FIM Supermoto Grand Prix in Greece October 21, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Racing & Motors.Tags: Cars, Greece, Sports
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The FIM SuperMoto World Championship is back for its final appearance of 2007, the Grand Prix of Greece, which will take place on the demanding track of Megara.
The fast Greek course, which played host to its last GP back in 2005, will mark the end of the quests for the S1 and S2 World Titles.
The events’ schedule are as follows >
Saturday, October 20th : Greek Championship S3, Junior, Ladies, Newcomers Free Practice at 8:00 am; Greek Championship S1, S2 Free Practice at 8:15 am; EC Open Free Practice 1 at 8:30 am; EC S3 Free Practice 1 at 9:00 am; EC Open Qualifying Practice at 9:35 am; EC S3 Free Practice 2 at 10:05 am; Greek Championship S3, Junior, Ladies, Newcomers Time Practice at 10:35 am; Greek Championship S1, S2 Time Practice at 11:00 am; S2 Free Practice 1 at 12:00 am; S1 Free Practice 1 at 12:45 am; EC Open Time Practice at 1:20 pm; S2 Free Practice 2 at 2:00 pm; S1 Free Practice 2 at 2:45 pm; EC S3 Time Practice at 3:20 pm; S2 Time Practice at 4:00 pm; S1 Time Practice at 5:00 pm; Greek Championship S1, S2 Race 1 at 5:50 pm; Greek Championship S3, Junior, Ladies, Newcomers Free Practice at 6:15 pm; Greek Championship S1, S2 Race 2 at 6:40 pm.
Sunday, October 21st : EC Open Warm Up at 8:15 am; EC S3 Warm Up at 8:40 am; S2 Warm Up at 9:05 am with Superpole immediately after; S1 Warm Up at 9:45 am with Superpole immediately after; EC Open Race 1 at 10:40 am; EC S3 Race 1 at 11:25 am; S2 Race 1 at 12:25 am; S1 Race 1 at 1:25 pm; EC Open Race 2 at 2:25 pm; S2 Race 2 at 3:25 pm; S1 Race 2 at 4:25 pm; EC S3 Race 2 at 5:25 pm.
About Megara City in Greece > Megara’s circuit played host to its last GP in 2005, and now it is back into the calendar with a newly modified sky section, which will be about 150 metre long. This permanent facility has a fast layout.
Megara is a very important town in Greece, as it was the birth place of the famous philosopher Euclid. Megara, having about 30.000 inhabitants, is located in Attica, in the west of the country, and is 40 kilometres away from Athens.
Cypriot drivers win Cyprus Rally October 15, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Racing & Motors.Tags: Cars, Cyprus
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Cypriot drivers Charalambos Timotheou and Pambos Laos in their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX won the Cyprus Rally, round 6 of the 2007 FIA Middle East Championship (MERC), making Timotheou the first Cypriot driver to win the island’s leading international sports event since 1991.
Defending Middle East and P-WRC champion Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and co-driver Chris Patterson secured second place in their Subaru Impreza, finishing the event 1 minute 18.7 seconds behind Timotheou.
Current Middle East Championship leader Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi of the UAE and co-driver Nicky Beech steered their Team Abu Dhabi-backed Subaru Impreza to fourth place overall, retaining their Championship lead, but by a reduced margin of 9 points over Al-Attiyah.
The 2007 Cyprus Rally was also an official round of the 2007 FIA Historic Rally Championship and nine Historic Cyprus Rally competitors began the Rally on Saturday morning.
Dimitris Vazakas and Maria Gemeni of Greece showed winning form from the start in their Ford Escort, winning every stage of the event bar the last, which went to Cypriots Christakis Michael and Georgios Lysandrou in their Mk1 Ford Escort who finished third overall. Second place in the event went to Cypriots Pantelis Poetis and Andreas Xydias in a Volkswagen Golf.
The 2007 Cyprus Rally and 2007 Historic Cyprus Rally are organised by the Cyprus Automobile Association (CAA).
It’s that time of year again > get ready for the Cyprus Rally 2007 October 11, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Racing & Motors.Tags: Cars, Cyprus, Limassol
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The annual highlight on the motorsport calendar, the 2007 Cyprus Rally, kicks off next weekend with a ceremonial start in the coastal town of Limassol.
The rally, that is part of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) will cover nine gravel stages on Saturday and Sunday before finishing in Limassol on Sunday afternoon.
Rally teams have entered from Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Greece, the UK, Lebanon and Cyprus heading for four special stages on Saturday, beginning with the Xyliatos test and five on Sunday, culminating with the Panagia stage and the ceremonial finish.
