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Baja TT Montes Alentejanos 2024: ESC Online Baja TT Montes Alentejanos presented at Casino Estoril
Singer-songwriter Luís Represas, godfather of the event, and driver Bernardo Sousa in the spotlight
The main hall of the Estoril Casino was the setting chosen for the official presentation of the ESC Online Baja TT Montes Alentejanos 2024, the opening round of the FMP and FPAK Cross-Country Championships. It was a lively and relaxed event that welcomed the entities and partners of the Alentejo race, who were joined by dozens of guests, especially the media driver Bernardo Sousa and the singer Luís Represas, godfather of the event.
The ESC Online Baja TT Montes Alentejanos, organized by CPKA - Clube de Promoção de Karting e Automobilismo (Karting and Motorsport Promotion Club), made its debut in 2020 and has, over these four years, demonstrated a high level of organization and proved to be to the liking of both competitors and the public, not only from Beja, the city that hosts this event, but all off-road lovers.
Regarding the 2024 edition of the race, Humberto Silva, president of the CPKA, pointed out that "this is a completely new edition in terms of the route. It's a race that maintains the essence of being fast with a beautiful course, I'd even say it's fantastic. Paulo Fiúza, who is responsible for checking the roadbook, has already told us that this is the best route ever. We are therefore sure that this race has everything it takes to be a success once again."
Paulo Arsénio, mayor of Beja, the city hosting the ESC Online Baja TT Montes Alentejanos, said that "this race has a very strong sporting and economic impact on the county. Having a race of national reference in our territory, which we have recovered after the race was absent from Beja for almost two decades, is very good and we have formidable conditions for this type of race. This is not the testimony of the Mayor of Beja, but of the competitors themselves, who year after year say that this is one of the most spectacular courses. There is also a strong economic impact. Our restaurants and hotels are full every day of the race. This competition is one of the most significant economic events in the municipality of Beja. We had hoped that the impact would start out small, but it soon began to grow and, in fact, the prestige it has gained and the quality associated with its organization have meant that, year after year, this event has an even greater impact on the area."
There was no shortage of riders and co-drivers from the Moto, Quad, SSV and Auto competitions, such as Gonçalo Guerreiro, Henrique and João Lourenço, Nuno Madeira, Pedro Carvalho, Nuno Tordo, Filipe Cachopas, Tiago and Nuno Melancia, Rui Madeira, among dozens of other riders and guests who were able to attend the presentation of the various new features of this competition, which has ESC Online as its main sponsor for the second year running, and is also one of CPKA's main partners in the Lisbon Rally.
"It's a pleasure to be with this organization. It's an organization that has a lot of momentum in motorsport. ESC Online was a pioneer in motorsport. Soccer is very important in our industry, but it doesn't live on soccer alone and ESC Online, as an entertainment company, has to diversify. This bet on Baja is a win-win and we thought we should strengthen this partnership. There are a lot of people following motorsport and in the Bajas there's a lot of excitement, a lot of new people who go as a family to have fun and that's an area of entertainment where we want to be," says Bruno Serra, Marketing Manager at Estoril Sol Digital.
Driver Bernardo Sousa, a former contestant on 'Big Brother Famosos' who recently took part in TVI's 'Dança com as Estrelas' (Dancing with the Stars), will be one of the great novelties of this edition, as he will be resuming his sporting activity by competing in the Portuguese Cross-Country Championship with the support of ESC Online in this event.
The ESC Online Baja TT Montes Alentejanos takes place from February 29 to March 3. February 29 is reserved for a shakedown on a 4.5 km track. The race kicks off on Friday with a 7.43 km prologue at the usual location, next to the Shooting Range at Herdade "Cabeça de Ferro". Friday will also see the official presentation of all the competitors from 8pm onwards at the event's podium, located at the Beja Fair and Exhibition Park, better known as the "Ovibeja Park", which this year promises to be much more spectacular than in previous years.
On both days of the weekend, the more than 180 competitors will face a selective sector of 140.61 km. The race will cover a total of 359.90 km, of which 288.65 will be timed.
Automatic translation of the Portuguese version available on www.todoterreno.pt
Source: CPKA
Helder