As November tips into December, Father Christmas really isn’t used to being overlooked. In Killarney on Saturday, the big fella and his sleigh were passed by for a pair of Finns in a Toyota Starlet.
Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen coming to Ireland was always going to be huge. The reality was even bigger. Even better. Thousands of fans poured in through Friday, stopping the town in its tracks. There wasn’t a bed to be had and even standing room was optimistic at the ceremonial start.
Paul Nagle’s known this rally all his life – it was created by his father Maurice almost 30 years ago. Looking out across barriers holding back 10-deep crowds, the five-time world rally winning co-driver shook his head.
“This is like a sixth WRC win for me,” he smiled, the emotion of what was unfolding washing over him.
“I’ve been at this rally for a lot of years,” he continued. “I’ve won it with Craig [Breen] and had some fantastic moments, but I’ve never seen this number of people. It’s crazy. The town is just packed.”
While local business rubbed its hands, Nagle and his fellow star WRC co-driver Aaron Johnston had to somehow guide their rockstar guests through the crowds. A Friday evening autograph session was the precursor to the ceremonial start. On an ordinary day, the walk from one to the other would have been a 90-second stroll. Friday was far from ordinary.
Well ahead of the 6pm start for signing, the queue was out of the door. It then went down the street. And into another street.
There’s no doubt, I’m privileged to enjoy the best job in the world, but every now and then the job delivers solid gold, unforgettable moments. That autograph session was one of them. The anticipation, the excitement in Scruffy’s bar was off the charts. Kalle and Jonne walked in to cheers and a round of applause, before sharpies were put to work and selfies delivered.
With the 30-minute session nearing its conclusion, Nagle’s brow furrowed. They’d barely made a dent in the line. Rovenperä’s response was superb and typical of the man himself.
“We stay,” he said. “We stay as long as we can.”
They stayed as long as they could before they had to dive out to send the Starlet over the ramp. Attempting the 90-second walk was impossible and standing to face the crowd, there was a brief look of concern from Halttunen – his inner-co-driver kicking in with the knowledge that the start was something that really couldn’t be missed.
“We’re going through the tunnel,” Nagle told them. “Out the back door and underground. Let’s go.”
And with that, we were moving. In a scene reminiscent from a Jack Ryan film, the boys were whisked through doors held open by staff. The only difference, there was more smiling and less talking into cuffs.
“That was the first time I ever signed a baby,” laughed Rovanperä.
Rovanperä and Halttunen were treated like rockstars at the weekend
You’ll have gathered by now, the ceremonial start wasn’t exactly a quiet affair. With road closures tight, the ramp had to be up and down in little more than an hour – which was why it was more of an arch than a ramp. And the Finns were last through in a Starlet which was like brand new, having been prepared to within an inch of its life by Jason and Gareth Black.
Having heard the crews talking about the day ahead in accents from up and down Ireland, listening to Kalle and Jonne talking about the same lanes in their heavy Finnish dialect was as incongruous as it was cool. The fans got it too; soon as Rovanperä started talking a hush descended – it was almost as though folk couldn’t quite believe he’d arrived until they heard the voice.
The only remaining obligation for Friday night was the safety briefing for the crews. And with that, they joined their fellow 328 drivers and co-drivers in a big room at the top of the Plaza, crew #69 ticked off and signed in. You might have thought this would be a slightly complicated, awkward moment for the pair who have won four rounds of this year’s world championship. Not a bit of it. This was where they could be themselves, this was where they were truly among their people.
“This is like the rallies at home,” said Rovanperä. “It’s more relaxed and really nice. Everybody in here is all about the rally.” Within minutes, the pair of them were chatting away like Irish Tarmac Championship regulars.
With the formalities completed just before 10pm and the Japan jet-lag (Jonne) and Las Vegas jet-leg (Kalle) kicking in, it was time to turn in. There might be the odd glance at the onboards from the recce, but nothing more than that.
“This is not a WRC round,” said Halttunen. “This is the weekend off, to enjoy ourselves.”
With the damp and darkness still sitting heavily over Killarney, Saturday morning was fired into life with the soundtrack of cold-starting Group 4 Escorts and Group A M3s panting smoke out of their side exhausts. Just over an hour later, Rovanperä turned the Starlet over and headed south for the Gap.
The Starlet has played a big part in the Rovanperä story, with another chapter written in 2024
DirtFish’s day was scheduled to start shortly after 6am, but when an oil pressure problem aboard his planned ride freed up friend, colleague, co-driver and commentator Sean Morriarty, we were in luck.
“I’ll meet you at six in the Plaza car park,” he said. “Don’t be late – we’ll drive through Moll’s Gap to the finish.”
That was how the Hertz Škoda Octavia came to line up on the start shortly before Jonny Greer’s Q8 liveried Sierra Cosworth 4×4. Morriarty is one of the most enthusiastic rally fans in the world and a man who knows his native County Kerry better than most. He used his notes for the opener, but he was probably the only co-driver who interspersed them with a yarn or two. Who else, for example, had the right-hander at Derrycunihy called with short story of how it was Ireland’s most haunted church. Or the real reason why the lefts at Ladies’ View were known as Ladies’ View.