In a total route of 878.72 km, there will be 239.66 km of special stages, mostly gravel and narrow dirt roads. The longest special stage will be the 32.42 km of the Anadiou stage, which will run twice on Sunday. The shortest is the fifth 11.87 km Kato Amaiantos special stage on Sunday morning.
This year’s Cyprus Rally will also include an official round of the 2007 FIA Historic Rally Championship.
The Historic Cyprus Rally will run first in the day, ahead of the Cyprus Rally, and competitors will tackle a total of five Special Stages (3 on Day 1 and 2 on Day 2), as opposed to the nine stages of the Cyprus Rally. Historic Rally entrants will also compete under older regulations, which allow for greater flexibility in servicing, for example.
Cyprus is hosting two rounds of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship in 2007. The Troodos Rally, round 3 of this year’s MERC, was held earlier this year and ended with a clear victory for Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah, the defending FIA Middle East and PWRC Champion, and co-driver Chris Patterson.
Greece’s Red Bull Donkey Cross Honda September 29, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Racing & Motors.Tags: Cars, Greece, Greek Islands
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For Red Bull Donkey Cross winner Thodoros Antoniadis, his Honda was “the vehicle that fits him best.” And no, we’re not talking about a motor bike. Reliable and all-terrain, robust and economical: Thodoros Antoniadis was extremely satisfied with his Honda at the Red Bull Donkey Cross.
And rightly so: the donkey with the unusual name helped the Greek motocross pro to win the most unusual event that the Greek island Sifnos has ever experienced. In the contest, which wasn’t to be taken too seriously, but was technically extremely challenging, 16 contestants competed against each other, alternating between motocross machines and donkeys, in a race over steep, narrow passes, steps, over rough and smooth.
“I’ve been racing for 22 years, but I’ve never won,” Antoniadis said happily and joked “I guess I’ve found the vehicle that fits me best!” He and his 15 rivals had to complete three rounds on Greece’s most traditional mode of transport. No easy feat, if you’re used to accelerator throttles, disc brakes and combustion engines.
The race started on September 22 at 5 p.m. on the main square in Apollonia with a one kilometer-long course on the back of a donkey. During this, the battle for the lead was the least of the participants’ problems, just staying on the backs of their swaying and not the most cooperative mode of transport was a great enough challenge.
The distance that the riders had to cover on the donkey lasted a whole kilometer before they were able to change to a more familiar saddle: on motocross machines, a combination of a scramble, trial and enduro race had to be overcome. The highlight of the circuit: a stairway consisting of 80 steps, which had to be conquered uphill.
The riders sprinted to the finish line again on their donkey’s backs. Coming in second after Antoniadis in the final round was George Zahariou, although his donkey Jane twice didn’t find the prescribed route all that binding. Christos Alexiou came third on Pitsa. The folly also inspired the crowd: more than 3000 spectators made the journey especially for the race.
Source > Newspirits Extremsport Magazin
Bitten by the bug > get rough on a buggy safari in Limassol July 22, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Cyprus Limassol, Racing & Motors.comments closed
While driving along the windy roads en route to Asgata, rather than slow your car down for a group of mountain goats, you may have to do it for a team of dust-laden four-wheel buggies crossing the road ahead of you.
The shepherd of this herd is Andreas Lofitis, the owner of Sayious Motorsport Adventures, who leads daily off-road safari tours throughout the backcountry region of Asgata, close to Limassol.
An avid lover of motorcycles and off road riding, he started this family run business with his wife and two sons just ten months ago and now leads daily tours by appointment only. The experience requires some psychological preparation and a deep desire for adventure. You may not see lions preying on antelope or hippos cooling themselves in the river, but you will be led to a number of worthwhile historic sites, over dramatic bridge overpasses, and to local village hotspots; this all after a jaw chattering, bumpy ride along rugged mountain trails with breathtaking views. Lofitis stressed that this ride is very safe for people of all ages, as long as one rides with care. There is also a racetrack at the headquarters of Sayious for those intent on a different type of fun.
At first the foreign object which one finds oneself driving feels eccentric and unpredictable, but within minutes the robustness of the vehicle becomes evident, and the sharp corners, sudden dips and boulders are more confidently maneuvered. Ninety-five percent of the trip is off road riding in an ATV buggy, a hybrid between a car and a motorcycle with engine powers of 150 cc.
The Sayious route includes excursions through nature trails and along farm roads, a scenic drive over the Kalavasos Dam as well as a stop at the Kalavasos mine, where the tour guide offers some historical insight into the region’s gold and copper mining industries. The final stop is at Lenia’s Restaurant in Asgata for a cold brew, or a coffee and a succulent traditional Cypriot sweet. The panoramic views on our ride back demand our undivided attention and as we reach the headquarters, there is a feeling of both satisfaction and disappointment; the satisfaction from the adrenaline rush of the ride and the disappointment with the journey’s end. This experience inevitably leaves one wanting more.
