Le Jog heads into Action!

We're really sorry about the delay in getting this release out. This is due to problems in downloading releases from our usual news wires. Here it is now, a little late... but Hopefully still time for you to get out and see the event in it's second and third days.

Someone tell us what it is, because that, is BEAUTIFUL! 

Cars from Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland as well as the UK were starting to converge on Lands End today (Friday) prior to the start of the UK’s toughest car

Rally –Le-Jog.

The rally gets under way on Saturday and will see the cars ranging from a 1937 Riley Sport to a 1958 Jaguar XK 150 battling it out to win the prestigious event.

It will be the 17th annual running of the world acclaimed rally which takes place between December 10th and 13th will see the cars competing over a a 1,400 mile course between Lands End and John O'Groats with the longest night navigation section ever to be included.

Seventy cars will leave Lands End on Saturday at 07.45 on a route across Britain that will see them travelling through Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wales, Shropshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Northumbria, Northumberland, East Lothian, West Lothian, North Lanarkshire, and across Scotland to John O’Groats over a four day period.

Hero’s Event Director and Clerk of the Course for Le Jog, Peter Nedin, said: “Le Jog is one of the toughest events of its kind in Europe, possibly the world, and we constantly strive to maintain this enviable reputation. We have no idea what the weather will bring but it certainly won’t stop the drivers of these cars who will do all they can to finish to course no matter what the conditions.

 Tomas de Vargas Machuca, Managing Director of the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation, HERO said: "This will be one of the most testing events that we have ever run.The weather is already closing in but as in past editions the event has attracted crews from all over Europe and beyond which is a testament to the event and all those who work so hard to make it happen.”

All sorts of cars will be taking part including a Riley Sports Special from 1937 driven by Richard Jeffcoate and James May from Surrey. A 1958 Jaguar XK 150 being driven by Charles Graves and Ron Palmer from Surrey and a 1960 Peugeot being driven by Pieter and Thijs Hennipman from Holland. Other cars include BMW’s, Triumphs and Porsche. Spectators are encouraged to turn out and see the cars go through their area.

BMW Park Lane Classic, who as part of a sponsorship deal with HERO has prepared a 1973 BMW 1602 saloon for the event. The car, which will also be included in HERO’s successful Arrive & Drive program, has been repatriated from ITALY.

AVIS will also be supporting the event by providing all coordinating and support vehicles, which will be used by the organizers and marshals to steer crews safely to the finish. 

The infamous Welsh night section will have over 30 time controls - 75% of which will be 4 minute sections and the longest section will only be 3.5 miles - but the route has been designed with loops to allow controls to be cut for those running late.

Wales will also see some tough, late-evening regularities where crews' driving, navigating and timekeeping will be thoroughly tested.  "We want to see every crew arrive at the Telford rest halt, tired but with a big satisfied grin on their faces" said Peter Nedin

In addition this year's Le Jog will have some 30 tests at 26 venues - more than double the number of some recent Le Jogs Many of these tests will be at exciting new venues while those at ones previously used have been completely redesigned.

The overall number of regularities has been reduced slightly but the Jogularity format will be exploited to the full and Le Jog will continue to provide the navigators with considerable map-reading challenges.

There are crews from the UK, Europe and America driving, between them 7 Mercs, 7 Triumphs, 6 Minis, 5 MGs, 4 BMWs; 4 Porsches; 3 Volvos; 3 VW's and many more.

You can follow their progress with daily updates http://www.heroevents.eu/Events/LeJog/le_jog_2011/event_report/

You can also follow the event on Twitter: @heroeventseu and on Facebook - search for Hero Historic Endurance Rallying 

