Ieuan Rowlands and last year's winning co-driver Aled Edwards took victory on the very wet event, their Escort finishing twelve seconds ahead of regular Trawsfynydd winners Ken Pugh/Gwawr Hughes in their Mitsubishi, Gwyn Thomas/Phill Harrison taking third in their 4WD Ford Puma, 24 seconds further adrift.
Conditions were tricky as the 32 crews tackled three laps of four stages, Rowlands/Edwards taking an immediate lead but losing it on the fourth stage due to a minor off, damaging the co-driver's side. After eight stages they were tied with Pugh/Hughes but won the final stages to ensure first overall.
Richard Lewis/Emma Davies (Escort) were leading the two-litre class until breaking a half-shaft on the seventh stage, allowing Aled Charles/Alistair Dodd to win the class, comfortably ahead of Carwyn Evans/Ryan Hands. Kevin Jones and daughter Jacqueline finished third on her first-ever rally – all three crews in Mk2 Escorts.
As expected there was a close battle in the 1600 class between Geoff McQuilling/Rob Hopewell and siblings Chris Phillips/Sarah Hughes, the Honda crew taking the win from the Peugeot. These two were a distance ahead of Matthew Roberts/Iwan Morris (Saxo) who lead the ANWCC Novice Championship.
Gareth Roberts/Ian Lloyd had the dubious honour of being the first retirement (of only two), surprisingly this was not until the fifth stage, when their class-leading 106 broke a driveshaft off the start line. The class went to Dyfed Pritchard/Tecwyn Jones who along with fellow Nova crew Alan Evans/Lee Webb finished inside the top ten overall. Pete Buckley/Rob Jones were third in another Nova.
Daniel Jones/Dale Bowen (Escort) won the road rally class, whilst the Formula 1000 award went to Alex Jackson/Dave Barnes (Micra).
Results:
1, Ieuan Rowlands/Aled Edwards (2.0 Ford Escort Mk2) 20m 55s
2, Ken Pugh/Gwawr Hughes (2.0t Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III) 21m 07s
3, Gwyn Thomas/Phill Harrison (2.0t Ford Puma 4x4) 21m 31s
4, Geoff McQuilling/Rob Hopewell (1.6 Honda Civic VTI) 21m 52s
5, Chris Phillips/Sarah Hughes (1.6 Peugeot 106 GTI) 22m 05s
6, Gareth Richards/Ian Jones (2.5 Darrian T9) 22m 05s
7, Emyr Morgan/Paul Jones (2.0t Subaru Impreza) 22m 06s
8, Aled Charles/Alistair Dodd (2.0 Ford Escort Mk2) 22m 12s
9, Dyfed Pritchard/Tecwyn Jones (1.4 Vauxhall Nova) 22m 21s
10, Alan Evans/Lee Webb (1.4 Vauxhall Nova) 22m 49s
Class winners:
Pritchard/Jones
McQuilling/Hopewell
Charles/Dodd
Rowlands/Edwards
Daniel Jones/Dale Bowen (2.0 Ford Escort Mk2)
Alex Jackson/Dave Barnes (1.0 Nissan Micra)Snippets:
Trawsfynydd winner Ieuan Rowlands has contested many forest stage rallies without ever damaging the car. On the Gareth Hall he clipped a chicane tyre which still had the wheel inside, the object jumping up and denting the door and smashing the window – needless to say, it was on the co-drivers' side!
21-year-old Co-driver Aled Edwards won the Gareth Hall Memorial Rally last year, the time being 20m 52s. This year, with a different driver, he won again – the time just 3 seconds more than last year!
Just two retirements, and both were crews who were leading their respective classes at the time. Both were driveshaft problems, the Peugeot 106 of Gareth Roberts/Ian Lloyd failing as they left the start line of the fifth stage, whilst Richard Lewis/Emma Davies broke their Escort shaft mid-way through the seventh.
The Porsche 924 of Trevor Groves/Joshua Thomas became stranded on tyres within sight of the finish of the eighth stage. After a lot of effort they regained the road and got to the end of the stage, within 40 seconds of being declared OTL! Seeded at 29 they finished – 29th !!!
Report by Dave Thomas, 11 Maes Canol, Llandudno Junction, LL31 9UX. (07788 995345)