Edited by Yannis-Marios Papadopoulos
Photos: www.acropolisrally.gr
EKO ACROPOLIS RALLY 2024
Rendezvous at the “Rally of the Gods”
The big moment has arrived!
In a few hours, Lamia will put on its festive clothes to welcome the 2024 EKO Acropolis Rally, the tenth race of this year’s World Rally Championship.
A total of 72 crews will take to the starting ramp in Lamia on Thursday 5 September, to compete over the next three days in a race of 15 special stages totalling 305 kilometres.
Crews from 31 countries will be in Greece and of course all the contenders for this year’s titles.
The leader in the Manufacturers’ Championship, Hyundai, will take part with three i20 N Rally1.
Drivers’ points leader Thierry Neuville will lead the effort, with Ott Tanak in the second i20 N aiming to close the gap between them.
Spaniard Dani Sordo will return in the third Hyundai car.
After three consecutive victories in Poland, Latvia and Finland, Toyota is back in the battle for the constructors’ title and will participate in the EKO Acropolis Rally with three GR Yaris Rally1.
All eyes, of course, will be on eight-time World Champion Sebastien Ogier, who despite following a selective schedule this year, is on title track!
Alongside him, Championship stalwarts Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta.
M-Sport Ford has prepared three Ford Puma Rally1 cars, with Adrien Fourmaux leading the effort.
The young Frenchman has been on the podium four times this year and the aim is to do the same at the EKO Acropolis Rally.
In the second Puma, Gregoire Munster will be looking for the best possible experience, while Jordan Serderidis will be in the third M-Sport car.
The long list of entries includes 34 Rally2 cars, which guarantee a rich spectacle.
Sami Pajari and Yohan Rossel in Toyota GR Yaris and Citroen C3 respectively, will have a prime opportunity to close the gap from the top of the standings.
Of course, winning will not be easy as a number of experienced and fast combinations have their sights set on victory.
At the same time, for yet another year, the EKO Acropolis Rally will be the curtain raiser for the Junior Championship (JWRC), with the race counting double!
Estonian Romet Jürgenson is leading the standings, with 20-year-old Australian Taylor Gill, also a newcomer to the event, just eight points behind him. Of course, in the list of 72 crews we also find a total of 20 crews with Greek and Cypriot interest.
In WRC2, the presence of the now very experienced Lambros Athanasoulas-Nikos Zakhaios who will drive a Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2, and this year’s pleasant surprise of the Greek races, Giorgos Amoutzas-Giorgos Iliopoulos with the same car, stands out.
The 2019 Greek Champion Giorgos Kechagias will also start with a Skoda Fabia RS with Nikos Petropoulos alongside him, as well as Panagiotis Roustemis-Christos Bakloris.
Vassilis Velanis-Ilias Panagiotounis and Nikos Pavlidis-Allan Harryman.
In the list we also meet rallyman George Vassilakis with Tom Krawszik.
In addition, a number of fast crews will enter the battle of the Rally3 specification cars.
Among them, Petros Panteli-Pambos Laos, Nonnas Karanikolas-Giorgos Kakavas, Paschalis Hadjimarkos-Marios Tsaousoglou, Themis Chalkias-Nikos Komnos, Manos and Kostas Stephanis, Giorgos Delaportas-Vangelis Panaritis and Stefanos Theocharopoulos-Giorgos Kotsalis.
15 demanding special
As mentioned above, this year’s race includes a total of 15 special stages, which are extremely demanding.
The programme for Friday 6 September includes the double pass of the special stages “Ano Pavliani”, “Daphne” and “Tarzan”, while Saturday’s programme includes the special stages “Reggini”, “Thebes”, “Loutraki”, the double pass of “Agioi Theodoroi” and the EKO Super Special Stage “Sirius”, which will bring the curtain down on the day.
Sunday includes the special stages “Oinochori” and “Eleftherochori”, which will be held twice.
