Rally Ireland

[FermPundit]

Out since 6am watching two stages. Pity no one to push Leob.

What was the crowd like today? Awful day weather wise. There was heavy traffic in Enniskillen from about 7.30 this morning.

[turk]

Was up at the Arigna stages yesterday and the end of the last stage into Drumshanbo - enjoyed it very much!
Excellent entertainment. Wouldn't be a fanatic by any means but as it was only up the road decided it was well worth a look!

[gerry]

What was the crowd like today? Awful day weather wise. There was heavy traffic in Enniskillen from about 7.30 this morning.

Was at the Drumquin stage this morning and there was three or four hundred people at it.  When it was re-run at 2pm there was easy two thousand at it.  Never seen as many people at a stage. Thankfully the rain stopped before first car due.  Well organised with marshals/psni and plenty of food stalls. There were also a couple of ulsterbus coaches doing park and ride from the village to it..

[AhFeckRef]

While I have no  great interest in the WRC I thought this was amazing for counties like Sligo, Letirm, Fermanagh etc. to be able to host an international event. IMHO this should have got equally as much publicity in the lead up to it as the Ryder Cup last year but for some reason the Dublin based Irish media didn't latch on or promot it as much as they should have.  It was the central topic of conversation at my work place last week but there was SFA other than token articles in the daily papers.

Saw the most condescending  and downright snobbish Dublin attitude one evening on the RTE Six one news.
Eileen Magner was doing a piece with somebody from Sligo's organising committee. The person was advertising all the great fringe events that were happening in Sligo and finshed up by saying something like " ...and we'll also have the famous Eddie Jordan and his band playing in the Town center on Saturday night". 

Cut to studio at end of clip where Colm Muarry and newscaster chortle and say something like ".. I doubt if thats THE famous Eddie Jodan, must be Sligo's own local favourite Eddie .. ha ha ha... ON with the news.".

It sickened me... Fecking D4 *ankers.

Some News for RTE...... It was Eddie..... If they had bothered to take an interest they would have noticed that he was f*&^ing chair of the WRC Rally Ireland organizing committee!!

[gerry]

Typical of the Dubs, if its not happen in their back garden they are not interested.

[gerry]

the way things are going it more could follow


Subaru quits World Rally Championship





Tuesday December 16 2008

Subaru has announced they are to quit the FIA World Rally Championship, the second team to pullout of the series in two days, as carmakers struggle with the global slump in demand for cars.

Ikuo Mori, the President of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Subaru's parent company, announced the decision to reporters in Tokyo today.

"In order to optimise the management resources and to strengthen the Subaru brand further, Fuji Heavy has decided to withdraw from WRC activities at the earliest time."

A tearful Mr Mori said: "Given the sudden deterioration in the operating environment, we were forced to make this decision," The move will save the company "a few billion yen".

Tokyo-based Subaru follows Suzuki in pulling out of the rally championship this week.

Japanese automakers have begun implementing cost-cutting measures as a global recession and stronger yen hit earnings.

Carmaker Honda also cited the current economic climate as the key factor in their decision to pull out of Formula One racing last week.

Subaru was one of six teams that took part in the 2008 championship, finishing third behind Citroen-Total and BP-Ford.

The Subaru team has been involved in the sport for 20 years, winning three constructor's titles with drivers Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg each winning the driver's title.