Crews rev up for Rally of the Lakes

This bank holiday weekend the 34th annual Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes will take place around Killarney.

Two Clare crews will take part. Ennis man Keith Naughton will drive a class 20 Subaru Impreza, with Clonlara woman Sinéad Canny on the notes. Only three cars behind will be Anthony Breen from Lissycasey and Mark O’Looney from Kilnamona, also in a class 20 Impreza.

Both crews had a good battle in the Galway International Rally for class honours but Naughton’s experience should prevail in Killarney. Also taking part will be Niall O’Sullivan and Michael Fitzgibbon in the junior class on Sunday in a Citreon C2.

On Saturday, the rally begins with the legendary Molls Gap stage and moves back towards Killarney, where a loop of three stages will be run twice.

On Sunday, the rally goes south down along the Beara Peninsula, taking in the most famous classic route of stages the country has to offer such as Healys Pass, Cods Head and Ardgroom. This is followed by one run through the Killmackillogue Harbour stage on the way home to the finishing ramp at the Gleneagle Hotel.

The total stage distance is approximately 240km.