Baja Poland 2014 the biggest event in cross country rallies in our country will be held on the last weekend of August. For the first time in its history the rally will not only be a round of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup (cars), but also the fourth part of the rivalry in the FIM World Cup for Bajas (motorcycles). The sixth edition of Baja Poland will bear the highest status in the cross country cup (there are not world championship in cross country rallies) for the third time and will traditionally be based in Szczecin, Dobra and Drawsko Pomorskie. On Tuesday, 19th August the organisers of the event informed about the preparations, various attractions and novelties connected with Baja Poland during the press conference held in Arena Szczecin. During the meeting with journalists there was also present the president of Szczecin, Mr. Piotr Krzystek as well as representatives of Dobra and Drawsko Pomorskie communities. Krzysztof Hołowczyc, the ambassador of the rally was a guest of the conference.
– We are very glad that so much recognised rally as Baja Poland is a fixed part of the city and region climate. We have prepared an extra attractions for fans this year. The start of the event will be held at the new Sports & Entertainment Hall – Arena Szczecin. The spectators will have an opportunity to admire great drivers, their unique cars and motorcycles – underlined Piotr Krzystek, President of Szczecin.
Thanks to a very good cooperation between authorities of Szczecin, Baja Poland Foundation and Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (PZM), organizers are able to move rally office to modern Szczecin Arena. Right next to the magnificent hall there will also be placed the ceremonial start and finish of the rally. The colourful rally town, which contains service area, will be located, like in the previous years, nearby the Szafer Street.
The whole area, right from the kick-off of the rally, will be highlighted with beautiful and symbolic emphasis on motoring background. The nearby street will be named after Franciszek Jarzyński, a former motorcycle rider, a long time president of Automobile Club of Poland and ASN in Szczecin, creator of “Brzegiem Bałtyku”, the first rally in this region, a soldier of Polish Army and the Warsaw Uprising. Thanks to his efforts, in 1966 Szczecin held motocross world championship on the track located nearby Polish Army Street.
This great tradition is continued today by Baja Poland Foundation. In just three years, the project that was started by a group of enthusiasts, acquired place in the sporting calendar of the International Automobile Federation (FIA). Rally cars and motorcycles can compete again in Szczecin.
This year’s competition heralds great excitement. The entry list, according to the rules, will be published next Monday. However, we will certainly see in Szczecin the main contenders for the championship crown. The best chances for the World Cup has Vladimir Vasilyev (MINI All4 Racing), who leads the classification and Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota Hilux Overdrive) who occupies the second place.
The Qatari driver defeated the Russian in last week’s Hungarian Baja, but he still needs to make up a significant loss of points. Al-Attiyah is a great driver who won a famous Dakar Rally (2011), World Cup for Cross Country Rallies (2008), Production World Rally Championship (2006), bears nine titles in Middle East Rally Championship and… is a bronze medallist in skeet shooting at the Olympic Games in London.
Krzysztof Hołowczyc hopes for a duel with the Qatari. He already triumphed three times in Szczecin, and last year technical failure of the car did not let him stand on the highest step of the podium. Marek Dąbrowski and Jacek Czachor can also make a surprise. Their vast international experience gained in Dakar, allowed them to take second place in Szczecin last year. Without a doubt Adam Małysz and Martin Kaczmarski, who is making rapid progress, will join the fight for the top places. Fans from Szczecin will certainly support drivers representing their city: Klaudia Podkalicka and Sławomir Wasiak – the Polish champion in the 2008 season.
One of the favourites among motorcyclists is Kuba Przygoński, the best Polish driver in this category, and on quads Kamil Wiśniewski, Zbigniew Zych and Arkadiusz Bernat should also be in a fight for top spots.
The organizers of the rally prepared a route with length of nearly 800 km divided for five special stages with a total length of 522 km. The start of the rally will take place on Friday, August 29th at 17:30 in front of the Szczecin Arena. The first special stage will take place on the same day. Its start and finish will be in the rally complex located next to the hall.
On the second day of the rally, on Saturday, August 30th drivers will have to fight at the very hard stage on Drawsko military area. They will compete two times on 192 km route. Between the stages cars, motorcycles and quads will show up in the service park located in Drawsko Pomorskie.
On Sunday, August 31st drivers will also have to compete two times on one stage (65 km) located in Dobra municipality. The finish of Baja Poland and the closing ceremony will take place at 15:30 in front of Szczecin Arena.
Baja Poland is not only about a great sports emotions, but also numerous attractions prepared by the organizers. In the rally town there will be an area for children prepared by the Association of Dołuje – Kościno, which will provide kids with numerous attractions while their dads are busy admiring the rally cars and motorcycles. In addition, on Friday at 15:00 the classic cars, competing in the Historic Vehicle Rally Hamburg – Berlin, will appear in the rally town. On Saturday when contestants will move to Drawsko Pomorskie, the skateboarders will held their own competition next to Szczecin Arena and in the so-called Military Zone (the area of military shooting) there will be an exhibition of historic military vehicles and soldiers in historical uniforms. Another zone will be linked to traffic safety and its biggest attraction is probably the rollover simulator.
Moreover from Friday on, fans in rally town will also be able to admire a replica of Dakar Star 266, which in 1988 conquered the Sahara and reached the finish line in the capital of Senegal giving impetus to the increasing interest in off-road rallies in Poland.