Targa Tasmania

Targa Tasmania is a tarmac-based rally event held on the island state of Tasmania, Australia, annually since 1992. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily. The competition concept is drawn directly from the best features of the Mille Miglia, the Coupe des Alpes and the Tour de Corse.

Rally format

The rally started as a five day event, and was run as a six day event for the tenth anniversary in 2001. From 2002 it reverted back to its five day course. 2006 was the 15th anniversary.

* Leg 0 (prologue) - George Town to Launceston.
* Leg 1 The Northern loop - Launceston - Devonport - Launceston
* Leg 2 The North east loop - Launceston - Bicheno - Hobart
* Leg 3 The Southern loop - Hobart - Cygnet - Hobart
* Leg 4 Hobart to Mole Creek to Burnie
* Leg 5 The West Coast Enduro - Burnie - Queenstown - Hobart

The 2008 course has been substantially revised, a number of well liked stages from years previous years are used (Bastyn Dam / Reece Dam), and a number of all new stages will be run (Mt Claude and Rossarden). The Leg 3 Southern Loop has been dropped by shortening Leg 2 East Coast day ending back in Launceston (rather than Hobart). Leg 3 is another loop north out of Launceston (running through Devonport on this day). Leg 4 now runs from Launceston through the lunch stop at Burnie to the evening end at Strahan. Disappointingly the definitive test of driver skill, Fern Glade, has been dropped after just one year. It remains the longest tarmac rally in Australia with no repeated stages. Although this year for the first time a couple of stages will share the same piece of road in opposite directions on consecutive days.

The Targa is one of several Tarmac Rally events to be held in Australia. It also has had international connections with Targa New Zealand and Targa NewFoundland which have evolved since the inception of Targa Tasmania.

List of past winners

Modern Competition

Classic Competition

[ [http://www.rallyresults.com.au/targa2008/ Targa Tasmania 2008 Results] by Rally Results] [ [http://www.rallyresults.com.au/targa2007/ Targa Tasmania 2007 Results] by Rally Results] [ [http://www.rallyresults.com.au/targa2006/ Targa Tasmania 2006 Results] by Rally Results]

Notable competitors

Notable past and current competitors have included Andrew Miedecke, Barry Sheene, Bob Wollek, David Potter, Denny Hulme, Dick Johnson, Glenn Ridge, Greg Crick, Gregg Hansford, Sir Jack Brabham, Jim Richards, Jochen Mass, Steven Richards, Michael Doohan, Murray Walker, Neal Bates, Peter Brock, Peter Fitzgerald, Roger Clark, Rusty French, Sandro Munari, Sir Stirling Moss, Walter Röhrl, Eric Bana [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2007/04/14/nosplit/mftas14.xml Targa Tasmania] by Peter Hall, telegraph.co.uk] and Adam Spence

Other Targa competitions

* Targa Florio - Italy
* Targa New Zealand - New Zealand
* Targa Newfoundland - Canada
* Targa West - Australia

References

External links

* [http://www.targa.org.au Targa Tasmania website]
* [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21553286-2902,00.html Eric Bana guns it to Max | Herald Sun]
* [http://www.RedBackRacing.com.au/ Team RedBackRacing website]
* [http://www.car703.com/ CAR703 – Rallying for Oncology Research]