One of the oldest events on the European Rally Championship circuit, the SeaJets Acropolis Rally of Greece returns to the rough and rocky mountainous terrain around Lamia, in central Greece, from May 6 to 8.
The inclusion of the Acropolis in the historic rally’s name is purely symbolic, serving as a reminder of the roots of the race that began in 1951, with the early stages taking place around the ancient rock.
Back in its heyday in the 1970s, it featured prominently on the international circuit, drawing some of the world’s finest drivers, such as Walter Roehrl, Bjorn Waldegard, Ari Vatanan, Stig Blomqvist, Juha Kankkunen, Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae, to name but a few.
Diehard fans would gather at vantage points around the dirt track, with the choking taste of grit in their mouths, as late-spring/early-summer temperatures soared. Cockpits resembled saunas as drivers made Herculean efforts to battle against the elements, earning the event the “rally of the gods” name. Though these days it takes place far away from the temple of Athena, the drivers face a fast and furious race against Chronos, the god of time, while vying for the grace of Nike, the goddess of victory.
“The organizers expect 40 international and as many as 25 local teams to enter the race by the April 27 deadline.”
Heroes and fans
The organizers expect 40 international and as many as 25 local teams to enter the race by the April 27 deadline. The final line-up will depend on performances in the Circuit of Ireland Rally earlier this month. After all, part of the excitement of the rally circuit is the way in which one race is intrinsically linked to the previous one. In this continuum of speed from host country to host country, passionate drivers try to outwit their opponents in instalments.
“Lamia is definitely a drawcard as it holds a special place in the hearts of rally drivers,” says Helen Xenakis of Acropolis Rally. “They can’t get enough of the special routes that are more challenging due to the soft terrain, strips of speedy sections and extremely scenic pine-tree surroundings.” She predicts a 40 percent surge in spectators based on the triumphant return of the rally to its old haunt – the dirt tracks where history was once made. The last time that the Acropolis Rally took place in Lamia was in 2005 when it was also deemed Rally of the Year. That was before it found a base in the coastal region of Loutraki, near Corinth in the Peloponnese, where it remained for the past seven years.
Designed for maximum excitement, the routes have already been mapped out but detailed directions and vantage points for novice spectators are still being created. “Truth be told, any veteran Acropolis Rally fan already knows where to perch themselves for ultimate enjoyment,” Xenakis says.
According to Acropolis Rally television sponsor Eurosport, 100,000 people are expected to attend this year’s adrenaline-charged rally, but Xenakis warns that it’s hard to make accurate estimations. A no-ticket event, there will be countless people up in trees or on cliff tops impatiently waiting for those few moments when the fastest cars on earth whiz past, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. Nor does she believe that the fully booked hotels in and around Lamia are indicative of the actual figures, as crews and spectators tend to spread themselves around the wider region, making reservations far and wide from Kammena Vourla (39km southeast of Lamia) to Itea (83 km south of Lamia).
Given the popularity of the event, it is little wonder that at least 300 journalists, half of them from the international media, have already registered to cover the prestigious event.
Moreover, the fact that SeaJets are sponsoring the event for the second year running emphasizes the rally’s link to speed and tourism.
How it all began
The race has come a long way since its conception in 1951, when several speed enthusiasts suggested the creation of a world-class rally to Apostolos Nikolaidis, general secretary of the Automobile and Touring Club of Greece (ELPA). By 1953, the ELPA Rally had been renamed the Acropolis Rally.
Organizers were surprised by the enthusiastic reception the race received from the inhabitants of towns inconvenienced by the event. “We expected that people would chase us (out), but they all applauded,” recalled Apostolos Dardoufas, one of the founders of the special race, at its Golden Anniversary in 2003.
Thousands of kilometers later, the event is one of the oldest in world rallying, with some of the most famous rally drivers in the world among its winners. Thanks to those who built up the event with such passion, the event appears to be firmly on track to continue in the years ahead.
INFO | SeaJets Acropolis Rally is headquartered at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA) Velodrome (A level) at 27 Kifissias Avenue (entrance from Spyros Louis Avenue), Maroussi, Athens. Tel. (+30) 210.689.2003.
