The 35th President's Cup awaits the winners of the FIA Eco Rally Cup Lithuania – Rally Around Lithuania
On July 3-5, the traditional rally "Around Lithuania" will once again take to the roads of the country, with the participants competing for the most prestigious prize - the Cup of the President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda.
6/7/20261 min read
The first such rally to win the President Antanas Smetona Cup took place on July 24, 1931, when a column of 14 cars and 12 motorcycles set off from Kaunas to race around Lithuania.
Since then the winners of the rally have been congratulated by Presidents Antanas Smetona, Algirdas Brazauskas, Valdas Adamkus, Rolandas Paksas, Dalia Grybauskaitė and Gitanas Nausėda.
It is no coincidence that the first rally "Around Lithuania" is considered by the Lithuanian Automobile Sports Federation (LASF) to be the beginning of motor sports in the country, and the race has been organized since the very beginning by the oldest public organization uniting motorists in the country - the Lithuanian Automobile Club (LAK), founded in 1926 and celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Although 95 years have passed since the first rally "Around Lithuania", this year's race is only the 35th in its history, the winners of which will once again raise the President's Cup at the finish line.
Four rallies "Around Lithuania" were organized in pre-war Lithuania, and they were revived after the country regained independence and the LAK resumed its activities in 1996, exactly 65 years after the first rally to win the President's Cup.
Although the main prize – the President’s Cup – will be awarded to the winners of the FIA Eco Rally Cup Lithuania, the rally organizers have not closed the door to the event for those who like to race in other, traditional vehicles.
Participants of the "Around Lithuania" rally will have to overcome more than 600 kilometer route during the competition days, from which more then 250 km is Regularity stages.
The competition will run along the most interesting public roads in Lithuania, and the crews will have to follow all road traffic rules, being obliged to maintain the set average speed and special stage completion time.
Traditionally, the rally "Around Lithuania" will finish in the country's capital Vilnius on Sunday, July 5 at 4 p.m., at S. Daukantas Square in front of the Lithuanian Presidency, where the race winners will be awarded.
