This weekend’s Otepää Winter Rally, the second round of the Terminal Rally Estonian Championship, was held on the roads of Otepää, Kanepi, and Kambja municipalities. 53 pairs of competitors started, including five crews in the Estonian Youth Rally Championship, who competed in three of the six special stages.
Priit Koik/Alari-Uku Heldna (Škoda Fabia SRT Proto) and Roland Murakas/Kalle Adler (Ford Fiesta Proto) fought an exciting battle for victory in the Otepää Winter Rally until the last stage. While Murakas/Adler held the lead with a 13.29s lead after two stages, Koik/Heldna were in better shape in the repeat stages, becoming the leaders with a 6.11s lead. In the penultimate stage of the rally, the better track conditions again benefited Murakas/Adler, who started the last stage with a 0.40s lead. Priit Koik/Alari-Uku Heldna gave it their all in the last stage, and ultimately won the rally with a 10.24s lead.
“We did a test day on Thursday and drove about 60-70 km., said Koik. “The idea to participate here came at the last minute and since my own car is currently in the works, we rented a Škoda Fabia Proto from SRT, which we came here to enjoy. For me, this is a big, big victory, because I haven’t been able to show my speed in winter conditions and this time I succeeded and it was enjoyable to drive and a victory as a gift. I asked for help from my old card reader Uku Heldna, who hasn’t been in a car for five years. At the beginning, there were some problems with the legend’s rhythm, but in the last three attempts he did very well. I am very grateful to him and he deserves this victory, which is his first overall victory.”
Koik, who took his fifth Estonian Championship overall rally victory of his career, was also the best in the EMV1 classification, with a time of 1m 35.51s ahead of second-placed Mikołaj Kempa/Marcin Szeja (Hyundai i20 VRT1). Murakas/Adler did not compete in the EMV1 points because their car’s tyres did not comply with section 8.4 of the Estonian Championship General Regulations.
In classes EMV2, EMV3, and EMV8, the only starters and finishers were Sergey Uger/Maria Uger (Ford Fiesta), Esmar-Arnold Unt/Denisa-Alexia Parteni (Ford Fiesta Rally3) and Kerli Vilu/Arvo Liimann (Ford Fiesta R2).
In the EMV4 class, Hugo Arendi/Kaimar Taal (Ford Fiesta Rally4) won, ahead of Travis Pärs/Aigar Pärs (Peugeot 208), who had taken an extra step on the side of the track on the last attempt and fortunately got back on track with the help of the audience, in 8m 36.92s.
In the exciting EMV5 class, Steven Viilo/Jakko Viilo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) took the lead after the third attempt, and although before the last attempt their gap to their closest pursuers, Allan Popov/Aleksander Prõttčikov (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X), was only 0.85s, at the finish of the rally the Viilos were 12.06s ahead of their competitors.
“We tried to push right from the start, because usually everyone holds back and watches at first, but generally I’ve had better first-round attempts than second-round ones, Viilos said. “The plan worked and everything went well. There was a significant difference in the first and second-round attempts, and that’s why the differences in the times between the attempts were quite large. Thanks to my brother, who has a lot of experience at the world level, he can already see things and use them to his advantage, and I think that’s what led to our success today.”
Third place in the EMV5 class went to the racing pair Emīls Blūms/Didzis Eglītis, who had to change cars before the race because their usual Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX did not meet the technical requirements. The southern neighbors, who competed in a Subaru Impreza, were 29.20s behind the class winners. Karl Martin Volver/Annika Sõna (Subaru Impreza WRX STI), who won the opening stage, unfortunately, had to abandon the race due to a spin on the third stage.
In the EMV6 class, six different pairs of competitors took stage wins, but the second stage win of the season was taken by Martynas Samsonas/Ervinas Snitkas (BMW E36 M3). The Lithuanians were 1m 56.60s ahead of second-place Alari Lunts/Jarmo Liivak (BMW 328) and 8m 02.82s ahead of third-place Henri Ääremaa/Alan Mitšulis (BMW M3).
Markus Tammoja/Ott Mesikäpp (BMW M3), who held first place after the opening attempt, retired on the second attempt due to a spin, and Raiko Aru/Maigro Rehberg (BMW 1M), who remained in the fight for first place, ended the race due to a technical problem on the fifth attempt.
The best of the second stage of the EMV7 class season were Joonas Palmisto/Jan Nõlvak (Volkswagen Golf 2), who were 20.43s ahead of Arno Metsaluik/Allan Birjukov (Honda Civic) and 34.87s ahead of Argo Kästik/Eero Viljus (Honda Civic Type-R). Sander-Erik Tiits/Rasmus Vesiloo (Volkswagen Golf 2), who had held first place in the class before the last attempt, went over the roof with their car in the last attempt, but were able to move on again with the help of the audience and finally finished fifth.
Of the EMV Lada class pairs competing for the first time this season, the best in the Otepää Winter Rally were Einar Visnapuu/Anti Kaljumäe (Lada VFTS), who were 1m 32.52s ahead of Rauno Plado/Marko Kaasik (Lada VFTS) and 2m 36.50s ahead of Veiko Haabu/Veiko Vares (Lada VFTS).
For the second year in a row, the EMV GAZ class had no opponents for the racing pair Heigo Ojasaar/Keir Järvsaar (GAZ 51) at the Otepää Winter Rally.
“I’ve always liked driving in the winter,” said Ojasaar. “We came, tried it and at the beginning it started to go right away and it went like that until the end. The morning plan was that we didn’t want to end up in a ditch and we took it with a grain of salt. On the second attempt we got our first test win and it looked like it was entirely possible. We were lucky and the others didn’t have so much, but that’s how this rally is. The grip was worse than last year because there was a lot of loose snow and the spikes didn’t stick there.”
After six stages, the winners were 24.11s ahead of Veiko Liukanen/Toivo Liukanen (GAZ 51) and 1m 22.46s ahead of Janno Nuiamäe/Rivo Hell (GAZ 51).
The best drivers in the opening round of the Estonian Youth Rally Championship season were Mairo Tiks/Alo Lond (Ford Fiesta).
“The preparation was pretty good, we went to legend training a couple of times and also trained in the car once,” said Tiks. “In Recce, the youngsters could have three people in the car – one driving, the card reader next to them and the driver in the back. I got a pretty good legend for my first time. At first, I was a little scared and didn’t know what a legend was like, but in the end it was very good.”
Second place in the youth class went to the pair Romet Reimal/Inga Reimal (Citroen C2) with a time of 2m 15.84s, and third place went to Henry Heinam/Urmo Heinam (Ford Fiesta) with a time of 3m 00.88s.
Overall Otepää Winter Rally Results
01: P. Koik/A-U. Heldna (Škoda Fabia SRT Proto) – 50m 33.93s
02: R. Murakas/K. Adler (Ford Fiesta Proto) + 10.24s
03: S. Viilo/J. Viilo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) + 43.61s
04: A. Popov/A. Prõttšikov (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) + 55.67s
05: E. Blūms/D. Eglītis (Subaru Impreza STi N14) + 1m 12.81s
06: M. Ķikusts/R. Ķikusts (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII) + 1m 18.11s
07: M. Kempa/M. Szeja (Hyundai i20 Proto) + 1m 35.51s
08: A. Aigro/A. Vahtra (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) + 1m 56.38s
09: G-K. Kähr/K. Tammai (Subaru Impreza) + 1m 59.41s
10: K. Kasari/R. Raidma (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) + 2m 36.15s