Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally reveals 2023 challengers

• The Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally releases its entry list for the 13 – 15 October event
• Local heroes set to battle with returning regulars for the coveted victory
• Two-time winners Daniel Harper and Chris Campbell lead the field in their MINI JCW WRC
• Dervaig’s John MacCrone returns to four-wheel-drive in a bid for a third victory

The most anticipated entry list of the UK rallying season has been revealed as the Beaton’s Building Supplies Mull Rally unveils its list of contenders for the highly regarded 13-15 October event.

The 51^st running of the unique island event will see a lively mix of local heroes and visiting hopefuls, all eager to scribe their names on the coveted Mull Rally trophy which dates back to 1969.

With number one on the doors, 2002 and 2021 winners Daniel Harper and Chris Campbell lead the field of 125 crews away from Tobermory on Friday 13^th October, as the pairing return to the island behind the wheel of their crowd-pleasing MINI JCW WRC. The Barley driver also finished second to Paul MacKinnon last year, losing out by less than 10 seconds, so is arguably the pre-event favourite.

But local ace John MacCrone steps back into four-wheel-drive machinery and a Fiesta Rally2 after a brief spell in an Escort. The Dervaig pilot has enlisted the help of British Rally Championship co-driver Dai Roberts, and as well as winning overall in 2013 and 2016, was on-course for a hattrick in 2021 before turbo failure ruled him out.

National asphalt championship runner-up Neil Roskell returns for another shot after taking sixth on his Mull debut last year. He pilots his Fiesta Rally2 with Andrew Roughead on the notes. Jonathan Mounsey and Richard Wardle also return in their Fiesta Rally2 whilst the all-Tobermory crew of Lewis Gallagher and Angus Williams break up the Rally2 machinery with their Mitsubishi Evo IX.

Irish championship front-runner James Ford brings his Citroen C3 Rally2 to the island with Neil Shanks alongside. Ford’s last expedition to Mull was in 2019 but ended in retirement so the Preston driver will be looking for a much better outcome this time around.

Star of the BBC programme Island Crossing, Fergus Barlow has raised the bar in 2023 as he steps into top-flight machinery for the first time, the Tobermory man electing to use a Ford Fiesta Rally2 this year. After his 2022 attempt ended with turbo issues on his Subaru Impreza, along with his brother Craig he will be eying a top result and better their fourth place of 2021.

The list is awash with talented hopefuls, with Oban’s Stephen Thompson heading up the two-wheel-drive charge in his Ford Escort MK2 whilst Welshman Will Rowlands is back for another Historic Class H3 shot for glory.

Clerk of the Course Richard Crozier believes this could be one of the most unpredictable Mull Rally to date.

“It’s a dynamic top ten and a very interesting entry list as a whole this year and I think that will make it even more unpredictable if you are trying to pick a winner from that lot” he says.

“It’s no secret that we are missing the likes of Paul MacKinnon and Calum Duffy, but it’s a top-quality lineup nonetheless with the local experts likely to be challenged by the visitors, many of which are on top form after strong seasons in their respective championships”.

“Many want to come to Mull for the challenge, the experience, the island hospitality and the craic; we are sure they will get it all this year as usual”.

ENDS

Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally steps up a gear in its Carbon Offset commitment

• • The Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally will enhance its environmental commitment by carbon offsetting all competitors’ emissions at the 13-15 October event
  • Partnering once again with Carbon Positive Motorsport, the popular rally will almost double its offset commitment compared to 2022, with around 70,000Kg CO2e set to be offset
  • The commitment is the second highest level of offsetting by a UK rally

In 2021, the Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally broke new ground by becoming the first rally in the UK to take meaningful measures to mitigate its environmental impact. And in the heart of Scotland’s Climate Week, event organisers will kick-start a significant uplift in its long-term environmental roadmap, by ensuring that all competitors in this year’s event [13-15 October] will offset their carbon emissions, thanks to a continued partnership with Carbon Positive Motorsport.Working closely once again with the industry-leading firm, the Mull Rally will offset more than 70,000Kg CO2e with the use of a world-class Woodland Carbon Code-certified carbon offsetting project based in the Highlands of Scotland, ensuring it provides additional environmental benefits, such as improved biodiversity and the rewilding of native tree species.

Since its inaugural commitment to recognise its environmental impact, the Mull Rally has continued to uplift its obligation to sustainability and in 2022, the rally was able to commit to future offsetting of 46,000kg CO2e thanks to a large number of competitors supporting the initiative.

In 2023, the event chose to mandate offsetting for each competitor which will ensure the event is set to offset more CO2e than most other stage rally events in the world, reinforcing its pledge to be one of the leading events for commitment to sustainability and longevity. This is coupled with several environmental champions who will help spread the positive message for change within the sport’s networks.

New event team members will be dedicated to environmental issues and the ambition to reach Motorsport UK and FIA Environmental Accreditation. This includes the use of Motorsport UK’s Carbon Calculator to better understand total event carbon emissions which will lead to ongoing evaluations and reductions in event processes, such as printing and island movements.

Fans and volunteers are also able to contribute towards their carbon footprint, with Carbon Positive Motorsport offering a 20% discount on the carbon offsetting services when travelling to the event.

Clerk of the Course of the Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally, Richard Crozier said:

“Ensuring that our event continues to deliver an ever more positive environmental legacy for the island year on year, is of massive importance to us.”

“We are proud to have been the first rally in the UK to have recognised the importance of this area and after starting our environmental journey back in 2021, we continue building further upon that with each running. It’s been great to partner with Carbon Positive Motorsport since last year, as fellow motorsport enthusiasts passionate about this area.”

