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Swedish snowfest retains cross-border format

NEXT YEAR’S RALLY SWEDEN (11 – 14 FEBRUARY), THE ONLY TRUE WINTER FIXTURE IN THE FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP, WILL AGAIN BE A CROSS-BORDER EVENT WITH NORWAY HOSTING MOST OF THE FIRST FULL DAY’S ACTION.

More than a quarter of the special stage distance is new compared with 2015, including a never-before used test in Norway, and the permanent service park will be in Karlstad Harbour after several years further north at Hagfors.

Karlstad, the traditional home of the WRC’s second round, hosts Thursday night’s start and opening super special stage at its horse trotting track.

Friday begins with a revamped version of the Torsby test before two loops of three Norwegian stages, each to be driven twice. They include Röjden, which starts in Sweden and twice crosses the border with Norway, as well as the new 25.25km Svullrya and the popular Kirkenaer. It ends with a repeat of Torsby.

There is a tyre change opportunity in Kirkenaer but no mid-leg service, meaning competitors must tackle 133.64km before the sanctuary of evening service in Karlstad.

Saturday is the longest of the rally with 134.85km of competition near Hagfors, which hosts a mid-leg tyre fitting zone. It includes classic stages such as Fredriksberg, used in the opposite direction to 2015, Vargåsen and the famous Colin’s Crest jump, and Rämmen.

It ends with a repeat of the Karlstad super special stage and again competitors must manage with no service during the day.

Sunday’s final leg comprises two loops of the Lesjöfors and Värmullsåsen tests, the second pass through the latter forming the live TV Power Stage.

The 21 stages cover 332.13km in a route of 1592.74km.

NEXT YEAR’S RALLY SWEDEN (11 – 14 FEBRUARY), THE ONLY TRUE WINTER FIXTURE IN THE FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP, WILL AGAIN BE A CROSS-BORDER EVENT WITH NORWAY HOSTING MOST OF THE FIRST FULL DAY’S ACTION.

More than a quarter of the special stage distance is new compared with 2015, including a never-before used test in Norway, and the permanent service park will be in Karlstad Harbour after several years further north at Hagfors.

Karlstad, the traditional home of the WRC’s second round, hosts Thursday night’s start and opening super special stage at its horse trotting track.

Friday begins with a revamped version of the Torsby test before two loops of three Norwegian stages, each to be driven twice. They include Röjden, which starts in Sweden and twice crosses the border with Norway, as well as the new 25.25km Svullrya and the popular Kirkenaer. It ends with a repeat of Torsby.

There is a tyre change opportunity in Kirkenaer but no mid-leg service, meaning competitors must tackle 133.64km before the sanctuary of evening service in Karlstad.

Saturday is the longest of the rally with 134.85km of competition near Hagfors, which hosts a mid-leg tyre fitting zone. It includes classic stages such as Fredriksberg, used in the opposite direction to 2015, Vargåsen and the famous Colin’s Crest jump, and Rämmen.

It ends with a repeat of the Karlstad super special stage and again competitors must manage with no service during the day.

Sunday’s final leg comprises two loops of the Lesjöfors and Värmullsåsen tests, the second pass through the latter forming the live TV Power Stage.

The 21 stages cover 332.13km in a route of 1592.74km.