Regularity News Regularity – Leg 3: Victory for Ioannis Kyranas-Nikolaos Efstathiou
With Ioannis Kyranas-Nikolaos Efstathiou emerging victorious, the curtain fell on the Historic Acropolis Rally Regularity after a demanding and visually captivating three-day event. The 43 crews that started from Lamia on Friday, May 22, traveled through iconic routes and breathtaking landscapes across Greece in a rally that combined strategy, precision driving and adventure. The third and final leg featured six regularity tests, with competitors setting off from Lake Plastira, passing through the villages of Neraida and Fourna in Evrytania before reaching Bralos for the final challenge of the rally. The organizers decided not to provide any navigation aid on the last route, paying tribute to the classic Regularity rallies of the past. This choice reshuffled the standings, particularly in the lower positions, and received positive feedback from the competitors.
Ioannis Kyranas-Nikolaos Efstathiou, driving a 1990 Volkswagen Golf II GTi, moved into the lead from the third test of the Historic Acropolis Rally Regularity and maintained their advantage until the finish, collecting 67.6 penalty points. Despite intense pressure from their rivals, the crew demonstrated remarkable precision and racing maturity, qualities that secured them victory in a highly demanding event. Their performance confirmed the emergence of a highly promising new crew in the Greek Regularity Championship. At the same time, they claimed victory in Category J2, reserved for cars built between 1988 and 1992.
Second overall and also second in Category J2 were Akis Abastado-Arion Abastado with a 1992 Toyota Celica STi, following an excellent performance throughout the rally. The crew showed its potential early on, already standing out during the calibration test, while from the middle of the second leg they consolidated second place and held onto it until the finish. The Abastado duo completed the rally with 74.2 penalty points, deservedly securing a place on the podium of the Historic Acropolis Rally Regularity. Third overall were the reigning Greek Regularity Champions, Kyriakos Farmakis-Maria Athanasopoulou, with 74.4 penalty points. They managed to overturn the standings during the final regularity test and secure the final podium position, while also winning Category F. Driving a 1963 Volvo 122S, they dropped down the order on the opening day due to a timing instrument issue, but later climbed several positions, collecting valuable championship points.
Ilias Lalousis-Konstantinos Kotsiris finished fourth overall with 75 penalty points, while also claiming victory in Category K aboard an authentic Peugeot 306 GTI-6 Race. Although the crew lost ground at the beginning of the third leg, they responded strongly afterwards, regaining pace and climbing positions once again. Gerasimos Katochianos-Georgios Katochianos made an impressive start with their 1975 Ford Escort MKI, leading the rally until the second test. They later dropped a few places and completed yet another Historic Acropolis Rally in fifth overall and first in Category H, reserved for cars built between 1972 and 1976. They accumulated 76.1 penalty points. Christos Diamantopoulos-Manolis Dimakareas struggled on the wet Bralos stage, losing valuable time that ultimately cost them a podium finish. The crew of the green 1984 Volkswagen Golf I finished sixth overall and first in Category J1 with 78.8 penalty points. Manos Palavidis-Maria Palavidi gained two positions during Sunday’s six tests, completing the third championship round of the season in seventh overall. The duo competed in a 1986 Renault 5 GT Turbo and accumulated 92.1 penalty points.
Following them in the overall standings were Iosif Lagakis-Nikitas Tsalikis with a total of 95.7 penalty points. Driving a white 1992 Subaru Legacy, they topped Category J2. Returning to Regularity competition, Savvas Tzilavis-Dimitris Liakos finished ninth overall and first in Category I with a Ford Escort RS 2000 MKII. The crew accumulated 102.8 penalty points and managed to overtake Alexandros Drouliskos-Mathios Mansolas during the final regularity test, with the latter completing the top ten overall. Two of the most accomplished co-drivers in the history of the discipline, with extensive experience in demanding Regularity events both in Greece and abroad, shared a 1991 Volkswagen Golf GTI and collected 108.6 penalty points.
Further down the standings were the Bulgarians Dimitar Nenov-Stanislava Ilieva with a 1984 Mercedes-Benz 190E, followed by last year’s winners, Christian Crucifix-Agnieszka Bohosiewicz with a 1985 Peugeot 205. Although the latter won two regularity tests, they were never able to challenge for top honors, as a series of mistakes prevented them from finding a consistent rhythm. Winners of Category G were Christos Lambropoulos-Konstantinos Kleitsakis with a 1969 Opel Kadett B Coupe, while in Category E, Dimitrios Bakos-Anastasios Tsagkarakis prevailed with a 1955 Mercedes Benz 190 SL.
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