Autosportfoto

XV Thermica rally Lužické hory 2012 - Summary

15. Thermica Rally Lužické Hory, which takes place in „Liberecky country" in the North od Czech Republic always brings a great weather conditions, breathtaking views of Luzickie and Jizera mountains, and - which is the most important ... a great competition of the most powerful rally beasts - WRC cars at narrow and winding stages. Among rally crews which apply to take part in the rally, there are also those who score in the Lausitz Rally Cup. This year, the comeptition within the Cup took place at four different special stages at two runs. Two stages - „Jindrichovice pod Smrkem" and „Kunratice" were known from the previous year, howerer the second one was run in the opposite direction. The track was completed by the stages such as: „Bily Kostel" and „Vaclavice" ... We kindly invite you the read the a stage-by-stage report of the competition in Lausitz Rally Cup on April 28 at   5. Thermica Rally Lužické Hory.

SS 1 „Bílý Kostel 1" - The first narrow and bumpy stage runs at hills around Bily Kostel village. The initial stage take a heavy toll among Lausitz Cup participants. A Polish crew No 67 - Marek Mularczyk with Michałem Rogóż - Citroen C2 run out of the road and retire after losing rear right wheel. The first stage is also the last one for Jan Halala / Stefan Dalibor (Focus) - a gearbox failure. Meanwhile, engine problems eliminate No. 121 - Zajíček Frantisek / Zajíček Petr (Skoda 120). Radek Typa firmly wins the stage in group 3. The best result is taken by no one else but Matthias Kahle (Octavia WRC), who make the competition a one man's shpw. The last-year winner is 4.7s faster than Jaroslav Pešl (Evo IX). The third place - Martin Hudec in another Evo IX, 7.5s behind the leader. The further positions are taken by  Trněný (Fabia WRC), Semerád (Evo IX) and Zimmermann (Clio R3). The best Polish driver is Ryznar (Kadett), 11^th place.

SS 2 „Václavice 1" -  The stage shows that the scenario written a year before may not happen again.  Mathias Kahle doesn't win the stage. The fastest driver is Martin Semerád who makes up for 1.8 s. to Kahle. Hudec take position number 3, just before Pešl. There are three Group N cars in the TOP 4 of the rally..

This is the last stage for crew No. 112 - Ulrich Strobel / Lothar Strobel (Polo), who retire due to technical problems and No. 114 - Klokočník Tomáš / Zlámal Jaroslav (Lada VFTS).

The service park is visited after 2 Special Stages. General classification is as follows: the leaders are Matthias Kahle / Christian Doerr (Octavia WRC). The second position, 10.5s behind the leaders is ocupied by Martin Semerád / Bohuslav Ceplecha (Evo IX). The third are Jaroslav Pešl / Roman Pešek (Evo IX). Group 3, with a numeros participation of Polish drivers, is lead by Marcin Stywryszko. The second driver after two stages is Sławek Blat, 10s. ahead  Typa.

SS 3 „Kunratice 1" - A stage is well known from the previous Thermica rally. The stage includes a famous, gravel right turn. This time it was driven in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, very few crews drove the stage with a time measurement. Martin Semerád / Bohuslav Ceplecha (Evo IX) - the fifth crew at the stage block the road afer the accident. The stage is stopped, and then cancelled in order to remove a damaged Mitsubishi. All the crews following Semerad are assigned the time of the last driver at the stage,  4:05.8, by Matthias Kahle. As a consequence of the accident, all the following crews go up one position in the results. The fight for the podium is joined by Karel Trněný in the second WRC in Lausitz Cup - Skoda Fabia.

SS 4 „Jindřichovice 1" - The longest stage in a rally is another victory of Matthias Kahle in his Octavia WRC. However, the situation behind the leader becomes more interesting. The second position at this stage is taken by Trněný (Fabia WRC) who finishes the stage 7.4 s. after Kahle and gets closer to Hudec i Pešl. They're at 3^rd and 4^th position at the stage.

