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Rallye Breslau 2023: The Ultra4 Europe 2023 european championship it started with a long hard way to the glory
An unprecedented challenge saw the Ultra4 Europe teams as protagonists!
For the first time in history they competed in the legendary Rallye Breslau; the oldest and most demanding offroad race in Europe.
The 29th edition of the Rallye Breslau took place in Poland from 25 to 30 June. For the first time in the history of offroad, the Rallye Breslau has been included in the calendar of the European Championship of Ultra4 Europe.
It was a different and unprecedented start to the championship for Ultra4 Europe. Rallye Breslau is very different from the races we are used to. “I believe that this vision of Dave Cole and Alexander Kovatchev has brought a breath of fresh air to our teams and an enrichment for our championship – commented Lee Craighead, U4E Managing Director – Ultra4 Europe races have always been characterized by offering a great difference in terrains and difficulties that make our championship the most complete in Europe. The inclusion of the Rallye Breslau is fully in line with this concept by adding a new challenge for our teams who had to deal with a race of over 1250 km on hard ground with different characteristics after each corner.”
If in Europe it was a novelty, certainly this concept is not in the United States where our origins reside. Across the pond it is now normal to see the teams of our large family taking part in numerous desert races that have little to do with the characteristics of the King of the Hammers. So why not take this way in Europe too?
Dave Cole and Alexander Kovatchev believe in this idea and if their visions that we know very well are witnessed by their two legendary races why not believe it?
“Since the founding of King of the Hammers and Ultra4, our mission has been to give teams the opportunity to prove their skill while also having Lifetime Experiences. Alex and the RBI team exemplify this approach. This opportunity is an honour, one which I’m sure our drivers will rise to the challenge. Thank you RBI for allowing us to join your party.” - Dave Cole (Owner/Executive Director of Hammerking Productions and Ultra4).
“I’am happy that Dave and I work in one direction and share common values in terms of the overall organization of off-road events. We want to deliver high quality experience to the participants and assist them in making life time memories in a very friendly atmosphere despite of the competitive characteristics of a rally. We both know our teams and what they love at the races. I very much look forward to this great cooperation.“ - Alexander Kovatchev (Rallye Breslau Clerk of the Course).
Rallye Breslau 2023, 25 - 30 June – from Zagan to Drawsko Pomorskie to crown the first European "KING".
For the first race of the European Championship, Ultra4 Europe teams gathered in Zagan in Poland to write a new chapter in the history of Ultra4 and the entire off-road world. Lukas Gembala and Piotr Troszok (POL) won this first championship race writing an exciting chapter in the history of Ultra4 Europe.
The teams have been called for a new challenge which for many of them has represented a journey into the unknown. This is precisely the essence of this new experience: they were confronted with a different way of running, with a 1250 km marathon where managing themselves and their vehicles were the priorities of this race. Obviously all this without forgetting that it is always the stopwatch that decides the winner.
These are the 10 crews competing at Rallye Bresau:
- Andrea Calandri / Nikolay Elistratov - ITA - team Skyworks Fab.
- Antoine Reul / Benoit Reul - BEL - Reulsport Offroad Team
- Bartosz Puchowski / Lukasz Jungiewicz - POL - team Cree Yacht
- Bernd Schaefer / Alexander Schoenbrunn - team The Crazy Germans
- Jim Marsden / Helder Da Rocha – GBR / PRT - team Gigglepin Racing
- Lukas Gembala / Piotr Troszok – POL – team Rally4team
- Marc Govaerts / Glenn Govaerts - BEL - Green Team
- Mathias Armand / Paul Molinero-Roustit - FRA - team 143 Motorsports
- Nicolas Montador / Kerry Hufton – FRA / GBR - team WSR Offroad
- Szymon Salamon / Mariusz Kiszlo – POL - team Rally4team
The beginning of this adventure took place in the Lipinki tank training polygon, in the Zagan area, where the prologue took place on 25 June. A prologue 30 km long with all the types of terrain that Rallye Breslau had to offer in the following days of the race. On the same day, after the prologue, the race immediately got underway with Leg 1.
The next day of competition took place in the huge polygon of Świętoszów where the teams found themselves racing in the so-called European Sahara. The fine sand and the deep holes created by the tanks were the ingredients of these first two Legs.
The last 4 days of the Rallye Breslau took place in the Drawsko Pomorskie polygon. Fast and precise driving on very different terrains with unexpected hidden obstacles around every turn were the playground for the last kilometers of this new adventure which helped make the 2023 Ultra4 Europe season even more unique and glorious.
The fastest on the first day of competition were the brothers Antoine and Benoit Reul from Belgium.
Bartosz Puchowski won the second stage ahead of the Belgian Antoine Reul by exactly 8 minutes. The daily top 3 was completed by the Italian Andrea Calandri, 59 seconds behind the brothers Reul.
Antoine and Benoit Reul took their second victory in the Night Sgtage. The Belgians beat legendary Ultra4 Europe and Breslau driver Jim Marsden from the UK by almost 5 minutes. Third place for the Polish Bartosz Puchowski.
In Leg 3, Lucas Gembala pulled out a whopping 22 minutes lead over Frenchman Mathias Armand and an hour over his compatriot and teammate Szymon Salamon.
Unfortunately all our 4400 drivers had mechanical problems of various kinds which put them out of action.
On the penultimate day of competition, Lucas Gembala looks forward to his first ever title in the brand new Ultra4 class of Rallye Breslau. He set another best time with a huge lead of almost 2 hours over Mathias Armand from France.
The final day of racing saw Lucas Gembala take the first ever Ultra4 title at Rallye Breslau. The Polish driver had a huge lead over the first half of the rally and there was no chance for his main rival Mathias Armand from France to change that. Another Polish driver - Szymon Salamon completed the top 3 of the podium.
After 6 days and 1250 km of racing here is the overall standings:
- 1, 271, Lukas Gembala / Piotr Troszok – POL – team Rally4team
- 2, 268, Mathias Armand / Paul Molinero-Roustit - FRA - Nissan Patrol Y60 – team 143 Motorsports
- 3, 269, Szymon Salamon / Mariusz Kiszlo – POL - Toyota Land Cruiser BJ73 - team Rally4team
- 4, 261, Jim Marsden / Helder Da Rocha – GBR / PRT - Gigglepin Defender - team Gigglepin
- 5, 270, Antoine Reul / Benoit Reul - BEL - Reulsport U4RS - Reulsport Offroad Team
- 6, 265, Bartosz Puchowski / Lukasz Jungiewicz - POL - Proto F5 - team Cree Yacht
- 7 263 Andrea Calandri / Nikolay Elistratov - ITA - Skyworks Fab. SWRZR - team Skyworks Fab.
- 8, 267, Bernd Schaefer / Alexander Schoenbrunn - DEU - Crazy Germans - team The Crazy Germans
- 9, 266, Marc Govaerts / Glenn Govaerts - BEL - Ora Offender - Green Team
- 10 262 Nicolas Montador / Kerry Hufton – FRA / GBR - WSR-500IFS - team WSR Offroad
Source Ultra4
Helder