Stunning Peninsula roads for Gold Rush Rally of Coromandel
A new challenge awaits rally competitors with the Gold Rush Rally of Coromandel taking to the roads around the Peninsula
on Saturday 23rd August. Based at the seaside town of Whitianga, the Gold Rush Rally is a new addition to the national
rally calendar and hosts the fifth round of the 2014 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship driven by
VINZ.
The roads in the area were last used in a national event during the 1979 Motogard Rally of New Zealand. The contrasts of
the Coromandel Peninsula ranges, rolling farmland and twisting coastline will provide a spectacular backdrop for
National Rallying action.
Gold Rush Rally of Coromandel Clerk of Course Steve Foster says the Peninsula roads will provide a fantastic location
for competition. "Competitors will know they have been in a rally at the end of this event. There is everything from
technical twisting sections in the hills, to fast flowing roads in the valleys," says Foster.
The event will commence on Friday afternoon with a Rally Show and Ceremonial Start on the shore and marina’s edge in the
township of Whitianga. Cars and crews will be on display at a pre event rally show in Blacksmiths Lane, providing an
opportunity for the public to get up and close with the cars and stars.
On Saturday morning, rally teams will then depart from the events base at the Mercury Bay Sports Complex for nine
special stages covering close to 140 kilometres of competitive distance. The first stage of the event, Ernslaw 1
(11.08km), is just outside of Whitianga, and takes crews up into the hills through well-formed forestry roads.After a
tour down the coastline, the second stage of the event is the famous 309 Road. At 14.45km, the stage winds and twists
from one side of the Coromandel Peninsula to the other through native bush and farmland. Drivers won’t have time to
check out the spectacular views as they race against the clock back towards Whitianga for the first Service of the day
back at the Mercury Bay Sports Park.
Following Service, another iconic Coromandel road awaits with the 23km’s of Tapu–Coroglen taking crews back across the
Peninsula. Starting at Coroglen, this stage is open and fast, finishing on the Western side of the Peninsula at Tapu.
Another coastline tour north to Castlerock for the next stage, which starts on a section of tight forestry road, winding
back down the Peninsula to join the 309 Road for the second half of the stage. This completes a very challenging and
demanding loop of stages. Another service back at the Sports ground before a repeat of this 47 kilometre loop awaits.
A spectacular tarmac publicity stage in Whitianga alongside the picturesque waterways will bring rallying into the
township before a repeat of the 11.08km Ernslaw test on the outskirts of Whitianga. The final stage is a second pass of
the Whitianga spectator stage to thrill the crowds before the finish celebrations on the finish ramp just prior to 5pm
conclude the event.
“We have had fantastic support from the Thames Coromandel District council in putting this event together. The
combination of some great roads, the excellent Mercury Bay Sports Park facility as event base, and Whitianga as the host
town are set to make the Gold Rush Rally a real highlight of this year’s rally calendar,” states Foster.
That view is echoed by the local region with Thames-Coromandel Mayor Glenn Leach stating, “We’re really excited that an
event of this calibre is being held in the Coromandel. We are looking forward to hosting all the crews, as well as
visitors and supporters who are coming here for the event. This is a fantastic opportunity for people to see why the
Coromandel is such an amazing place to visit, as well as an opportunity for our businesses to benefit from the increase
of visitors during the winter months,” says Mayor Leach.
ENDS