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Balkan Offroad Rallye 2023: chapter 11 on the go
Another amazing 6 days in Romania and new racing challenges
After a triumphant 10th-anniversary celebration last year, during which over 100 teams conquered the challenges of the Balkan Peninsula, Balkan Offroad Rallye is back with the 11th edition of the iconic marathon.
The Balkan Offroad Rallye has always been about pushing the limits of off-road motorsport while exploring stunning landscapes, and the Dracula edition last year was no exception. Looking ahead to this year’s rally, we're RBI sport once again raising the bar. This year promises even more heart-pounding action, fresh challenges, and a renewed spirit of friendship as Alex Kovatchev and his crew uphold their tradition of venturing into uncharted terrains.
Last year, Romania showcased its rich motorsports traditions, offering fantastic terrains with vast forests, expansive mountains, splendid roads, and incredible sections for extreme competitions. This year, these terrains are even more exciting. RBI Sport, once again, has the honor of collaborating with local automobile and motorcycle federations, providing substantial support for the event. In comparison to the Rallye Breslau in Poland, competitors at the Balkan Offroad can expect vastly different, three-dimensional, and untamed terrains that will present a truly demanding challenge.
Balkan Offroad Rallye 2023 will feature five full rally days from October 1st to 6th, along with an additional day at the start for the official kick-off and the prologue. Once again, the event will commence in the picturesque region of Sighisoara and conclude with a grand finale in the historic city of Alba Iulia. These two cities will respectively host the two camps for this year's competition.
Sighisoara is a popular tourist destination for its well-preserved walled old town, which is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site with its rich millennial history, including the famous fact, that this is the hometown of the The Wallachian voivode Vlad Dracul - father of Vlad the Impaler – Dracula.
Alba Iulia is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. The city is historically important for Romanians, Hungarians, and Transylvanian Saxons. In December 2018, Alba Iulia was officially declared Capital of the Great Union of Romania.
Anticipating 120 rally vehicles representing all classes, including bikes, quads, SSVs, and cars, will participate. The traditional three categories - Cross Country (all classes), Extreme (limited and open cars), and Discovery (all classes) - will be maintained.
While speed is undoubtedly a factor, the primary focus will be on precise navigation through the dynamic terrains of Transylvania. The Cross-Country route will span 1400 km, with over 1000 km timed against the clock. The Extreme category, will present formidable challenges, with tough sections across mountains, rivers, swamps, and more. Meanwhile, the Discovery category will explore captivating sections of the rally route without the pressure of timing.
Competitors hailing from various European countries, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Switzerland, and our host country Romania, will join the event. Some of these teams comprise past winners and veterans from the very first editions of Balkan Offroad Rallye, promising the ultimate off-road adventure.
Except for the prologue and Day 3 (Marathon Stage), the two competing categories, Cross Country and Extreme, have separate routes specifically designed for the different characteristics of the vehicles. Race director Alex Kovatchev promises new sections for both EX and CC teams, as well as implementing novelties from this year’s Fenix and Breslau rallies: reduced fuel autonomy and the usage of the digital roadbook in addition of the paper ones. And, of course, all the competitors can count on the traditionally high standard of racing services and safety.
Source: RBI
Helder