The Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2004, now under two months away, is set to attract some of Europe's most spectacular drivers to Killarney and the south-west of Ireland, to decide one of the sport's most coveted titles.  The rally, which takes place on May 1st and 2nd, celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year, and the organisers, Killarney & District Motor Club, are making plans to ensure that the occcasion will be a memorable celebration of the very best in Irish motorsport.A testing route has been laid out to challenge competitors on the 2004 Rally of the Lakes, comprising of nineteen special stages in total, eleven on Day One and eight on Day Two.  The format will be broadly similar to that of the 2003 event, which saw Maghera's Eugene Donnelly and co-driver, Paul Kiely, take victory ahead of the local crew of Donie O'Sullivan and Paul Nagle.Ordnance Survey Ireland will be the main sponsor of this year's Rally of the Lakes, (as it has been since 2000), and its continued support is greatly valued by Killarney & District Motor Club.  Killarney's Gleneagle Hotel will again serve as the Rally Headquarters.   The Gleneagle has become an integral part of the Rally of the Lakes over the years, and vice versa.  Both have progressed extensively during the last quarter-century.Noreen Marshall will be the Clerk of the Course for the Ordanance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2004   She previously served as Rally Secretary, and now takes over the COC position from her husband, Mike Marshall, who moves into the new role of Event Manager.  Mike was the Clerk of the Course for the event since its inception in 1979, and his record of twenty-four years in charge of a major Irish rally is unlikely to be matched in the near future, if ever.The 2004 Rally of the Lakes will be a round of four championships: the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Rally Championship; the West Euro Cup; the 023 Tiles Southern Four Championship and the Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship.The Pirelli Tarmac Championship is the premier rally series on this island, comprising of six International events throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, plus two further rounds in Scotland and on the Isle of Man.  The 2004 Tarmac Championship is currently being led by Finland's Tapio Laukkannen, following his victory on the Galway Rally earlier this month.The West Euro Cup has rounds in Norway, Ireland, France, The Netherlands and the Isle of Man.  2003 saw the WEC gain its first Irish champion, when Navan's Paddy White wrapped up the title on the Golden Tulip Rally in The Netherlands last September.As the name suggests, the Southern Four Championship, is based in the southern part of Ireland, and it attracts significant support from competitors in this area.  Killarney & District Motor Club members, Johnny O'Sullivan and Denis Cronin are among the past Southern Four champions. Once again, the Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship gets its season underway at the Rally of the Lakes.  This popular one-make series is part of Ford's 'Staircase of Talent' for up and coming drivers, with the championship winner being awarded a test in a Focus World Rally Car at the end of the year.Regualtions and Entry Forms for the Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2004 will be available soon from:Event Secretary,International Rally of the Lakes,14 Muckross Grove,Killarney,Co. Kerry,Republic of Ireland,

Tel. + 353 (0)64 32026,Fax.+ 353 (0)64 35963,E-mail: competitors@rallyofthelakes.comThey will also be available to downloaded from the event's website: rallyofthelakes.comCALENDARSPIRELLI 2004 IRISH TARMAC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPFebruary 7-8 Galway International RallyApril 10-12 Circuit of Ireland International RallyMay 1-2 Ordnance Survey Ireland International Rally of the LakesJune 18-20 Donegal International RallyJuly 2-3 Jim Clark Memorial International RallyJuly 29-31 Manx International RallySeptember 3-4 Ulster International RallyOctober 2-3 Cork '20' International Rally2004 WEST EURO CUPFebruary 12-15 Rally Finnskog (Norway)May 1-2 OSi International Rally of the Lakes (Ireland)June 5-6 Rallye des Flandres (France)June 18-20 Donegal International Rally (Ireland)July 16-18 BHV Expo Groep Rally (Netherlands)July 29-31 Manx International Rally (Isle of Man)September 17-18 Golden Tulip Rally (Netherlands)023 TILES SOUTHERN FOUR RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPMarch 13-14 West Cork RallyMay 1-2 Ordnance Survey Ireland International Rally of the LakesJune 27 Raven's Rock Rally, KilkennyOctober 2-3 Cork '20' International RallyOctober 24 Fastnet RallyFORD IRELAND FOCUS RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPMay 1-2 Ordnance Survey Ireland International Rally of the LakesJune 27 Ravens Rock Rally, KilkennyJuly 11 Sligo RallyAugust 8 Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally August 29 Galway Summer RallyOctober 2-3 Cork '20' International RallyPIRELLI 2004 HISTORIC TARMAC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPFebruary 7-8 Galway Historic RallyApril 10-12 Circuit of Ireland Historic RallyMay 1-2 Ordnance Survey Ireland Historic Rally of the LakesJune 18-20 Donegal Historic RallyJuly 29-31 Manx Historic RallySeptember 3-4 Ulster Historic RallyOctober 2-3 Cork '20' Historic Rally