FOREST husband and wife duo Nigel and Karen Jenkins secured the BTRDA Bronze Star 1400 championship for the second successive year with another class win in the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally, reports PAUL WILLETTS.

Karen had secured the co-drivers title on the previous round in Yorkshire, but Nigel still had work to do coming into the Cambrian.

And the Coleford couple certainly did it in style by winning the category by just four seconds in their NJ Autos/Proflex-backed Vauxhall Nova from championship rival Ashley Francis- Adams' Nissan Micra.

The event was the final round of both the Probrite British Rally Championship and BTRDA series, and the penultimate round of the Pirelli Welsh National Championship.

One hundred and twenty crews lined up in the beautiful seaside town of Llandudno for the 58 miles of competition, the bulk of which was in the Clocaenog forestry complex.

Chris Ingram and Alex Kihurani secured the British Rally Championship with victory in the Cambrian Rally
Chris Ingram and Alex Kihurani secured the British Rally Championship with victory in the Cambrian Rally. Photo: Howard Smith (Howard Smith)

This included Swedish former World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist driving an historic Mini Cooper S, who celebrated 40 years since his world title success by winning class H1 alongside former Ross-on-Wye resident Paul Morris on the notes

Classics such as Brenig and Alwen, plus two runs of a 16-mile Clocaenog stage returning after many years out due to wind farm installations were ahead, with the tricky Elsi test opening proceedings.

It was a difficult first half of the year for Nigel, with things looking bleak at the half-way stage.

But three category wins out of the last four events turned it around and he was naturally delighted when he pulled into the finish on Llandudno promenade.

"I'm really pleased to have won this again. It's been a tough year as after round four we were miles away from being here tonight.

"We've had a great second half of the year but Ashley and Dylan have pushed us hard all year," he said.

"I came here knowing a finish would secure me the drivers' title, but I can't just drive around to finish, so I treated it like a normal event and just eased up slightly on the dodgy stuff and took no risks.

"A huge thanks to Karen who's done a great job all year, and also the service crew and not forgetting our sponsors."

Joining them on the podium and making it a double family celebration was Karen's son Luke Watts, who had Mark Twiname alongside in the Ian Watts & Son MG ZR as they took third in the 1400 class and 51st overall after a trouble free run.

Taking fourth 1400 and 55th overall was Christchurch garage owner James Dunkley with North Walian Jack Morris on the notes in the JD Auto Services Vauxhall Corsa, getting some miles under his belt ahead of this month's Wyedean Stages in the Forest.

James Dunkley and Jack Morris were fourth 1400 home 
James Dunkley and Jack Morris were fourth 1400 home. Photo: Howard Smith (Howard Smith)

In the Mini Cooper Rally Challenge, where contenders only did the first loop of stages, Jack Birch with Coleford's Mike Jode alongside continued an excellent year with a fine third place in the Tarleton Tyres Mini Cooper.

But unfortunately for Newent's Geoff Phelps and Colin Jenkins in the Hartpury Farms Escort RS1800 it was retirement after hitting a huge rock on stage two.

The overall event winners and the new Probrite British Rally Champions were Chris Ingram and Alex Kihurani in the Castrol-backed Toyota Yaris Rally 2, as yet again the Cambrian proved a fitting finale.