News

A FIA World Rally Championship Stage to Take Place Also on LVM Forest Roads

One of this year's most important sports events in Latvia – the Tet Rally Latvia stage of the FIA ​​World Rally Championship (WRC) – will also take place on forest roads managed by JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM). Several sections of forest roads will be closed during the rally from 18 to 21 July.

While planning the event, LVM previously concluded a cooperation agreement with the organizer of Tet Rally Latvia, SIA “RA Events”, for the use of forest roads and provision of gathering places for spectators. A total of 17 speed stages will be held on LVM roads and approximately 35 viewpoints have been created. In total, 174 km of LVM forest roads will be used for speed stages, of which 59 km will be used twice.

LVM employees, together with the organizers of the event, surveyed the location and route of the rally in nature in early June to fully prepare for the speed stages on forest roads.

“On some sections of the road, in accordance with LVM specifications and recommendations, the organizers have restored the road surface, reinforcing it with crushed gravel, repairing some potholes, as well as levelling the roads. Reinforcement of the pavement has been carried out, for example, on the Ūdri Forest Road of the Zemgale Region and the Paideri Roadway,” says Elīna Barkāne, Senior Forest Infrastructure Specialist of the LVM Zemgale Region.

“I would like to express my gratitude to Latvia’s State Forests for our constructive cooperation – the ability to find various compromises so that the speed stage could take place. So, for example, in İvande and Snēpele in Kuldīga Municipality, to protect young trees there are no viewpoints arranged. We urge rally visitors to be responsible, not to litter the forest, and to be especially careful with fire.  Let's appreciate the opportunity given to us to use the forest roads for holding a round of the FIA ​​World Rally Championship and let's enjoy the rally safely, with care for nature!” says Tet Rally Latvia Director Raimonds Strokšs.

During the week of the rally, starting from 15 July and until the end of the rally on 21 July, the delivery of timber, the construction of new warehouses, as well as the removal of existing warehouses will be stopped on certain forest roads, as the athletes will start recording the track during the rally stages. From 18 July, when the traffic is closed during the rally stages, the traffic of timber carriers will also be completely stopped until the end of the rally.

The users of the forest roads managed by LVM are invited to treat the planned restrictions with understanding and, if possible, not to plan daily work and movement through the areas assigned to the rally during the rally week. Information about the course of the rally, map of stages and visitor rules are available on the website https://www.lvrally.com/