Simultaneously a fierce battle took place between S.Plangi and the currently fastest Latvian crew Jānis Vorobjovs/Andris Mālnieks, who won four special stages out of 12 and, furthermore, showed a very stable performance on both days of the races, eventually falling behind the winners by just 11.34 seconds.

"We made a good handicap on the first day of the races and managed to maintain it as the rally carried on. Of course, we drove very fast, and I would like to thank Jānis Vorobjovs for the beautiful battle on both days of the rally ," said S.Plangi after the finish.

S.Plangi won six special stages, while winner of the last two special stages was Mārcis Ķenavs, head of the his ASRT team together with the co-driver Gatis Cimdiņš, who did not reach finish on the first day of races due to accident in the third special stage. The car was repaired over the night, and M.Ķenavs could delight supporters with his very fast and attractive driving.

3rd place in the point total of the rally and first position in LRC1 class was won by Jānis Berķis/Edgars Čeporjus, who fell behind the winner by 51.52. It must be noted that S. Plangi and J. Vorobjovs participated in LRC2 competition.

2nd and 3rd place in LRC1 competition was taken by Guntis Lielkājis/Vilnis Miķelsons and Staņislavs Travņikovs/Aleksejs Bašmakovs, respectively, while the third step of the pedestal of honour in LRC2 class was taken by Mārtiņš Svilis/Ivo Pūķis, who returned in the rally tracks after a half a year break.

In the LRC3 class, where sportsmen drive front-wheel drive cars, the winner was the Russian racer participating under the flag of Latvia Nikolai Gryazin, who was involved in an immensely fierce battle throughout the rally with the youngest participant of this rally – the talented Finnish racer Kalle Rovanpera. K.Rovanpera took the leading position after the first day of the rally, however, in the first special stage of the second day N.Gryazin managed to outpace his competitor and to win six Saturday’s special stages out of seven.

However, K.Rovanpera finished in the modest third position, because at the end of the race he was also outpaced by Emīls Blūms – at the end of the final stage of the rally distance between both sportsmen was less than seven seconds.

Shortly before the finish of the eleventh special stage of the rally Ukrainian crew Jurijs Kočmars/Sergijs Kovals were involved in a severe accident and rushed to the hospital. Health condition of the racers is stable, and they are currently under medical supervision.

Dzintars Hmieļevskis, Spokesperson of rally "Kurzeme". Photo: Mareks Seleņa