Matador Welsh Rally Master Middleton

Competitors of the Matador Tyres Welsh International Rally - National Gravel event were greeted with damp conditions as they left the lakeside start venue in Llandrindod Wells on Saturday 30th May.

The first timed test of the day was over nine miles of Crychan forest just north east of Llandovery. Matador Tyres supported Hyundai Accent World Rally Car driver, Craig Middleton and co-driver Robin Hernaman showed a clean pair of heals as they posted quickest time over the loose surface test, six seconds up on their nearest rivals. Despite no anti-lag on the World machine Middleton junior drove into first service after stage two at Walters with a seventeen second lead.

As the sun started to warm up the South Wales forests, the Matador duo extended their lead further after stage three and four, Rhondda & Walters 2 respectively, a margin now of 52 seconds. Over the final stage through Crychan 2 a determined and mature drive gave Craig and Robin a well deserved victory.

"We suffered with no anti-lag all day so we have kept pushing throughout and it seemed to pay off. " enthused the Llandrindod Wells driver.

Following Middleton into second spot was David Mann, the Suffolk driver only completing one event in the last nine months, happy to notch up finish number two in his Subaru Impreza World Rally Car with Caerphilly co-driver Alun Cook alongside.

"It has been good to have Craig here so we can compare our times to him, we are now growing in confidence with the car again."

Third place man Graham Middleton had consistently been on the pace in his Hyundai Coupe. The two wheel drive car struggled a little in the slippy conditions over the early stages, but full credit to driver and co-driver John Morgan on a justified result.

"Craig's driven extremely well today, we would have liked a Matador one two on the result sheet and if the stages were dry from the start, the result may have been different."

Fourth went to Gary Cooper, who also claimed Group N and the lead in the Subaru Challenge. Partnered by Jon Riley the pair nearly went home after stage three as a slide wide on one bend almost ended in disaster in the Subaru Impreza.

"We were lucky to escape and got away with it. We had a brilliant day and it's good to finish after several non finishes."

Damian Cole took fifth with Ian Allsop in their Subaru Impreza World Rally Car. The Hereford driver pleased with the result.

"I'm happy to be in an award winning position behind three National rally winners and inside the top five."

Sixth was Guy Anderson and Dave Taylor. The driver complaining of soft suspension in his ex-works Mitsubishi Galant VR4.

Nick and Gary Kenny took seventh, despite a fourth stage puncture which cost the pair around forty seconds and possibly a place or two overall in the ex-Julian Reynolds Subaru Impreza.

Aled Williams and Andrew Phillips finished eighth and second Group N in their Mitsubishi Lancer, finding the slippery morning stages testing and were content with their finish.

Following their accident a week earlier on the Somerset Stages, Glyn Jarman and Damian Rigden were content with ninth in their Subaru.

"We lost confidence through stage one, by the time we came through stage five we had built the confidence back, but the clutch was starting to slip."

Rounding off the top ten was Geraint Mills and Jon Evans in their Opel Manta. The pair damaging the rear suspension in the process.

After a close battle in the Peugeot 206 1400 Challenge, Martin Laverty and Andrew Roughead emerged victors over Mark Gamble and Peter Swan.

TOP TEN RESULT

1 Craig Middleton    Robin Hernaman    Hyundai Accent WRC        43:12.7

2 David Mann        Alun Cook           Subaru WRC        44:21.7

3 Graham Middleton    John Morgan    Hyundai Coupe    45:48.8

4 Gary Cooper    Jon Riley    Subaru Impreza    46:27.0

5 Damian Cole    Ian Allsop    Subaru WRC    46:49.9

6 Guy Anderson     Dave Taylor    Mitsubishi Galant VR4    46:59.4

7 Nick Kenny     Gary Kenny    Subaru Impreza       47:19.2

8 Aled Williams    Andrew Phillips    Mitsubishi Lancer    48:39.1

9 Glyn Jarman     Damian Rigden    Subaru Impreza    48:57.6

10 Geraint Mills    Jon Evans    Opel Manta        49:22.2