One-second win for Rowlands

Gareth Hall Memorial Rally Organiser: Bala Motor Club When: August 12 Where: Trawsfynydd Ranges Stages: 12 Starters: 31

On a damp day at Trawsfynydd Ranges, the lead changed six times over the days 12 stages before Ieaun and Owain Rowlands took the victory in their Ford Escort Mk2 by a margin of one second.

Dave Paveley and Rich Jones, in a Mitsubishi Lancer E3, led heading into stage 10 before Rowlands took a one-second lead into the final stage. A mistake on a hairpin then cost Paveley time, giving the Rowlands the win following a dramatic comeback after dropping 10 seconds on the opening stage with a misfire.

After setting an early pace, Geoff Jones and Air Ambulance auction winner Chris Shaw came home in third place after a wrong tyre choice put them adrift of the top two. Gethin Jones took a commanding class victory in his 1400cc Vauxhall Nova, collecting a credible fourth spot on the overall leaderboard. Geoff Mcquilling guided his Honda Civic to 1600cc honours and eighth overall, in a close battle with Gary Ollerenshaw who was acclimatising himself to the venue, in another Civic. Huw Jones took the Road Rally Class in a hired Mk2 Escort, and rounded out the top 10 finishers.

Results

1 Ieaun Rowlands/ Owain Rowlands (Ford Escort Mk2) 20m24s; 2 Dave Paveley/ Rich Jones (Mitsubushi Lancer E3) +1s; 3 Geoff Jones/ Chris Shaw (Escort Mk2); 4 Gethin Jones/tomos Williams (Vauxhall Nova); 5 Myf Owen/ Baz Green (Lancer E9); 6 Hefin Lloyd Davies/ Gerallt Williams (Vauxhall Corsa); 7 John Rowlands/ Catrin Price (Escort Mk2); 8 Geoff Mcquilling/ Stephen Landen (Honda Civic); 9 Gary Ollerenshaw/ Dion Morley (Civic); 10 Huw Jones/aled Davies (Escort Mk2).

Class winners: Jones / Williams; Mcquilling/ Landen; G Jones/ S Shaw; Paveley/jones; H Jones / A Davies.