October 23, 2024
The Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally will partner with Carbon Positive Motorsport for the fourth year in succession for this weekend's Probite British Rally Championship event.
Now in it's 69th year, the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally is recognised as one of the best rallies in the UK and has been enjoyed by a number of top WRC drivers. Organisers North Wales Car Club say the route is set to be one of the toughest, yet most compact in recent years with a longer route, reduced road mileage, and exceptional gravel stages. The rally will continue to mitigate it's carbon footprint by providing carbon offsetting for all competitor and organiser vehicles.
As in previous years there will also be a high profile start and finish on the promenade in the resort town of Llandudno. Conwy County Borough Council continues to give much valued support to the event, as does Llandudno Town Council, with both authorities recognising the important contribution it makes to the local economy.
Once again, the event is pleased to be a round of the Probite British Rally Championship, and the race for the coveted BRC title is set to go down to the wire.
Wins at the North West, Grampian and Ceredigion’s opening leg, mean that 2019 FIA European Champion Chris Ingram has made it stick this season and is firmly in the race for the title. Now it’s a fight to the stop boards of the final Cambrian stage for him, co-driver Alex Kihurani and their Michelin-shod Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
British and World Junior champion William Creighton has been consistent all season with second places in the opening three rounds of the season. Punctures hampered his Grampian and Ceredigion effort but thanks to his and co-driver Liam Regan’s steadfast run of form in their Pirelli-backed Ford Fiesta Rally2, they are Ingram’s closest challenger.
The two contenders are in the primary battle for the crown and if Ingram finishes second or third, Creighton must win to take the title, made slightly easier by the fact he will play his bonus points-inducing Joker in Wales.
Osian Pryce will start the rally fourth in the standings and the 2021 event winner still has his bonus points scoring BRC Joker to play and is focused on nothing less than another BRC event win.
Having already tasted victory on Welsh gravel this year – winning the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages in spectacular style – the 2022 British and TER – Tour European champion will arrive in Llandudno tied on points with four-time BRC champion Keith Cronin and co-driver Mikie Galvin.
With Cronin and second-placed Chris Ingram having already played their Jokers, and series leader William Creighton having to drop a score (as five scores from seven count), Pryce can count every point he scores on the final round.
Winning the Cambrian Rally is essential for Osian’s title aspirations, while he and co-driver Rhodri Evans must hope that their main rivals finish off the podium – which, given the strength of the entry and a demanding 58.31 stage mile route through the forests of Elsi, Clocaenog, Brenig and Alwen, is not out of the question.
The rally is also part of the Protyre BTRDA Rally Series, the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Championship, the TCS Paint Rally Challenge, the Mini Challenge, and the Association of North Western Car Clubs Championship. For the first time, it’s also a round of the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup which is played out over events in Ireland and the UK.
Carbon Positive Motorsport ambassadors, Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear will face fierce competition at this crucial round of the BTRDA Rally Series and the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship. Having switched from their Ford Fiesta R5 to a Pirelli-shod Skoda Fabia Rally2 earlier in the year, Hirst and Dear have spent the latter half of the 2024 season getting to grips with their new car. Their primary focus is securing vital points in the Welsh Championship, where strong results in the final two rounds are crucial to claiming the title. In addition, they are locked in a battle for second place in the BTRDA series, competing closely with rivals Russ Thompson and Stephen Link.
Matthew is fully aware of the challenges the Cambrian presents: "The Cambrian is an event that demands respect from the very start," he explains. "This year's opening stage, Elsi, is incredibly technical. It's corner after corner, with barely any straights to catch your breath. The slatey surface tends to break up, increasing the risk of punctures, and the off-camber corners add to the difficulty."
He also highlights the rally’s longest stage, Clocaenog, which will be run twice: "Clocaenog is where the real mileage is. At 16 miles, it makes up more than half of the event's total distance. It’s not quite as technical as Elsi, but it's still very challenging. The stage flows well and gets faster towards the end. The organisers have linked sections using a public tarmac road, which can get muddy, especially after the top drivers take big cuts. That can really catch you out on the second pass."
Hirst is particularly excited about the final stages, Alwen and Brenig: "These are iconic tests, located just across the road from each other. Alwen demands commitment and bravery, with crests leading into long, fast corners where you can really push the car. Brenig is being run in the same direction and configuration as the 2019 Wales Rally GB Power Stage, the last time the WRC was in the UK. Watching onboard footage from that event has been really helpful to see how the top drivers tackled it. We might not be at their pace, but it’s certainly eye-opening!"
Carbon Positive Motorsport co-founder, Steve Smith, will be present at the Cambrian to catch all the action: "I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the competitors at this very prestigious event and wish everyone a safe and enjoyable rally.
"Carbon Positive Motorsport are proud to support the organising team's environmental roadmap, using our new 200% carbon positive offsetting level. This is a combination of world class International carbon offsetting projects together with UK projects based in Wales."
This year’s rally will use a new Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and Soil Association verified sequoia and native broadleaf based carbon project, located in Abergavenny. Sequoias are fast growing, particularly suited to our climate and offer 10 times more carbon capture per hectare than any other tree variety. The project in Abergavenny is repurposing a former commercial monoculture tree plantation, and offers improved biodiversity along with carbon offsetting, actively supporting six of the United Nation's sustainability goals.
Smith added, "It's fantastic to be able to support Welsh rallying with projects based in Wales. Having local projects will help long-term supporters of events here to demonstrate the positive impact we can have on the environment, as well as appreciating the financial benefits these large events bring."
For all the latest news and information from the event visit www.cambrianrally.co.uk
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