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ERC and Rally Islas Canarias extend agreement

FIA European Rally Championship promoter Eurosport Events and the Rally Islas Canarias organising team have finalised a two-year extension to their existing agreement.

Currently due to expire following next month's 41st edition, the extended deal will ensure that the event will remain a round of the longest-running international rally championship until at least 2019.

Welcoming the new agreement, ERC Co-ordinator Jean-Baptiste Ley said: "It is a pleasure to renew our deal with Rally Islas Canarias for two more years. The organisers do a great job on this event, thousands of fans turn out to support the crews and the location is spectacular."

The extended alliance between the ERC and Rally Islas Canarias was announced at the traditional launch event in Las Palmas earlier this week (18 April) when more details of next month's ERC qualifier were revealed, including confirmation of the new 3.3-kilometre Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria street stage, which closes the leg one action on 5 May.

The support of the town councils in Artenara and Moya, where the rally passes through, were highlighted while there was confirmation of a regroup during leg one in San Mateo and Tejeda as the base for a remote refuel zone on the same day.

Rally Islas Canarias organisers also revealed that their ‘gold pin', awarded to key supporters of the event, has been passed this year from Germán Morales to Valentín Parejo, a former regional director of El Corte Inglés. "It's exciting to receive this recognition," said Parejo. "I've always believed in getting the best motorsport for the Canary Islands because there are no other fans in the world like ours."

This year's Rally Islas Canarias, which also counts as round two of the ERC Junior Under 27 and Under 28 championships, features 12 all-asphalt stages over a competitive distance of 207.29 kilometres and runs from 4-6 May from its base in Las Palmas. Entries closed on 18 April. The provisional entry list will be published on 24 April.

Zdroj: fiaerc.com