Seven stages and the new headquarters

2016 Columna Medica Baja Poland is the seventh round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies. This year’s calendar of the series includes nine rounds in total. The Polish cross country classic will be held for the eighth time in a row, while for the fifth time the biggest cross country event in Poland will host the rivalry for valuable points in the World Cup - the most important series in the sport. The event will be based in Szczecin with the stages located around Dobra, Lubieszyn, as well as military area in Drawsko Pomorskie. The rally is set to begin on Friday, 26th August, afternoon, while the rivalry will end on Sunday, 28th August. Distance of the rally amounts 788 kilometres, 472 of which are special stages.

Columna Medica Baja Poland 2016 constitutes also a round of the FIA Cross Country Rally Central Europe Zone Championship (FIA-CEZ), Polish Cross Country Championship (RMPST), the Czech Republic Cross Country Championship (MMCR) and Polish Cross Country Cup (RPPST). Motorcycle competition will be held simultaneously under the name of Rally Baja Polish Cup (PPRB). All this means organizers are expecting around 100 rally cars, trucks, motorcycles, quads and UTV vehicles to appear on the start.

This year’s edition of Baja Poland has gained a new title partner, which is Columna Medica. Among other changes, we will see a longer route (by over 80 kilometers), which contains seven, not five, special stages. Two classic tests in Drawsko military area are 350 kilometres in total, over 60 kilometres more than last year.

Rally offices will also have a new, attractive location (Northeast Marina on Grodzka Island). Service park and rally village will be located in a nearby Łasztownia Island. Ceremonial start of the rally will take place in a most prestigious place in Szczecin, next to Wały Chrobrego.

The inauguration of the rally will be a traditional superstage on Szczecin suburbia with a start and finish located in the Szafera street. Earlier on, all crews will participate in a shakedown nearby the superstage. The shakedown is a novelty in this year’s World Cup and allows competitors to adjust and setup the car in a route closed and secured by the organizer.

On Saturday all Columna Medica Baja Poland 2016 competitors will face two challenging stages in military area nearby Drawsko Pomorskie, where the service park will move exceptionally during that day. The finish of the event is planned for Sunday after four more special stages with a total lenght of 115 kilometres run mainly around city of Dobra.

The record of most victories in Baja Poland belongs to Krzysztof Hołowczyc, who won in Szczecin five times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015). Single wins in the Polish event during their careers achieved : Balazs Szalay from Hungary (2009) and Aleksander Zeludov from Russia (2013). Hołowczyc announced the retirement from cross country rallies during last year’s edition of Baja Poland. However, the Polish driver is still planning to participate in this year’s rally, as well as Marek Dąbrowski and Kuba Przygoński. The world cross country leading drivers, who are fighting for points in the FIA World Cup, will also be present in the challenging stages in military area in Drawsko Pomorskie. The entry list will be published according to schedule, on 22nd August.

Nasser Al-Attiyah (150 points) from Qatar is currently (after Italian Baja) the leader of the overall standings in FIA World Cup. He is in front of Yazeed Al Rajhi (92 points) from Saudi Arabia and Vladimir Vasilyev (74 points) from Russia. Marek Dąbrowski holds the fourth place (40 points), Aron Domżała is ninth (28 points), while Kuba Przygoński is eleventh (20 points).

Columna Medica Baja Poland 2016 schedule (summary)

Thursday, 25th August:

09:00-21:00  administrative checks
10:00-22:00  scrutineering

Friday, 26th August:

09:00-13:00  shakedown, Szafera street, Szczecin
14:30  publication of entry list to 1st leg
14:30  press conference with the leading drivers
17:00  ceremonial start of the rally, Wały Chrobrego, Szczecin
18:00  superstage Szczecin, Szafera Street, Szczecin

Saturday, 27th August:

08:20  SS-2 Drawsko Pomorskie
11:20  first crew at the service park in Drawsko Pomorskie
13:40  SS-3 Drawsko Pomorskie
16:40  first crew at the service park in Drawsko Pomorskie
20:20  first crew arrival on finish line of the 1st leg in Szczecin

Sunday, 28th August:

08:40  SS-4 Dobra
09:30  SS-5 Lubieszyn
10:25  first crew at the service park in Szczecin
12:30  SS-6 Dobra
13:20  SS-7 Lubieszyn
14:30  finish of the rally, podium ceremony, rally city in Szczecin

2016 season calendar:

19/02 – 22/02 Baja Russia – Northern Forest (Russia)
03/04 – 07/04 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Abu Dhabi)
17/04 – 22/04 Sealine Cross Country Rally (Qatar)
23/06 – 26/06 Italian Baja (Italy)
22/07 – 24/07 Baja España Aragón (Spain)
11/08 – 14/08 Hungarian Baja (Hungary)
25/08 – 28/08 Columna Medica Baja Poland (Poland)
01/10 – 07/10 Rallye Oilibya du Maroc (Morocco)
27/10 – 29/10 30 Baja Portalegre (Portugal)

Organizers

Fundacja BAJA POLAND    PZM

Co-Organizers

Szczecin     Dobra Szczecińska     Drawsko Pomorskie

 

Titular Sponsor

General Sponsors

Media partner

                  

Partners

 Mercedes Benz Auto Bogacka