Jim Clark Rally hopes to make a splash in May with the return of an iconic location

By Janet Bew
Published 12th Jan 2024, 18:28 BST
The Langton water splash will feature four times in this year's Jim Clark Rally. Picture: Eddie Kelly Motorsport Photography.The Langton water splash will feature four times in this year's Jim Clark Rally. Picture: Eddie Kelly Motorsport Photography.
The Langton water splash will feature four times in this year's Jim Clark Rally. Picture: Eddie Kelly Motorsport Photography.
An iconic location has made a comeback for this year’s Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally.

The Langton water splash, which was the highlight for both fans and drivers alike throughout the history of the rally, has not been used competitively by the rally for a decade.

A new format for the three-day closed-road rally, which runs from May 24-26, will see the Langton stage return four times during the weekend.

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Based in Duns, the rally will once again be sponsored by leading construction materials provider Beatson’s Building Supplies.

After the now traditional ceremonial start in Duns Square, Langton will offer a spectacular way to kick off the rally on Friday, May 24, with the short blast opening the rally early in the evening. Crews will then head for a usual moorland blast across the Abbey St Bathans test, before another new addition to the opening leg, Blackadder.

After service back in Duns, the stages will be repeated, with rally fans able to enjoy an entertaining evening of motorsport before the overnight halt. The new look to Friday sees a switch from the usual two stages to a six-test spectacular, some in the dark.

Saturday starts with another run through Langton before the traditional run of Edrom, Ayton and Fogo make up the eight stages, taking the rally to more than 88 stage miles for all competing crews.

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The Probite British Rally Championship returns for the Friday and Saturday legs, as do the Protyre National Asphalt Rally Championship, Burnside Piling Scottish Tarmack Rally Championship, AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Rally Championship, SG Petch ANECCC Championship, and the Armed Forces series.

Sunday, May 26, sees the return of the Reivers Rally as the Scottish Rally Championship contenders tackle more icons of the event, including a significantly re-worked Westruther, Scotts View, Macks Mill and Eccles, bolstered by an increase of stage mileage from 2023 to over 55 during the day.

Dan Wright, chairman of the organisers, the Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club, said: “The Jim Clark Rally organising team has always tried to give both competitors and rally fans a fresh, new and exciting offering year-on-year and 2024 is no exception.

“The return of Langton is very close to our hearts and is a symbol of the rally which all the family can enjoy.”