Deniz Fahri Tops Podium on Home Soil
The Gülgün Süt-sponsored North Cyprus Rally, organised by the North Cyprus Touring and Automobile Association, ended with a spectacular finale.
After three days of intense competition between 1-3 June, the rally victory went to Deniz Fahri-Barış Kalfaoğlu, competing for Ford Motorsport Türkiye with Rocks Hotel sponsorship. Their team-mates Yağız Avcı-Onur Vatansever, in another Ford Fiesta R5 from the same team, took second place in the 454-kilometre rally, while third went to Burak Çukurova-Vedat Bostancı in a Skoda Fabia R5 for BC Vision Motorsport.
The class wins were shared by Mehmet Çocuk-Ahmet Akbıçak in Class N with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, Ümit Can Özdemir-Batuhan Memişyazıcı of Ford Motorsport Türkiye in Class 4, and Sadık Bilgimer-Ömer Akbelen in Class 1 with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV. Tuğçe Öztürk, who competed with Gürol Baran, won the "Best Female Co-Driver" award, while And Sunman, driving a Ford Fiesta R2, took the "Best Young Driver" award.
The young crew of Cevdet Alptürk-Mustafa Yücener, who set the fastest time on the opening stage, Kyrenia Super Special Stage, and delivered a strong performance throughout the rally, were presented with the special "Heroes of the Race" award.
In the historic category, open to rally cars over 35 years old, Gerçek Sunman-Bahar Sunman won in a Murat 131, while Nüvit Karakaşlı-Tuğkan Erden reached the finish in second place in a VW Golf MKI.
At the finish ceremony and prize-giving, held as a visual spectacle at Kyrenia Marina after the rally, plaques were presented to the executives of the companies that contributed to the event, in addition to the leading competitors, by Kyrenia Mayor Nidai Güngördü and KKTOK President Tigin Kişmir.
