The first five special stages in Rally Yalta, round 10 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, offered all the spectator am impressive battle. The of the prettenders for the victory Yuriy Protasov (Ford Fiesta S2000 RRC) and Mikko Pajunen (Ford Fiest S2000) swapped the lead after every stage. Finally after the morning loop of stages first in the classification is Protasov followed by Pajunen at 14.2 seconds.

Third place at the moment is for the turkish driver Yagiz Avci (Ford Fiesta S2000), who is 1:44.4 minutes behind the rally leader.

There is an interesting battle in the production cup where after five stages the leader is Yuriy Kochmar (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8). A mere 3 tenths of a second behind him is the Italian Marko Tempestini (Subaru Impreza R4) and third is another Ukrainian driver Valeriy Gorban (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9).

In the 2WD cup leader is Robert Consani (Renault Megane RS). 31.5 seconds behind him is the Romanian driver Vlad Cosma (Citroen C2 R2), and third 1:01.2 minutes behind Consani is Oleksiy Panov (Honda Civic).

The Bulgarian driver and embassador of Mabanol Sliven Rally in Ukraine Ekaterina Stratieva (Citroen C2 R2) set a strong pace in the difficult stages around Yalta and is 5-th in the 2WD cup and 14-th overall.