Three new years for Rally Sweden in Umeå

– Wonderful, and exciting. We know that together with Umeå and the region we have an incredible potential to develop Rally Sweden even more, both as a competition, but also as the event and the folk festival it has already established itself as, it feels fantastic that we have the agreement in place, says Anna Nordkvist, CEO of Rally Sweden.

Rally Sweden is traditionally the second part of the WRC series and from 2022 the rally will be run with Umeå as the central location after the move from Värmland.

– I think that both Rally Sweden and Umeå have delivered beyond everyone’s expectations since the move. We have had two fantastic WRC competitions. Plenty of snow and a development of the public part of Rally Sweden where Red Barn Arena is the heart. When we saw the aerial photos of Red Barn last winter, I think many of us were amazed at what an enormously public event Rally Sweden is. Now knowing that together with Umeå, the region, landowners, partners, associations and all our beloved officials get to continue building this for three more years after next year’s rally is only positive, says Nordkvist.

The signed agreement valid for 2025, 2026 and 2027 is also a confirmation for Umeå that the WRC Promoter and Rally Sweden have found the right location for Sweden’s WRC rally.

– We already saw after the first year that Rally Sweden is an event that suits Umeå and the region well. It is sport at the highest elite level, but it also creates meeting places for the residents for four wonderful days and puts Umeå on the world map. And it gives back financially to the business community in the region. I think it shows how important the municipality sees the rally when all parties agree to keep Rally Sweden in our region, says Hans Lindberg, chairman of the Municipal Board and continues.

– Three new years with Rally Sweden here in Umeå also gives us as a municipality opportunities to create more value for the municipality and the residents by continuing to have a WRC rally in our region.

WRC Promoter Event Director Simon Larkin comments on the new agreement:

– This agreement secures Sweden’s place in the FIA ​​World Rally Championship and the future of the WRC’s only pure winter rally. The move to Umeå has proven to be a resounding success and we thank Umeå for the will to develop with us and Rally Sweden and also a big thank you to the Västerbotten region for the support and welcome during Rally Sweden week.