17th October 2021, PortAventura World. – The PortAventura Convention Centre has brought the 56th edition of the RACC Catalonia-Costa Dorada Rally (2021 Rally of Spain) to a successful close, after the meeting of tens of thousands of people between 14th and 17th October, thanks to the involvement of a team of more than 3000 professionals. One of the challenges of this edition, which was conditioned by COVID-19, was to guarantee protection against the spread of the virus, something that has been resolved thanks to the deployment of a large hygiene and safety operations model.
Amidst other measures, such as ensuring that masks are worn or distancing between the attendees is observed, the event organisers required that both the members of the participating teams and the rest of the staff provide a coronavirus vaccination certificate or a negative test taken in the hours before the competition and throughout the event, with the aim of guaranteeing a COVID-19-free space for the event. All this is part of the global strategy developed by PortAventura World against the virus in recent months, in which it has invested more than 5 million euros to guarantee safe spaces within the resort.
The 56th edition of the RACC Catalonia-Costa Dorada Rally (2021 Rally of Spain) ended with the trophy ceremony in Salou. PortAventura Business & Events, through its director, Laura Valdeolivas, did not want to miss the opportunity to congratulate the winners on the podium after four days of intense competition.
Valdeolivas said that “we are bringing to a close a very special edition of the race for us, as it is the sixteenth consecutive one whereby the competition’s organisers have trusted PortAventura Business & Events, and we have been able to reach levels of attendance that undoubtedly place us on the path to recovery. This year’s meeting has been a success and, thanks to the efforts of the teams involved, we can say that it has flowed in a very positive and, above all, a very safe way against COVID-19″.
PortAventura Business & Events has allocated its spaces to create a press room, which more than 300 journalists from all over the world have reported from; the offices of the Racing Directorate; the editing and montage rooms of the audiovisual material for the event, and the catering areas serving the attendees and the organisers. Its car parks, with an area spanning more than 55,000 m2, have also welcomed the different teams participating in the race and one of its accommodations, the Hotel Caribe, has hosted some of the organisers of the 56th RACC Catalonia-Costa Dorada Rally (2021 Rally of Spain) and some members of the different teams taking part in the competition.
Sustainability has been another key aspect for the organisers of the now completed 56th RACC Catalonia-Costa Dorada (2021 Rally of Spain), in line with the strategy in this area developed by the PortAventura Convention Centre. In order to control and minimise the impact on the environment, the competition has been structured within the framework of the FIA Sustainability Programme Accreditation, implementing actions to offset its carbon footprint in collaboration with the environmental agents of the area.
After a fast-paced day, the Belgian Thierry Neuville took first place in the competition, followed by the Welshman Elfyn Evans and the Spaniard Dani Sordo, who overtook the Frenchman Sébastien Ogier. The 56th RACC Catalonia-Costa Dorada Rally (2021 Rally of Spain), the penultimate round of the FIA World Championship (International Automobile Federation), celebrated 30 years with this edition as a points-based event for this race, which is an absolute milestone. In total, it brought together 73 teams with 146 drivers and co-pilots representing more than 20 countries.
