*Subject to change
Welcome to the Targa Newfoundland Race, where adventure awaits you every day. Our event has been running for over 20 years, and we take pride in our enviable safety record, one of the best in our sport.
Day One: Thursday September 12
Skills Review and Practice Session (mandatory for 1st time entrants)
The Targa Driving Skills Review and Practice Session on Day 1 is mandatory for all teams new to the event. Returning teams are welcome but do not have to attend. Our course is specifically designed for this event to teach each member of the team their roles, interrelation with each other, and hone their teamwork, test their skills, and become comfortable in their car, which will be their home for the next two days (Bambina) and seven days (Dumeila).
Location: St. John’s
Overnight stay: St. John’s
Day Two: Friday September 13
Stage Review (mandatory for all participants)
Day 2 is the Stage Review, First Responders and Competitors Meeting, which is mandatory for all teams. During this full day session, all teams come together to understand the course and the communities they will visit. Each stage is explained in detail, with a focus on their roles and duties as a First Responder team who arrives first at the scene of an incident. They will also be introduced to the event officials, who will brief the participants on start and finish protocols, good sportsmanship, and the Targa behavior expectations. This session is followed by an evening meet and- greet session.
Location: St. John’s
Overnight stay: St. John’s
Day Three: Saturday September 14
Official Start: Prologue and Leg 1
On Day 3, teams will arrive at Canadian Forces Base St. John’s and proceed along the Atlantic Coast via the Trans Canada Highway to the Southern Shore Area and Atlantic for the Prologue. The official start begins in Bay Bulls followed by lunch in Southern Shore then on to Witless Bay for the afternoon. The scoring will start with Leg 1 in the afternoon with an overnight stay in St. John’s.
Locations: St. John’s, Atlantic Coast
Overnight stay: St. John’s
Day Four: Sunday September 15
Leg 2 Placentia Bay – Southwest Avalon Peninsula
On Day 4, teams will head out on the Trans Canada Highway to the Placentia Bay area. The route and stages will see them travel to the historic former French capital town of Placentia (Pleasance). They will then proceed to the Cape Shore, along the cliffs and down into the river valleys to the fishing village of St. Bride’s. Then, they will visit the community of Fox Harbour for lunch and then on to Ship Harbour, where the Atlantic Charter was signed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt in 1941. From there, the competition moves to Long Harbour before a transit to Gander. We are excited to announce that we will be finishing off Leg Two with an in town stage and overnight stay in Gander, an historic airport town.
After the stages are completed, competitors will participate in a meet and greet with the public.
Locations: St. John’s, Placentia Bay – Southwest Avalon Peninsula, Cape Shore, St. Bride’s, Fox Harbour, Ship Harbour, Long Harbour, Gander
Overnight stay: Gander
Day Five: Monday September 16
Leg 3 Notre Dame Bay – North Central Newfoundland
On Day 5, teams will travel by the Trans Canada Highway to the former logging community of Glenwood on the Gander River, then proceed to stages in the communities of Bobby’s Cove, Pleasantview, Point Leamington, and Leading Tickles, where lunch will be hosted. In the afternoon, stages take place in Leading Tickles and Glovers Harbour then return to the final stage of the day in the community of Appleton, after which we will proceed to the overnight stop in Gander.
After the stages are completed, competitors will participate in a meet and greet with the public.
Locations: Glenwood, Bobby’s Cove, Pleasantview, Point Leamington, Leading Tickles, Glovers Harbour, Appleton
Overnight stay: Gander
Day Six: Tuesday September 17
Leg 4 Bonavista Bay – Eastport Peninsula
On Day 6, teams will head to the Eastport peninsula, on Bonavista Bay, which is one of the special areas of the province and once was the summer home to the Beothuk Indian tribe. Known for its rugged shoreline and soft sandy beaches, the area will host stages in the historic fishing communities of Happy Adventure and Salvage. Lunch will be hosted in Eastport. After lunch, we’ll run stages in Salvage, Eastport and Burnside before heading east to Port Blandford, which will host a multi stage. Then, we’ll head over to Clarenville for the overnight stay.
Locations: Bonavista Bay, Eastport, Happy Adventure, Salvage, Burnside, Port Blandford
Overnight stay: Clarenville
Day Seven: Wednesday September 18
Leg 5 Trinity Bay
On Day 7, teams will make their way to the Trinity Bay Area and Random Island. Random Island is a small island off the coast of Newfoundland and is home to many lively communities that will host some of our key stages. We’ll start in Weybridge and then move on to the fishing and lumbering communities of Hickman’s Harbour, Lower Lance Cove, Britannia, and Petley. After lunch in Hickman’s Harbour, we’ll repeat stages in Hickman’s Harbour and Petley before heading back to Clarenville for the night.
Competitors can join us for an evening meet and greet in Clarenville where locals can see the cars and meet the teams.
Locations: Weybridge, Hickman’s Harbour, Lower Lance Cove and Petley
Overnight stay: Clarenville
Day Eight: Thursday September 19
Leg 6 Conception Bay Central
On the last day of the competition, we’ll be racing in the Conception Bay area towns of Conception Harbour, Colliers, Marysvale, Turks Gut, Georgetown, and Brigus. These towns will host the most competitive stages of the event. We’ll be racing around the shores of the most historic center of the province. Some of the stages will be repeated multiple times for the ultimate challenge. After the last stage, we’ll meet in the centre of Brigus for a post event party and a public meet and greet.
Locations: Conception Harbour, Colliers, Marysvale, Turks Gut, Georgetown, Brigus
Overnight stay: St. John’s
Day Nine: Friday September 20
Free time and Awards Ceremony Banquet – Northeastern Avalon
Congratulations on finishing the 2024 Targa Newfoundland! Spend the day at your leisure shopping and sightseeing in Northeastern Avalon. The Awards Ceremony will commence at 6 p.m. in St. John’s.
Please Note:
Each day will begin with a continental breakfast at the headquarters hotel, during which the teams will be breathalyzed by the Competitor Relations Officers (CROs) while the day’s activities will be reviewed by the Clerk of the Course.
Each evening, competitors/teams will be free to socialize or work on their vehicles at the vehicle storage centres.
Overnight stay: St. John’s