It was quality. And so, as ever, was Seany. Talking of quality, we were greeted by yet more Irish rallying royalty at the finish, with Killian Duffy and Patrick ‘Paddy’ Croke working away on their Facebook live coverage. The scene was very much set.
Through came Greer, complete with a boost pressure problem. Then the first of the flying M3s, courtesy of Donagh Kelly. With 30-second gaps, the historic field flew by. Four zero cars followed before the first of the modified machines – Rob Duggan’s 2.5-liter Escort. Then came #KR69.
“He’s on the line,” said Morriarty, staring at the tracker on his phone. Then came a running, close to corner-by-corner commentary as the double world champions made their way up the hill. Then, nothing.
“Kalle’s stopped,” said Duffy, announcing it as much to us as to the masses on his live broadcast.
No! We’d half-joked about this: what do we do if Rovanperä’s out on the first stage? Now this…
Still stopped. Just short of the Gap.
Duffy stared at another screen.
“He’s moving! He’s moving. Kalle’s on his way.”
Turning right at the Gap for the first time in six years meant they would be down the hill and with us in a couple of minutes. And there it was, the Toyota we’d feared we might not see.
Opening the door, Rovanperä’s face was a picture. He was smiling. Grinning.
“So much fun going up that hill,” he said, almost before I could get a question out. “So much fun.”
There were fears that Rovanperä had retired, but he got his revenge on Moll's Gap later in the day
Yes, there had been an electrical issue, but he still couldn’t see past the first six or seven minutes of his maiden Moll’s Gap experience. He’d absolutely loved it.
They would try the next couple of stages, then figure out the issue in service. Little did they know, it had already been fixed by some unknown at the side of the N71 five minutes or so earlier.
“The fans came and they were looking under the bonnet,” said Halttunen. “They know a lot about cars here! It started straight away and we didn’t have any issues after that.”
To that unknown spectator, a nation salutes you and a big bunch of fans up and down the land thank you.
With so much time dropped, the game changed slightly. There would be no maiden win, but what about a Moll’s Gap fastest? Only Sébastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville have won more WRC stages than Kalle Rovanperä this year – but there was room for one more scratch.
“That’s what he wants, fastest on Moll’s Gap,” smiled Halttunen, tightening his belts with a grin as they left service.
And that’s what he got, stopping the clocks 1.5 seconds quicker than Duggan.
Job done, it was about pure enjoyment for the Finns. The heavier the rain, the bigger the slide. And just when you might have thought about softening the car down in search of more grip, Kalle asked the Black brothers if he could stiffen it to make it more racey.
They nodded and went about their work. Wasn’t Jason slightly worried about his car being in somebody else’s hands – and that somebody else wanting to drive it even faster?
“Not at all,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do in it. If you’re going to give your car to anybody, a two-time world champion’s not a bad option!”
In the blink of an eye, the final loop was done – the last remining battle being with the traffic into Killarney. Again, Morriarty rescued us, sending us down back street after back street. With not a map in sight, we were in the Plaza car park in no time.
Rovanperä driving what must now be the most famous Toyota Starlet in the world
Not far behind us, there was the noise, smoke and splendour of what must now be the world’s most famous Starlet coming across the line.
Stepping out of the car, the noise built and built. This pair had written their names in Killarney history across a day which would be talked about for years and decades to come.
And we were privileged to be part of it; Kalle and Jonne were typically awesome with their time. Yes, this was their adventure, but they wanted to share it with us. And you.
On a personal level, I can’t leave this story without making mention of the overall historic rally winners, Donagh Kelly and Rory Kennedy. Kelly was the man who brought together all those British Rally champions for a reunion party in Donegal a few weeks ago – he’s the very essence of a diehard rally man. Saturday was a special win for him, not least because he got one over his son Eamonn, who was driving a sister BMW M3.
Hours after a skirmish with the Caragh Lake trees which cost his car a wheel, Eamonn smiled thinly at what was coming at home.
“Can you imagine,” said the younger of the two Kellys, “what he’s going to be like for the next year until we can come back here again. ‘Ah, yes, but who actually won…’ Fair play to him though, he drove well.”
He certainly did. And Kennedy certainly co-drove well. I’ve been fortunate to have known Rory my whole career and to see him spraying the champagne in Killarney for an eighth time was something incredibly special.
“I won the Lakes six times with Bertie [Fisher] and once with Stephen Finlay,” he said. “And the first of those wins was in 1990 in a BMW M3. To be back here all these years later and to be winning again, still in an M3, is something very special. It brings the story full circle.”
Kennedy’s the absolute best of Irish rallying, a genuine, honest and thoroughly decent fella. That win meant plenty to him. Good for you, my friend.
And now, it’s back to you Joulupukki and apologies for slighty overshadowing your Christmas Parade on Saturday.
