The joint stage of the Belarusian and Russian rally-raid championships will be held in the Polotsk region

The third stage of the Russian Rally-Raid Championship and the first stage of the Belarusian Championship "Baha Belarus - 2015", dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, will be held in the Polotsk region from May 29 to 31. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the press service of the Polotsk District Executive Committee.

The third stage of the Russian Rally-Raid Championship and the first stage of the Belarusian Championship "Baha Belarus - 2015", dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, will be held in the Polotsk region from May 29 to 31. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the press service of the Polotsk District Executive Committee.

Racers from Belarus, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland will take part in the international off-road competition "Baha Belarus". "Compared to the previous year, the geography and range of participants have significantly expanded, which indicates increased interest in the event. It is expected that at least 35 Russian crews and more than 20 Belarusian crews will start, and more than 10,000 spectators will be able to watch the spectacle," the press service noted.

The venue for the ceremonial opening of the race, as well as the finish podium and award ceremony, will be Freedom Square in Polotsk. A service park will also be organized here, allowing spectators to observe the work of the sports teams.

The sporting part of the race, as in the previous year, will take place at the Dretun training ground, where participants will have to complete a challenging route with a total length of 610 km. The tracks of the first and second racing days will differ, featuring various types of terrain – coastal sand, river floodplains, ravines, and forest roads. "The most diverse route will be offered to participants on the second day – crews will have to overcome a specially constructed ford across the Polota River near the settlement of Dretun. About 150 tons of gravel have been brought here, and a viewing area for spectators has been cleared," the district executive committee reported.

Four spectator zones will be organized for rally-raid fans wishing to watch the race.

The organizers expect a strong lineup of crews in SUVs and trucks at the start, many of whom have been multiple participants of the popular "Dakar" competition. Among the teams planning to participate in the race are crews from PEC, G-Energy Team, RE Autoclub, Georaid, ATT Racing, Media Team, Cosmos, KomiAvtoSport, and in the T4 truck category, crews from MAZ and GAZ, rally KAMAZ, and others will compete.

The international off-road competition "Baha Belarus" is held with the support of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee and the Polotsk District Executive Committee, the general partner of the Russian Rally-Raid Championship and Cup, Gazpromneft - Lubricants, the manufacturer of premium engine oils G-Energy, the general sponsor of the stage - OJSC Gazprom transgaz Belarus, and official sponsors - Vnesheconombank and Binbank. The competitions will be held under the auspices of the Russian and Belarusian Automobile Federations, as well as NP ROSRR.

Alena Tikhonova