* Note: The stage routes may be subject to change due to circumstances beyond Targa Newfoundland’s control.
Welcome to Targa Newfoundland, where adventure awaits you every day. Our rally has been running for over 20 years, and we take pride in our enviable safety record, one of the best in our sport. Below are details of each day of the rally and the communities you’ll visit.
After the two-day Targa school and practice sessions, teams in the Duemila event will cover about 2000 km over six days from eastern to central Newfoundland and back again, including about 500 km on closed stages at speed through dozens of communities. Competitors in Rotoura will enjoy the thrills of four days on the road.
We’ve changed things up this year. We’ve made some adjustments to existing stages and added some exciting new ones. Also new this year is the Transit Challenge, which refers to a section of a transit between stages where a measurable distance must be completed within the posted speed limits in a specified time limit. Penalties will be incurred for being early or late at the finish of the Transit penalties and will only be applied to resolve a tie in Targa 1 or Targa 2 Divisions..
Thursday, Sept. 10
Skills Review and Practice Session (mandatory for first time entrants)
Our two-day Course Familiarization Program, commonly called Targa School, is specifically designed for this event to teach each member of the teams their roles, develop interrelation with each other, hone their teamwork, test their skills, and become comfortable in their car. 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. This two-day session will be held at the St. John’s Curling Club.
The day begins with classroom sessions followed by practice runs on the road to give teams a great opportunity to get used to following the route books and working together to navigate through a course.
This is also where teams will complete registration, have their vehicles inspected by the technical advisers and install their Targa decals.
Location: RE/MAX Centre – St. John’s Curling Club, 135 Mayor Ave., St. John’s
Overnight stay: St. John’s
Friday, Sept. 11
Stage Review (mandatory for all participants)
Day 2 is the Stage Review and 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 roles and duties as a First Responder team should they arrive first at the scene of an incident. You will also be introduced to the event officials, who will brief participants on start and finish protocols, good sportsmanship, and Targa behaviour expectations.
Location: RE/MAX Centre – St. John’s Curling Club, 135 Mayor Ave., St. John’s
Overnight stay: St. John’s
Saturday, Sept. 12
Official Start, Prologue and Leg 1 – Atlantic Coast
Teams will gather at the Mary Brown’s Centre in downtown St. John’s for the official start and then proceed out of the city travelling along the scenic Atlantic Coast via the Southern Shore Highway. These stages will be held in the communities of Tors Cove, Burnt Cove and Bauline East in an area known as the Irish Loop, so named for its Irish history dating back about 400 years.
Teams will run stages in Burnt Cove and Bauline East in the morning and again after lunch at the Alderwood Estates Retirement Centre. The last stages of the day will be held in Tors Cove.
The day will end with a car show in St. John’s so the public can meet the teams and check out their rally cars.
What: Official Start of Targa Newfoundland
When: 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 12
Where: Mary Brown’s Centre, 50 New Gower Street, St. John’s, NL
Stage Locations: Tors Cove, Burnt Cove, Bauline East
Overnight stay: St. John’s
Sunday, Sept. 13
Leg 2 – Placentia Bay
After the morning breathalyzer, teams will head to Mount Carmel for the first of the day. They’ll then proceed from North Harbour to Branch followed by a stage in Point Lance.
After lunch at the Point Lance Community Centre, teams will run from Point Lance to Sanctuary then tackle the narrow, challenging road to the Cape St. Mary’s bird sanctuary followed by the long St. Bride’s stage to Point Verde on the Cape Shore, high along the cliffs and down into the river valleys.
At the end of the day, teams will transit to Clarenville for an evening car show and the overnight stay.
Locations: Mount Carmel, North Harbour, Branch, Point Lance, Cape St. Mary’s, St. Bride’s, Point Verde
Overnight stay: Clarenville
Monday, Sept. 14
Leg 3 – Bonavista Bay and Eastport Peninsula
This day of competition will start with stages in Port Blandford on the edge of Terra Nova National Park. Teams will then head into the park and on to Eastport Peninsula on Bonavista Bay, which once was the summer home to the Beothuk tribe. This area is called the Road to the Beaches. Known for its rugged shoreline and soft sandy beaches, the area will host stages in the historic fishing communities of Happy Adventure, Eastport and Salvage.