SS 5 „Bílý Kostel 2" - The second run of „Bily Kostel" opens the competition in the second half of the rally. Jaroslav Pešl is improves his first result at this stage by 7.8s. and wind the stage. Matthias Kahle loses the stage by 5s. with Pešl and 3.1s with Trněný. Josef Zimmermann in FWD takes a good, fifth result at the stage, and also gets the same position in general classification. Karel Trněný overtakes Hudec by 0.6 s. in general classification, and reaches the final step of the podium after the stage. Ryznar is just behind Lancers, Clio R3 with Zimmerman behind the wheel is unavailable for him. Typa leads in T/3, Stywryszko is 16.4 sek. behind the leader. Sikorski i Blat fight for the third position. Zdeněk Václavík / Václav Hájek (Felicia) No.77 retire after going off the road at this stage.

SS 6 „Václavice 2" - The last stage before second visit to a service park. The stage lead through Vaclavice, close to the rally base.  Karel Trněný (Fabia WRC) is the fastest driver in Lausirz Cup classifcation. Jaroslav Pešl (Evo IX), second in the results before the stages, gets a flat tyre and loses 51.2s. So, the leader after the stage is still Matthias Kahle in Octavia WRC, 16.4s before  Karelem Trněny (Fabia WRC). Third place -  Jaroslav Pešl (Evo IX) 43.2s behind Trněny and  46.5 s. before - Josefem Zimmermannem (Clio R3) - lthe fastest FWD car. The stae is also unlucky for Martin Hudec, who also gets a flat tyre and achieve the worst result in Lausitz Cup, and drops down to place 6., just Behind Eric Karlsson in Audi TT.

SS 7 „Kunratice 2" - No significant changes are reported at the last run of the stages. Kahle winns the stage and increases his superiority up to 31.2 s. Hudec does the second result and gets closer to Karlsson. Trněný is third at the stage. Ahother Polish crew retires at the stage. Grzegorz Sikorski z Małgorzatą Malicką-Adamiec, retire after gearbox failure in Peugeot 206XS.

SS 8 „Jindřichovice 2" - The final stage of the rally is the second run of the longest stage through Horní Řasnice. Either this stage does not bring any changes. Results of two last stages are alike . SS8 is another victory of Matthias Kahle. Even though Hudec is second at the stage, he doesn't manage to catch up with with position in the overal results and loses  5.9 s. with Eriki Karlsson. The third result at the stage is made by Trněný, who loses the second step of the podium by 0.3s. The folowing drivers are Pešl, Karlsson and Zimmermann.

And finally we reach the end of long 8 special stages of 15. Thermica Rally Luzicke hory. The rally brougt a tricky and difficult stages through narrow village roads. However, it is a characeristic feature of the stages in northern Czech Republic and Lower Silesia in Poland.

The winners of the first round of  Lausitz Cup - 15. Thermica Rally Luzicke hory, are the 8-times Rally Champion of Germany - Matthias Kahle with his codriver Christian Doerr in Skoda Octavia WRC. They won 5 out of 8 stages.
The other WRC in Lausitz Cup - Karel Trněný / Václav Pritzl (Fabia WRC) took the second step of the podium. The final step of the podium is taken byJaroslav Pešl / Roman Pešek, drivingMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. The winners of particular groups are: T/5 - Matthias Kahle / Christian Doerr (Octavia WRC); T/4 - Josef Zimmermann / Pavel Zalabák (Clio R3); T/3 - Radosław Typa / Szymon Gospodarczyk (Fiesta R2); T/2 - Robert Čonka / Petr Zátko (Fabia); T/1 - Knorn Mike / Günther Steve (Trabant 601 R).

The number of driver who took part in the first round of Lausitz Cup is 28. Twenty crews reached the finish line. The next round will take place within 27. Rajd Karkonoski, in Jelenia Góra on 2 June 2. We already know that the stage will be at least as interesting as in Czech Republic. The competitors may expect even more narrow and tricky roads. Please be invited to observe the competition in Lausitz Cup, cheer on your favourite driver and see you at the stages!


By: Oskar Dobek, Patryk Korbel

www.lausitzcup.info

Photo gallery: Thermica Rally Lužické Hory

Photo gallery: Thermica Rally Lužické Hory II