THE PROGRAMME OF THE EXHIBITION ACROPOLIS RALLY 2024
THURSDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 09.01 Shakedown – Lamia 3,62 km 19.30 Start – Lamia
FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 07.58 ED1: Ano Pavliani 1 22,47 km 09.09 ED2: Daphne 1 21.67 km 11.17 ED3: Tarzan 1 23,37 km 14.29 ED4: Ano Pavliani 2 22,47 km 15.40 ED5: Daphne 2 21.67 km 17.48 ED6: Tarzan 2 23,37 km
SATURDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 08.16 ED7: Regini 28.67 km 10.37 ED8: Thebes 20,95 km 13.05 ED9: Agioi Theodoroi 1 25.87 km 15.46 ED10: Loutraki 12,90 km 17.05 ED11: Agioi Theodoroi 2 25,87 km 21.05 ED12: EKO SSS “Sirius” 1,97 km
SUNDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 08.59 ED13: Oinochori 17,47 km 10.05 ED14: Eleftherochori 1 18,29 km 13.15 ED15: Eleftherochori 2 – Wolf Power Stage 18.29 km
Rendezvous in Sirius!
The EKO Acropolis Rally innovates for yet another year, with a superspecial route at S.E.A. Sirius. The EKO Super Special Stage, with a total length of 1.97 km, will run through the surrounding area of the station, as well as part of the motorway on the road from Lamia to Athens. Entrance to the EKO Super Special Stage is free of charge. In any case, for the convenience of everyone and especially for the safety of everyone involved, before you start you should be aware of the following things:
- Access to the site from the motorway will not be possible.
In order to reach Sirios, depending on the current, one will need to take either the exit to Malakasa or the exit to Aylon-Oinofyta and continue via the old National Road.
- Arriving behind the S.E.A. Sirius, following the instructions of the EL.AΣ. and the people of the organization will park (free of charge) in the specially designed areas.
- Entrance to the EKO Super Special Stage is free of charge and will be on foot only.
- As the facility can accommodate a certain number of spectators, it is recommended that the public arrive at approximately 18:00 to ensure parking and viewing space.
To ensure a seamless arrival of everyone, it is recommended to plan to arrive at the venue as early as possible.
No spectators will be allowed to enter after 20:00. - From 20:00 the arrival of the race cars is expected, which will be parked in a specially designed area, the perimeter of which will be accessible to spectators.
Safety first and foremost
The success of the EKO Acropolis Rally is everyone’s business and its safe conduct can be achieved simply by adopting simple practices:
- Park at the access points to the special routes safely, in the direction you are leaving – do not block the road.
- Find the spot from where you will watch the race at least 30 minutes before the start of the first race car.
From then on, no moving will be allowed. - Enjoy the race from the spectator seats reserved by the organization. They have been chosen with the safety of all in mind.
- Respect the instructions of the judges. They are there for your safety as well.
- Watch and listen to the organisers’ announcements.
- Do not stand near intersections or in restricted areas.
- Do not stand at the exits of the turns.
- Prefer to stand in a safe, elevated place.
- Respect the marking and demarcation of areas with safety ribbons.
- Racing cars can go off course anywhere or “throw stones” over a long distance. Do not put yourself in danger.
In any case, the “field” of this racing celebration is Greek nature.
We are not lighting a fire for any reason.
We are not camping in the woods.
We dispose of our garbage in the bins located within the special routes or we make sure to take it with us.
We do not move by car outside the appropriate access routes.
We do not choose protected natural areas, marked with special signs, as a monitoring point.
The safety of competitors, spectators and everyone involved is non-negotiable for the organization, as is the non-negotiable need to protect the environment.
Given the climatic conditions of the previous period (two dry winters, drought), the presence of spectators on the special routes “must” be environmentally aware, with all that this implies in terms of the potential risk of fire.
Under legislation relating to the current fire season, both lighting fires and smoking are prohibited, as is the operation of outdoor barbecues, and there is also a ban on the erection of tents in forests.
