Photo: Austrian Karl Rumler in his 740 Volvo Original started in two winter rallies in the Swedish Volvo Original Cup in Vännäs in the very north of Sweden. Karl used no hanger for the trip - he drove his car 2400 kms from Austria to Vännäs, started in two winter rallies - and drove back again. Overall 5.000 kms during the week! One of the best things with the Volvo Original Cup is thats its possible to go rallyeing abroad. Today You find the Volvo Original Cars in six couintries and every year some drivers take the chans to test rallyeing in an other country. The first driver to test an other country this year - 2009 - was Karl Rumpler from Austria. Karl and his wife and codriver Maria started in Vännäs in the north of Sweden - in the first and second leg in the swedish Volvo Original Cmapionship this year. They took the trip to Sweden as a nice holiday and had realy fun on the snow and ice. - Yes, it was fun. But next time I will use a hanger for my 740. And I also need a new engine - with spikes in the tyres you really ned all power you can get, Karl laughed before he went back home. As one of the most popular divers in Sweden that weekend! - Even the local newspapers made articles about the crazy austrian... Karl - the man who took the Volvo Original Cup to Austria - planning to start in the Volvo Original Gravel Cup this year. At least he will start in Triestingtal Rallye in Austria and in Lausitz Rallye in Germany: - But I dont think I will start in the SSR in Sweden because its no training, just pace notes from the organisator. And that was a big problem for Maria and me in Vännäs. The Nordic Euro Cup this year will see a former "Euro Champ" - swedish Henrik Levin - coming back. Levin changed to a Gr H Volvo 240 some years ago but last year he came back to the Volvo original Cup. And want to drive the whole Nordic West Euro Cup 2009. This year is the firt year the Cup is dominated by asphalt rallies. And for the drivers who likes gravel its possible to finish the rally year with the Lausitz Rally as the final rallie in the new Gravel Cup. JUST DOT-MARKED TYRES ON ASPHALT IN THE NORDIC WEST EURO CUP The tecnical regulations in the Euro Cup is same as the year before. This means that every drivers from other countries can startt in Sweden, who has the most simple national rules when its up to FIA equipment. And that swedish drivers has to follow the FIA equipment rules before start in The Netherlands and the national rules for a statrt in Germany. Denmark and Sweden has about the same rules - and Norway has FIA rules - but accept Swedish helmets. Austria is FIA country too. In the Gravel rallies the special rally gravel tyres are ok to use - on 15 or 16 rims. But on asplat the drivers has to use 15 rims and DOT-meaked 195-tyres. It can be a pure standard tyse or "street racing tyres" as Yokohama 0048 etc. Last year the Euro cup Winner Emil Tigerberg (who is building a new 940 VO after his big crash in Lausits) used common GoodYear Eagle 195/50 15: - The tyre was guite good and the regulations is perfect and maks it cheeper to drive, Emil says. - The tyres can be used for several rallies and you dont have to change tyres if dry or wet asphalt. - The only problem is- mybe - that Youo have to be a little bit more careful so You dot get a puncture. The regulations says 6 rallies - one rallye in every country - and 5 will be counted for the Cup. For the Gravel cup there are 3 rallies - two in the Cup and than Lausitz Rallye - and 2 will be counted.