Lunch will be hosted in Salvage at the Salvaje Longhouse, a converted fish plant. After lunch, we’ll run stages in Salvage, Eastport, and Burnside.
The day ends with a meet and greet at the Royal Canadian Legion in Eastport. The overnight stay will be in the town of Gander.
Locations: Port Blandford, Eastport, Happy Adventure, Salvage, Burnside
Overnight stay: Gander
Tuesday, Sept. 15
Leg 4 – Central Newfoundland
The first competition of the day is set for the new North Atlantic Aviation Museum (NAAM) Heritage Run on the ring road that circles Gander International Airport. Following that, teams will drive to the Central Newfoundland town of Glenwood, a short drive from Gander, for multiple runs.
Teams will stop for lunch at Appleton Town Hall. The afternoon will see multiple runs through that town.
From there, teams will transit back to Gander in the afternoon for the final stage of the day – the Come From Away Memorial Stage through the streets of the historic airport town. This is always a team and fan favourite.
Gander, Glenwood and Appleton are all known for their tremendous acts of kindness in taking in 7,000 stranded passengers from flights grounded due to the 911 attacks in New York. The Broadway musical Come From Away, which tells the heart-warming story, is performed throughout the summer months at the Joseph R. Smallwood Arts and Culture Centre in Gander.
Following the last run, teams will transit to Clarenville for the night.
Locations: Glenwood, Appleton, Gander
Overnight stay: Clarenville
Wednesday, Sept. 16
Leg 5 – Random Island, Trinity Bay
Teams will make their way to Random Island in Trinity Bay. Random Island is a small island off the coast of Newfoundland near Clarenville that is home to several outports. We’ll start in Lady Cove and then move on to the communities of Lower Lance Cove and Petley.
After lunch at Hickman’s Harbour Community Centre, teams will run stages in Hickman’s Harbour and Petley before heading back to Clarenville for the night.
Locations: Random Island – Lady Cove, Hickman’s Harbour, Lower Lance Cove and Petley
Overnight stay: Clarenville
Thursday, Sept. 17
Leg 6 – Conception Bay
On the last day of the competition, we’ll be rallying in the Conception Bay area towns of Conception Harbour, Colliers, Marysvale, Turk’s Gut, and Georgetown. These communities will host some of the most competitive stages of the event with twists, turns and elevation changes along narrow roads. Some of the stages will be repeated multiple times for the ultimate challenge.
The day will begin with multiple runs of the John Curran-Paddy Phillips Memorial Stage in Conception Harbour and Colliers followed by the Mary O’Flaherty Memorial Stage in Marysvale and Turk’s Gut and then on to stages in Georgetown. (Sadly, due to circumstances beyond our control, we won’t run through Brigus this year but plan to return to the town in 2027.)
Following the last stage, teams will head to downtown St. John’s for the trophy presentation and celebration on famous George Street, the entertainment district of the city.
Locations: Conception Harbour, Colliers, Marysvale, Turk’s Gut, Georgetown, St. John’s
Overnight stay: St. John’s
Friday, Sept. 18
Free time and Awards Dinner – St. John’s
Congratulations on finishing the Targa Newfoundland! Spend the day at your leisure, shopping and sightseeing in St. John’s and area. The Awards Dinner will start at 6 p.m. at the rock ‘n’ roll themed JAG Boutique Hotel, 115 George Street West, St. John’s.
Top teams in each division will receive their Targa trophies and all those that meet the times for each stage earn a coveted Targa plate. “Come from aways” (visitors to Newfoundland and Labrador) will be welcomed as honourary islanders through our own Targa version of a Screech-In.
Overnight stay: St. John’s