Maserati? Well, it's taking a dip on last year's Le Jog

Le Jog 2011 Spectator Information
Control	Location	County	Venue	OS map ref	Date	Approx. Time Car One
SMC 1 & TEST	LAND'S END	Cornwall	On cliff top behind hotel	203/3424 2509	10th Dec	07:45
TEST	CORNWALL COLLEGE	Cornwall	Cornwall College Park at Pool School opposite test site	203/6620 4145	10th Dec	09:06
TEST	IMERYS	Cornwall	Imerys Facility	200/9920 5744	10th Dec	10:25
TESTS	EDEN A & B	Cornwall	The Eden Project	200/0463 5543	10th Dec	10:37
MC 2	LOSTWITHIEL	Cornwall	Golf Club	200/1093 6047	10th Dec	11:10
MC 3 & 4	OKEHAMPTON	Devon	Betty Cottles	191/5640 9334	10th Dec	12.50in - 13.35out
PC 1	CULMSTOCK	East Devon	Culm Valley Inn	181/1013 1380	10th Dec	15:22
TEST	TRICKY WARREN	Somerset	Tricky Warren	193/2120 1522	10th Dec	15:43
PC 2	FORCHES CORNER	Somerset	Merry Harriers	193/1830 1710	10th Dec	15:51
TESTS	CARDIFF GATE A & B	Wales	Cardiff Gate Services	171/2173 8288	10th Dec	17:31
MC 5 & 6	CARDIFF GATE	Wales	Cardiff Gate Services	171/2175 8282	10th Dec	17:34in - 19:34out
TEST	LLANGORS	Powys, Mid Wales	Llangors Activity Centre	161/1468 2693	10th Dec	21:14
MC 7	LLANGORS	Powys, Mid Wales	Llangors Activity Centre	161/1480 2672	10th Dec	21:25
PC 3	CLYRO	Powys, Mid Wales	Regent House Sdervice Station	161/2132 4350	10th Dec	22:06
MC 8	BUILTH WELLS	Powys, Mid Wales	Co-op	147/0420 5135	10th Dec	23:13
RMC 10	TELFORD	Shropshire	White House Hotel	127/6613 1110	11th Dec	08:30
TEST	MARKET DRAYTON	North Shropshire	Cattle Market	127/ 6725 3525	11th Dec	09:28
MC 11	CROWTON	Cheshire	Hare & Hounds	117/5788 7455	11th Dec	11:13
TEST	KILHEY COURT	Cheshire	Macdonald Hotel	108/5800 1075	11th Dec	12:03
TEST	TICKLED TROUT	Cheshire	Macdonald Hotel	102/5782 3004	11th Dec	12:24
TESTS	RED ROSE A & B	Lancashire	Red Rose Hub	102/5735 3285	11th Dec	12:29
MC 12 & 13	GREAT MITTON	Lancashire	Aspinall Arms	103/7165 3868	11th Dec	12:57in - 13:57out
PC 4	LINTON	North Yorkshire	Fountaine Inn	98/9965 6265	11th Dec	15:15
PC 5	HAWES	North Yorkshire	Dale Head Garage	98/8695 8985	11th Dec	16:00
MC 14	TAN HILL (Tan Hill Inn)	North Yorkshire	Tan Hill Inn	92/8970 0670	11th Dec	17:17
PC 6	EGGLESTON	Northumbria	Three Tuns	92/9994 2391	11th Dec	18:09
MC 15	GOSFORTH	Newcastle Upon Tyne	Marriott Hotel	88/2425 7125	11th Dec	20:09
RMC 16	GOSFORTH	Newcastle Upon Tyne	Marriott Hotel	88/2425 7125	12th Dec	08:00
TEST	ESHOTT	Northumberland	Eshott Airfield	81/1785 9778	12th Dec	08:38
MC 17	CHATTON	Northumberland	Percy Arms Hotel	75/0553 2835	12th Dec	10:23
TEST	RACELAND	East Lothian - Scotland	Raceland Karting	66/4504 7360	12th Dec	12:59
MC 18 & 19	LIVINGSTON	West Lothian - Scotland	Deer Park Beafeater	65/0465 7012	12th Dec	13:49in - 14:49out
TEST	FORRESTBURN	North Lanarkshire - Scotland	Forrestburn	65/8605 6500	12th Dec	15:07
PC 7	ABERFOYLE	Scotland	Trossachs Area Services	57/5240 0095	12th Dec	17:00
TEST	FOREST HILLS	Scotland	Macdonald Hotel	57/4620 0223	12th Dec	17:09
MC 20	KILLIN (Killin Hotel)		Killin Hotel	51/5735 3324	12th Dec	18:57
MC 21 & 22	KINLOCH RANNOCH		Macdonald Hotel	42/6525 5887	12th Dec	20:29in - 22:29out
MC 23	EVANTON (Skiach Services)		Skiach Services	21/6300 6780	13th Dec	04:06
TEST	LITTLEFERRY		Kart Circuit	21/8203 9806	13th Dec	06:05
PC 8	BRORA		Victoria Garage	17/9049 0463	13th Dec	06:21
MC 24 & 25	LYBSTER		Portland Arms Hotel	11/2475 3627	13th Dec	07:54in - 08:39out
TEST	JOHN O'GROATS	Caithness - Scotland	Car Park	12/3808 7327	13th Dec	10:17
MC 26	JOHN O'GROATS	Caithness - Scotland	Café	12/3797 7337	13th Dec	10:18