Today, 2 October, the fifth Alakonnu Rally begins in southern Estonia. Roadbook riders will gather around Kaagjärve Manor over the weekend of 2 to 4 October 2026. Rider places are sold out. The focus is on navigation, endurance and the interplay between rider and motorcycle on changing terrain.
The organising team is putting on a format that is interesting even away from the big desert rallies: compact in the calendar, but with real challenges at the handlebars. After all, anyone who wants to learn roadbook riding needs more than a quick throttle hand.
Arrive on Friday, deliver on Saturday
The rally centre is at Kaagjärve Manor. The announced routes lead through the Valga and Võru regions, over village roads, forest tracks and farm tracks. Today brings registration, prologue and opening. Tomorrow is the main day; Sunday is devoted to a shared wrap-up. Three event days, then, do not mean three full days of racing.
| Day | Planned schedule |
|---|---|
| Friday, 2 October | Registration from 3 pm; prologue also from 3 pm according to the schedule; opening at 6 pm. |
| Saturday, 3 October | Start at 9 am; prize-giving scheduled for 7 pm. |
| Sunday, 4 October | Breakfast from 8 am, packing up and exchange of experiences. |
All times are local time in Estonia, one hour ahead of Germany. The latest announcements and the briefing on site remain authoritative. Source: official schedule.
Three classes instead of one standard motorcycle
The regulations divide the field by motorcycle weight: Rally Enduro up to and including 130 kilograms, Rally Dual Sport over 130 up to and including 180 kilograms, and Rally Adventure over 180 kilograms. Riders start across classes with individual start times and at least one minute between them. The prologue result is not added to the stage times.
This matters for putting things in context: a heavy travel enduro demands different reserves on tight or loose terrain than a light sport enduro. At the same time, nobody can permanently make up for poor orientation with engine power. That is precisely the appeal of a weekend like this: the machine is one part of the task, the rider’s decisions the other.
Digital roadbook: finding the way instead of following a line
The Roadbook Rally Reader is mandatory. The app provides the digital roadbook and records position and speed; an internet connection is required. Additional GPS navigation and recording the route independently are prohibited. This is not a ban on GPS positioning within the intended rally app.
The roads remain open to public traffic. Traffic rules therefore apply during the event. Driving licence, insurance and the required vehicle documents are part of the preparation. Anyone who misses a turn has to reorient themselves; reckless catching up is no sensible solution. The full requirements are set out in the competition rules.
An entry point with real learning value
The organiser explicitly also addresses roadbook newcomers who already ride confidently on gravel and forest tracks. According to the beginner information, a complete rally tower is not strictly necessary for this; a suitable smartphone setup can make a start possible.
For amateur riders, the benefit lies in the process: reading notes, matching distances, spotting turns and getting back to calm work after a mistake. A weekend also shows whether power supply, mounting and operation actually work. Such experiences are often more valuable for the next step than another accessory.
Looking ahead to 2027
As the main prize, the organiser announces a free entry to the RoRallyMarathon 2027 in Romania for the fastest rider. The link to the next rally is therefore concrete. Details are given in the official event information.
For now, though, this weekend is what counts. The opener begins today, and the main day awaits tomorrow. Anyone who navigates cleanly, manages their strength and brings the motorcycle through reliably can take away more from Alakonnu than a result.
Image credits
Both article images: Eva Pärtel, Alakonnu Rally 2025; provided via the official photo gallery and the organiser’s media library. Rally logo: official Alakonnu Ralli logo file from the media library. Title and social banners: AI-edited editorial collages based on the archive photo by Eva Pärtel and the official logo; not documentary photographs of the 2026 event.