By Paul Evans
Matt Edwards got the defence of his British Rally Championship title off to a flying start when he won his local Llandudno-based Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally.
Along with new co-driver Patrick Walsh, the M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5 driver won the opening round of the season by 26.5 seconds, after setting fastest time on seven out of the 10 North Wales forest stages.
“This has to be the dream come true, the title was amazing last year, but this has to be the icing on the cake,” said Edwards.
“I have been watching this event since I can remember, and to win it as a BRC round with the top ten out today, I didn’t think it was possible. I put some faith in the car, in the team and the package that we had – I just drove and after the first few stages I thought, ‘this is on, we can do this’.
“We have been pushed hard for it all day, the event may have only been 58 miles but it felt like 158 miles. It’s amazing to do it in front of a home crowd was dream come true, especially on the stages and the high street I grew up on is something else.”
Matt Edwards celebrates his victory
Scotland’s David Bogie finished second while Northern Ireland’s Marty McCormack was third, both driving Skoda Fabia R5s.
There was last minute heartbreak for Aberdyfi’s Tom Cave, who had driven brilliantly all day and was in a close battle for a podium place. Co-driven by Dale Bowen, Cave took second place off Bogie on the penultimate stage, but his Hyundai i20 R5 picked up two punctures on the final test. With no more spares wheels in the car, he was unable to drive to the finish in Llandudno and was forced to retire.
It was better news for Lampeter’s Meirion Evans, who finished his first ever gravel rally in a four-wheel drive car in a magnificent seventh place, after an excellent run in his Melvyn Evans Motorsport-prepared Hyundai i20 R5.
Fellow Rally Team UK supported driver James Williams wasn’t so lucky. The 20-year old Junior British Rally Championship frontrunner from Newcastle Emlyn was slowed when a turbo pipe split on the opening stage, and then his Ford Fiesta R2 was forced out when a rear hub assembly broke.
Russ Thompson took maximum driver points in the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship in his Mitsubishi Evo.