournemouth - Friday 27/Saturday 28 February 2009
BOURNEMOUTH BLAST OFF!

The eagerly anticipated battle for the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship gets underway next weekend when crews from all over the UK converge on the seaside resort of Bournemouth for the annual ANCRO season opener as the 24th annual Rallye Sunseeker bursts into life.

Six-times event winner and very much the local hero Marcus Dodd from nearby Poole along with co-driver Andrew Bargery from just down the coast at Hove, are looking to defend their title once again in their Hyundai Accent WRC and whilst the pair will start the Southern Car Club and Croydon & DMC organised event as favourites, there is the usual class entry following Dodd away from the start in Bournemouth on Friday evening.

Whereas Dodd is the reigning Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Champion having landed the crown four times in total, he faces stiff opposition as heading the challenge will be three former champions who are making a welcome return to the fold.
Roger Duckworth took the honours in 1998 and he's back for another crack at the title in his venerable Subaru and having missed last year due to injury, 2004 winner Steve Perez has a latest version Ford Focus WRC at his disposal. Paul Bird sat out most of last year but the flamboyant chicken farmer is back for a full season this year in his Subaru and hoping to reclaim the title he last won in 2005.

The rivalry between Perez and Bird is legendary in recent Rallye Sunseeker history - the loser traditionally pays for Saturday night out - but they, as well as Dodd and Duckworth, will be having to look to their rear view mirrors with the likes of Will Nicholls (Subaru WRC), Charlie Payne (Mitsubishi WRC) and Steve Hendy (Ford Focus WRC) as well as the Subarus of Irishman Sean Devine and West Countryman Alan Cookson.

Once again, the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge kicks off in Bournemouth with a host of drivers intent on emulating David Bogie's 2008 success. England's Nik Elsmore and Simon Hughes as well as Irishman Daniel Barry lead the field as all the contenders set out on the long road to success.

Other drivers who could make a splash on the two day event include Peter Egerton (Hyundai), Geoff Underhill (Subaru) and Melis Charalambous (Skoda Octavia WRC) plus there's a pair of iconic MG Metro 6R4s competing in the hands of Stuart Larbey and Richard Smith who take part in the festivities that aim to traditionally celebrate the legendary marque on Rallye Sunseeker.

The international flavour is represented by a trio of Icelandic visitors in the shape of Andreas Magnusson, Hans-Erik Wung and Daniel Sigurdarson whereas Barbados driver Neil Armstrong will be behind the wheel of another Mitsubishi as part of a Rally Barbados promotion.

In the Mintex Two Wheel Drive Championship, the likes of Tom Walster (Renault Clio), Tony Jardine (Ford Fiesta) and Rod Bennett (Fiat Stilo) will be battling it out and as well as the main field, there are a dozen spectacular Land Rovers set to entertain the huge crowds expected on the South coast.

Throw in the cosmopolitan mix of 71-years-young veteran Harry Dodd (Hyundai Accent WRC), fast lady Shelley Taunt (Subaru) and Doctors Simon Dowdeswell and Keiron Bhargavar (Land Rover) and the scene is set for a typically exciting curtain raiser to the National rally scene. 

 
The event gets underway from Canford Arena at 18.25hrs on the Friday with crews tackling the Bournemouth seafront stage twice in reverse order from 19.00hrs before the event proper starts on Saturday morning with the traditional loops around the forests and stately homes of Ringwood and Wareham.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS :
The Rallye Sunseeker Press Office will be situated in the Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel (Direct Tel No: 01202 311431) and will be open during the following times:
Friday 27th  February: 09.00 - 22.00 and Saturday 28th  February: 07.00 - 21.00
For further details, please contact the Rallye Sunseeker Press Officer:
Andrew Haill - Tel: 0121-313 1416 or E-mail: andrew.haill@btconnect.com
More details, including entry lists, spectator information and maps etc on the event can be found at www.rallyesunseeker.co.uk  and information on the Pirelli MSA National Gravel Rally Championship is listed at www.gravelrally.co.uk.
Picture attached - six-times Rallye Sunseeker winner Marcus Dodd and co driver Andrew Bargery in action on the 2008 event in their Hyundai Accent WRC.
ENDS

2009 Events
Round 1  -  27/28th February  -  Rallye Sunseeker, Bournemouth
Round 2  -  21st March  -  Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally, Jedburgh
Round 3  -  18th April  -  Pirelli Tour of Cumbria, Carlisle
Round 4  -  8/9th May  -  RBS International Manx Rally, Douglas
Round 5  -  30th May  -  Severn Valley Rally, Builth Wells
Round 6  -  18th July  -  Swansea Bay Rally, Swansea
Round 7  -  5th September  -  Woodpecker Rally, Ludlow
Round 8  -  26th September  -  Trackrod Rally, Pickering
Compiled and distributed on behalf of the MSA Gravel Rally Championship by Cartersport Motorsport Media. PO Box 150, NORTHALLERTON DL6 3WZ (cartersport@btconnect.com)
01609 761346 (not for publication)
www.cartersport.com