Month: April 2023

The Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally has introduced a Carbon Contribution Programme for the 2023 event which kickstarts an ongoing commitment to aim to reduce the carbon footprint of the prestigious annual motorsport event [26-28 May].

The closed-road stage rally, based in Duns in the Scottish Borders attracts some of the best drivers in the world to the region throughout the weekend as competitors in the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship, Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship and KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship tackle some of the most highly regarded stages in the country.

Organised and promoted by the Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club (JCMMC), the Jim Clark Rally will embark on a project to recognise its impact on the environment and set about reducing its carbon footprint, with officials, competitors and spectators all playing a part in its commitment.

With guidance from the sports governing body Motorsport UK and the Scottish Borders Council, the Jim Clark Rally has selected the Tweed Forum as the Official Carbon Capture Partner for 2023. With stages taking place mostly in and around the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders, the Tweed Forum programme ensures a relevant and local programme is utilised in the heart of the region used by the rally.

The event has used the Tweed Forum’s tree planting programme, and will be contributing towards new woodland creation in the area. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the Jim Clark Rally is set to plant around 660 new trees this year to reduce the carbon footprint created by the event.

This commitment will see approximately 130 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) being captured over 35 years, with a further dedication to carry out more planting each rally year.

Professor Dan Wright MBE Chairman, Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club Chairman recognises the importance of a sustainable commitment to reducing the impact the event has on the environment.

“Despite the perception, motorsport is far from the most damaging sport to the environment and all stakeholders involved in the discipline are working hard towards lowering the climate impact, for example, more sustainable fuels,” he says.

“But many of these are developing technologies and unviable for an event such as the Jim Clark Rally, and so we have been looking at ways to reduce our overall footprint by utilising a carbon capture programme.”

“It was vital that the scheme was local to the event and a non-profit organisation, so we are delighted to partner with the Tweed Forum’s tree-planting programme in 2023 and make the first and vital steps in the process. There is no doubt our commitment will increase in the future as we all have a part to play.”

Tweed Forum Director, Luke Comins said:

“Organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of addressing the environmental impact of their activities so we’re pleased that the Jim Clark Rally organisers have decided to support our work in this way. As well as capturing carbon, the right trees planted in the right place at the right scale provide multiple benefits including flood risk reduction and biodiversity enhancement. We’re grateful that this high profile event has chosen to back our important work in the Tweed river catchment.”

Clarification

The Jim Clark Rally has this year chosen to make a contribution towards tree-planting in the Scottish Borders to help reduce the event’s carbon footprint. We would like to clarify that this is not part of an officially accredited carbon off-setting scheme. 

For more information on the Tweed Forum visit tweedforum.org
Find out more about the rally at www.jimclarkrally.co.uk

For further media information about Tweed Forum, please contact Karen Finlay, Artisan PR | 07803 945043 | karen@artisanpr.co.uk

Note to Editors:

Tweed Forum is a Scottish Borders-based charitable trust and umbrella organisation whose remit is to promote the sustainable use of the Tweed and protect and enhance the natural, built and cultural heritage of the region.

-Ends

The Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally has today [3 April] officially launched the 2023 event, which is set to attract some of the best drivers in the world to Duns in the Scottish Borders on 26-28 May.

The prestigious closed-road stage rally released its regulations for competitors which outline the format and route of this year’s spectacular weekend of action, ahead of entries opening on Thursday 6 April.

And interest in the event is at an “all-time high” thanks to a shift in the route during the weekend, as well as being all set to attract a string of top-flight championships and some of the best drivers in the business to the region for the event.

The ever-evolving rally will once again be a round of the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship, bringing the UK’s elite to the two-day event which winds its way through the Borders. Also likely to make an appearance will be World Rally Championship ace Adrien Fourmaux who will drive an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 in a bid for seat time in between his WRC commitments.

The BRC will also be joined by the best-sealed surface drivers in the country as the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship brings a top-quality field and they will be joined by a host of regional series including the A S Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship, the S G Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship and the Armed Forces Rally Team.

The two-day Jim Clark Rally offers over sixty miles of competitive action and will enjoy its traditional Duns town centre start on Friday [26 May] evening before crews head out to tackle a double run over the daunting Longformacus moorland stage with the second pass likely to be under the cover of darkness.

After an overnight halt, Saturday [27 May] will be unfamiliar to many, as six stages in Edrom, Ayton and Fogo, situated to the West of Duns are introduced into the itinerary to test the crews to the limit before an early afternoon, champagne spray and finish celebrations take place back in Duns Town Square.

The highly regarded Reivers Rally takes place on Sunday [28 May] and sees more top-class categories head to the area as the KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship marks its first asphalt round of the season at the event.

They will also be joined by contenders in the Burnside Piling Scottish Tarmack Rally Championship, as well as the North of England, ANECCC Championship, Northern Historic and the Armed Forces series enjoying a double-header weekend, contesting all three days.

The Reivers rally will also get underway from Duns Town Square, at around 10:00 Sunday [28 May] before utilising the Westruther, Scott’s View and Eccles stages. Totalling 41 stage miles, the compact event will see the finish celebrations just before 16:00 later that day back in Duns.

“We are very excited to be launching the 2023 Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally,” said Dan Wright, Chairman of the organisers Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club.

“The organising team work tirelessly behind the scenes to produce a world-class event and it’s all set to be another fascinating weekend of motorsport for the region. Interest in the rally is at an all-time high and we hope that fans and competitors alike will enjoy the offering we have this year. To keep the event fresh, there is a switch around in the route, meaning everyone can enjoy some new stages and see just what the Scottish Borders has to offer. We look forward to a bumper list of entries heading to Duns this May”.