The Motorsport Australia Tasmanian Rally Championship (TRC) returns this weekend with one of the championship’s most anticipated events on the calendar, the Mountain Stages Rally.

Organised by the Motorsports Club of Tasmania, the Les Walkden Enterprises Mountain Stages Rally will welcome both TRC and non-championship drivers, eager to take on the mountainous terrain surrounding the North Esk Memorial Hall.

Having run since the late 1980s, the Mountain Stages Rally continues to be a signature event on the state’s rally calendar, but organisers have updated this year’s event to ensure its currency.

Aiming to provide a mix of old and new stages, the 2023 event will be compact, starting and finishing at the Memorial Hall, and using roads that have all been featured in Mountain Stages throughout the years, even reviving some that have not been used competitively since the early 2000s.

The event will see a total of 87 competitive kilometres of forest road surrounding Mount Barrow, Ben Nevis and Ben Lomond, repeated across four stages, including some climbs and descents that reach impressive heights of 950 metres above sea level.

“This event has some of the best roads and elevations in the state,” Club President Matt von Bertouch said.

“At one stage there’s nearly 700 metres of elevation in less than five kilometres, so we’re up and down mountain ridges with fantastic roads and forestry, and scenic views.

“Usually, our traditional mountain stages rallies are long format, but this year we’ve gone with a short format. So it’s nice, short and sharp, and great for officials.

“We’re also adding a regularity component which is something our club hasn’t done before."

Fourteen teams are entered to compete in the third round of the 2023 season, including last year’s champion Bodie Reading, while five drivers are also registered to take part in the non-championship regularity rally.

Round 2 winner Steve Maguire, as well as third place finisher Crichton Lewis will also be returning and after only 13 seconds separated Maguire and Reading at the end of the previous round, this weekend’s event is sure to be a thrilling one.

While entries to compete have closed, the club is still eagerly looking for officials, and those interested can register their interest here.

More information can be found on the Tasmanian Rally Championship Facebook page.

Round three of the Tasmanian Rally Champion takes place this Sunday 13 August at North Esk Memorial Hall.