The home of the famous Squid Jigging Ground, the Town of Holyrood, joins Targa Newfoundland 2010

ST. JOHN’S March 19, 2010 – The town council of the town made famous by the traditional Newfoundland folk song “The Ryan’s and the Pitman’s” has decided once again to join the Targa family of communities. Holyrood, a town nestled at the end of a deep bay under its equally famous mountain top cross is welcoming Targa Newfoundland back to its roads in 2010. Surrounding a spectacular deep water port which was the actual home of the squid jigging ground, Holyrood also counts a beautiful marina, a sea-side board walk, and the new to be opened ocean front Marine Institute building as some of its prime attractions. Targa Newfoundland will be added to this impressive list in 2010.

Hosting one the first stages in the early years of Targa, Holyrood will again become the first stage of this year’s event. In addition, the town will welcome the competitors and crews to breakfast before the start of the stage that begins this week long endurance classic.

The approximately 8.00 kilometre long competition stage will be held on Monday September 13th, event organizers have announced. The stage will begin in Holyrood and travel along the Conception Bay shore providing competitors with some of the most scenic vistas in Newfoundland. The stage will be new, and has been designed to set the tone for the first day’s competition for both the Targa and Grand Touring categories.

“We appreciate that Holyrood is bringing Targa Newfoundland back to its streets, and we wish to thank the mayor and council as well as their staff for working with us to accomplish this,” said Targa organizer Robert Giannou. “The first stage of the event is very important as it not only starts the competition, but it wets the competitor’s appetites for the event and allows them to settle down for the long and sometimes gruelling week ahead”.

“Throughout the years, Targa has demonstrated tremendous effort in supporting various charities and this year we are pleased to be associated with them in their partnership with the NL Autism Society”, said Mayor Gary Goobie. In addition, this event with once again add to our local tourism potential in Holyrood and surrounding area. “We look forward to seeing Targa back in Holyrood and we extend an invitation to all the people from the surrounding communities to come and join us at this event” indicates the Mayor.

Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. The 9th annual Targa Newfoundland will start in St. John’s on Saturday, September 11, 2010, and end back in the capital Saturday, September 18. The competition will cover more than 2,000 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of Newfoundland, including up to 450 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages.

Competitors have come from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Holland, Germany, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos and the U.K. for the first editions of Targa Newfoundland and international interest continues to build with competitors registering daily.