“The addition this year of our own dedicated Environmental Champions in Anna Kebke and Thomas Johnstone, has been a real boost to the event. We look forward to what we can achieve together in 2023, and ensuring that future generations are able to respect, protect and enjoy the Isle of Mull for years to come.”

Paul Glass, founder of Carbon Positive Motorsport added, “It is a great privilege to support the Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally. We all have a responsibility to contribute in a meaningful way to mitigate our impact on climate change and the environment, and the Mull Rally once again sets out to demonstrate such a local contribution to an increasing global problem.”

“I want to thank the organisers and all the competitors this year and last year for their support of our initiative. Our ambition is to help make motorsport and the environment sustainable for future generations to enjoy.”

For more information on Carbon Positive Motorsport or to pledge, visit: https://www.carbonpositivemotorsport.com/post/mull-rally-2023

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Barbados bound; sensational prize opportunity for two-wheel-drive Mull Rally competitors

• Rally Barbados offers Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally two-wheel-drive competitors the chance of a Caribbean trip and entry
• All signed-up entrants in front or rear-wheel-drive cars that finish the 2023 Mull Rally are eligible
• Prize includes free entry and shipping to the 2024 Rally Barbados

Two-wheel-drive competitors in this year’s Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally [13-15 October] will be in line to win a trip to the Caribbean and a free entry to the popular Rally Barbados in 2024, thanks to an impressive prize opportunity courtesy of the Barbados Rally Club.

Any entrant participating in this year’s Mull Rally in a front or rear-wheel drive machinery will be eligible for the amazing entry prize offer, plus free return shipping from the UK to Barbados for their rally car, if they register before the start of the rally. The lucky winner will then be drawn live, at random from all two-wheel-drive finishers in Tobermory on Sunday 15 October, during the ever-popular prizegiving ceremony.

The prize, offered by the Barbados Rally Club with support from Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc is part of a promotional campaign for the 2024 edition of Rally Barbados which takes place for the 34^th time and is set to take place Friday 31 May to Sunday 2 June 2024. The traditional Rally Show and King of the Hill serves as the final shakedown and seeding event on 25 and 26 May and entry is also included in the prize offering; the winner will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation.

This year’s Mull Rally will see around two-thirds of the entry tackle the 130-mile – 17-stage event in two-wheel-drive examples and each contender will be eligible for the offering if they have registered beforehand and have been classified as an official finisher.

Rally Barbados Director Neil Barnard will be travelling to Mull, where he will be hosted by one of the Deputy Clerks of the Course Sue Sanders, who has been a safety advisor to Rally Barbados in the past.

Barnard explains: “Mull is a niche, unique rally that shares many characteristics with Rally Barbados: it is an island-based tarmac event run on closed roads and I am looking forward to promoting Barbados, our event and also getting an understanding of the challenges the organisers face and more importantly how they deal with them.

“I hope the prize drive will attract a good response. The random draw means any 2wd finisher can win and not necessarily the fastest, so there’s a terrific opportunity for one of Mull’s loyal clubman supporters to come and enjoy our event. We will also draw a couple of reserve drivers in case the winner finds it impossible to make the trip.”

Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally Clerk of the Course Richard Crozier said: “This is a tremendously exciting initiative, and we extend our huge thanks to the Barbados Rally Club for putting up this mega prize. Rally Barbados has grown tremendously in global stature from its inaugural running in 1990, and likewise the Mull Rally, formerly the Tour of Mull, has a proud history dating back to 1969, developing a passionate following both in the UK and overseas.

“Rally Barbados has seen a good number of Scottish and UK crews head across the Atlantic to compete over the years, all of whom have returned with big smiles and plenty of stories to tell, so this is a great opportunity for one of our 2WD crews to sample that. There are huge synergies between the challenges both events face as island-based sporting and cultural events, and we can’t wait to extend Neil a warm welcome to Scotland in October and continue to develop this nascent partnership.”

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Eligible competitors can register here: http://eepurl.com/ipmuDs

Mull Rally Ferries – an update

We are aware that at present, the CalMac Ferries online timetable is only showing departures up to 15th October on the Craignure to Oban route.

The rally is in constant contact with CalMac, and there will definitely be ferries on that route on the 16 October and beyond, however, the new timetable publication is being delayed as they review vessel deployments.

We would expect a similar timetable to be instigated from the 16^th, and as soon as we receive word of the dates becoming available to book, we will make a further announcement.

We have also been told that there will be two vessels on the Fishnish to Lochaline route for Sunday 15th and Monday 16th, and there will also be a new system in place to reduce queuing traffic. This route remains a great option, although, it is not bookable in advance.

We will bring you further updates as we receive them to help with your travel arrangements to and from the island in October.

Planning ahead! Mull 2024 date announced

Whilst preparations are underway for October’s 51^st running of the legendary Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally, organisers are now able to reveal that next year’s edition will take place on the 11-13 October 2024.

Announcing the following year’s date allows the island’s infrastructure, residents, fans, competitors, and volunteers to prepare well in advance. Thanks to the high demand to secure a place on the popular event Mull Car Club have once again unveiled the planned date well in advance to assist in these preparations for the challenging three-day blast across the closed roads of Mull.

During the early part of 2023, the organising team began a consultation to look at moving the now traditional mid-October date, back one week in a bid to take pressure away from accommodation and ferry providers, as well as better suiting landowners and estate facilitators.

However, factors including the issuing of the summer timetable for ferries, and the potential impact on other established events in the motorsport calendar, the decision was made to retain the traditional weekend that has been the mainstay of the rally for decades.

We look forward to seeing you in October and back on the island once again in 2024!