Romania's biggest rally event, the Sibiu Rally, was today announced as the latest of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge Supporter Events from 2010. The IRC Supporter Event scheme allows selected national events to benefit from the prestige of being associated with the IRC, from the strengths of the IRC brand, and to promote themselves internationally through on-demand video highlights available on the IRC website, www.ircseries.com.

The Sibiu Rally is a demanding gravel event in the Paltinis region of Romania, and also features a dramatic Superspecial stage on which competitors are able to compete side-by-side in a natural amphitheatre to huge crowds. Hosting the event is the vibrant city of Sibiu, which was European Capital of Culture in 2007. According to legend it was to Sibiu that the children led away by the Pied Piper of Hamelyn finally arrived, explaining the city's large German population.

Sibiu (aka Nagyszeben and Hermannstadt after its mixed Hungarian, Romanian and German population) not only plays host to the rally, but draws in enormous numbers of visitors each year for who visit its landmarks, museums and cultural events. As such it sits perfectly within the IRC's innovative approach to the organisation and presentation of rallying as a sport.

The 2009 Sibiu Rally is the ninth running of this event, featuring a total of 45 crews from Romania, Finland and Hungary. Among the leading entries is last year's IRC Rally China winner, Jarkko Miettinen, giving the local talent a run for its money and giving the Sibiu Rally an experience of IRC-winning talent.

In this year the race ended by Hungarian success: among the 35 starter of the a rally 35 (18 member in the Group N and 17 in the Group A) In the first round both groups must fulfill three stages and always the first 8 fastest will qualify to go through to the next stage. Szabó Gergo, the winner of the N group won all stages and in the final race, giving no chance for the famous Bogdan Marisca, was faster than anyone.