For those concerned with the environmental impact of such a sport, rest assured that the crew of Sayious Motorsport Adventures is very careful to remain on the designated trails. If you are considering partaking in this Safari adventure, do make sure you bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and above all do not wear flip-flops, as they make the driving more difficult. Juice and coffee are complementary and helmets, suits and wireless communication devices are also provided.
Sayious Motorsport Adventure > Cy£20 per hour with a 90-minute minimum. Operating Hours are: 14:30 – 17:30 on Monday through Friday, and 10:00 – 13:00 and 14:30 – 17:30 on Saturday and Sunday. Age limit is 18 or above for drivers, and 15 or above for passengers, with parental permission. Tel 25 366525 or 99 534827, www.sayious.com, info@sayious.com
Quad bikes in Cyprus July 22, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Cyprus, Racing & Motors.comments closed
Quad bikes, also known as all-terrain vehicles or ATVs, are essentially four-wheeled motorbikes.
The first production-model ATV was made by Honda in 1970, but with three wheels it was relatively unstable. The first quad to be mass-produced for recreational use was Suzuki’s Quad-Runner LT125, which came on the market in 1983.
They can have either manual or automatic transmission, and steering is done via a set of handlebars. The engines are similar to those of a motorbike, typically ranging from 50 to 1,000cc.
Today’s bikes fall into two broad categories: sport ATVs are two-wheel drive and capable of speeds of up to 120kph; while four-wheel-drive utility vehicles are primarily designed to handle rough terrain and have a top speed of around 100kph. There are even amphibious quads (AATVs), invariably with six to eight wheels. Prices range from Cy£800 to in excess of Cy£9,000.
Where to go in Cyprus >
Fun Buggy and Quad Safaris, Paphos, tel 26 912491, 99 118250 or 99 325 753
DK Buggies Rentals, Paphos, tel 26 930337
DMS Motorsports, Paphos, tel 99 912857
Sayious Motorsports Ltd, Limassol, tel 25 366525
Force 8, Limassol, tel 25 579919
Cyprus Quad Safari, Pissouri, tel 25 827020
CKJ Motorsports, Nicosia, tel 22 780280
Force 8, Nicosia, tel 22 760010
Bump and grind > quad bikes around Akamas July 22, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Cyprus Paphos, Racing & Motors.comments closed
For the thrill seeker, quad bikes provide an adrenaline rush but are also safe when handled properly. Now available in Cyprus for safaris give them a go!
Think of quad bikes and images of, probably, men racing round the muddy countryside usually spring to mind. The bikes themselves were actually designed to be used as farm vehicles, and indeed still are, although in Europe and America they are now far more likely to be used as a means to celebrate stag nights or for an alternative means of transport for a safari.
In Cyprus too the trend is catching on and quadding safaris are now available in various parts of the island. The 400cc Bombardier Outlander automatic is reckoned to be one of the easiest rides it is possible to get on four wheels. Tested in the Chilean mountains at altitudes of up to 5,250 metres, where it was ridden over volcanoes, frozen salt lakes and even minefields, it was sure to stand up to a morning jolly around the Akamas.
Dirt and dust flying in your face means goggles, or at least sturdy sunglasses, are essential. Clothes too are likely to get splattered with dust or mud depending on the season and those with a health problem such as asthma would be well advised to wear a proper dust mask throughout the trip.
Loud and fast, quad bikes have acquired something of a live fast reputation, and in the wrong hands they can indeed by dangerous. In what became a very public incident, Ozzy Osborne broke a vertebrae in his neck, his collarbone and cracked six ribs in a quad bike accident on his estate. Then, comedian Rik Mayall spent five days in a coma after his quad bike landed on top of him. Both these celebrities made the mistake of treating this recreational vehicle as a fun, outdoor toy forgetting it’s a powerful machine that needs to be treated with a great deal of respect.
Ruling the bike is key to riding safe on a quad, you have to be at one with what’s between your legs, so you can then churn up the earth in full accordance with health and safety regulations; the quad is basically the modern equivalent of the horse in that you have to always hold the reins tight and be ever the master of the machine.
Tipping the bike over is an initial fear for many first-time riders but, that only happens when a person is being foolish and loses control, if the ground is greasy the rear end can slide out but, overall, the quad is much easier to ride than a motorbike. The other daft and exceedingly dangerous trick is standing up while driving, that’s when you can be felled by a branch.
Taking these safety concerns on board, quads can be great fun. The quad has the superior advantage of being able to get to places other vehicles cannot venture so your trip can be quite exciting, especially if you’d never ventured to those parts of the Akamas.
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