CAMBRIAN RALLY Based in Llandudno25TH OCTOBER 2025
- adamlfern
- Nov 5
- 10 min read
Post Event Report
CAMBRIAN RALLY
Based in Llandudno
25TH OCTOBER 2025
The 2025 Cambrian Rally kicked off in style with a lively pre-event gathering at the Wild Horse Brewing Company on Friday night. It was fantastic to see so many competitors and supporters come together, setting the tone for a thrilling weekend of rallying.
As part of the evening, the team hosted a prize draw on behalf of our generous supporters, On The Pace and Questmead:
Free Set of Notes (On The Pace) – Awarded to the crews of Jack Taylor and David Ellis
Free Set of Brake Pads (Questmead) – Awarded to Paul Green and James Sharples
Free Tub of Fuchs Oil (Questmead) – Awarded to John Day and Ian Bass, just in time to lubricate their joints – these two are getting on a bit! 😊
Car 229 – Charlie Mathewson & Ian “Shandy” Bass (R53)
Saturday brought the challenge of the Welsh forests, with rain and slippery conditions adding to the technical difficulty. The rally formed Round 4 of the Mini Rally Challenge Gravel Championship.
· SS1 Elsi: A strong start was cut short due to a car off – thankfully, the crew was okay. The stage was cancelled.
· SS2 Clocaenog: Incredible atmosphere and roads – topped off with a fastest stage time!
· SS3 Brenig: Slippery but clean – another fastest time.
· SS4 Alwen: A final push secured yet another fastest time and First Place in the Mini Rally Challenge event!
Massive thanks to Mum and Dad for their unwavering support, to Ian Bass for his commitment, and to CS Motorsport Developments for their guidance. One more round to go – let’s make it count!
Car 230 – Tom & Sue Hynd (R53)
Tom shared his thoughts on the day:
“Stage 1 felt great until the unfortunate accident involving Tim & Steve – very relieved they were okay. Stage 2 was enjoyable, though I lost a bit of focus and a few seconds per mile to Charlie, who was flying.
Stages 3 & 4 were a real test – we had a busted front nearside strut but kept it quiet to avoid giving our competitors an edge. We were lucky to hold onto 2nd place in the R53s, just 2.3 seconds ahead.
Only 10 seconds separated 2nd to 6th in the R53s – a testament to how close and competitive the field is.
Huge thanks to Sparks Development Motorsport and everyone who made the rally happen!”
Car 233 – Oliver Waggett & Chris Pattison (R53)
Saturday 25th October saw Oliver and his regular co-driver Chris head to Llandudno, Wales for the penultimate round of the Mini Rally Challenge, once again competing in their Mini Cooper S R53 challenge car.
After a fantastic Friday night social with fellow competitors, Saturday brought four of North Wales’ finest forest stages.
· SS1 – Elsi: Nerves were high, especially with memories of last year’s off in this stage. A clean start and good rhythm were interrupted by a mid-stage spin, but the crew recovered quickly. Unfortunately, a car blocking the road ahead led to the stage being cancelled.
· SS2 – Clocaenog: A fresh chance to push after the Elsi cancellation. The team drove well, though Oliver admitted to being a bit cautious in places. Still, they secured 4th fastest time with two stages to go.
· SS3 – Brenig: A committed run was hampered by getting held up near the end, costing around 6–7 seconds. Another 4th place stage time meant a big push was needed on the final stage.
· SS4 – Alwen: The final effort earned a 3rd place stage time, but it wasn’t quite enough to break into the podium overall. The team finished 4th, just 5 seconds off 2nd place – a tight and competitive result that shows how close it really was.
Oliver extends his thanks to his sponsors for their continued support:
SG Petch
PD Extinguishers
Voxcloud
J W Bainbridge Contractors Ltd
Trevor Atkinson & Co Ltd
Lightning Signs
Speedline Tyres
Car 234 – Jacob Neal & Grace Pedley (R53)
Now that the dust has settled on last weekend, it feels like the perfect time to share my post-rally thoughts.
This round marked the conclusion of my year in the Mini Rally Challenge with Jacob Neal—and what an incredible event to finish on!
Friday night prep:
Jacob and I took time to review the first two stages for Saturday morning, checking every corner and refining the notes. The changes we made really paid off—what a difference! A huge thank you to Tom Hynd for his advice on note prep; it’s been a game-changer for our development, and we saw the impact immediately after Stage 1.
Stage drama:
We kicked off Stage 1 into Elsi, and everything was flowing perfectly—until one of the Minis ahead clipped a post. Thankfully, the crew was fine, but as the first on scene, I jumped out to check on them and report back to Rally HQ. Unfortunately, this meant the stage was cancelled for the remaining crews. 😬
Flat-out fun:
From there, we carried on to the next stage and hit it flat out over the jump—laughing all the way! We wrapped up our final event of the year as 5th R53 Mini, and I couldn’t be prouder of the progress Jacob and I have made. It was incredibly close—just 8 seconds separated us from 2nd place! 😂
Thank yous:
A massive thank you to the organisers for a fantastic event, the marshals for volunteering, and everyone in the Minis for being so welcoming. It’s been an amazing year, and I’m already looking forward to what’s next!
Car 231 – Kyle Wilson & Mark Broadbent (R53)
Team Manager Darren summed it up perfectly:
“We got wet, it was cold, and we were in a forest… and even wetter loading up the car at the end!”
Kyle added with enthusiasm:
“We finished – woohoo!”
Sometimes, that’s all that needs to be said!
Car 238 – Ben & Matthew Hearsay (R50)
Ben and Matthew tackled their first Cambrian Rally with a mix of caution and excitement:
· SS1 – Elsi: A steady start with a few small mistakes, but the stage was stopped due to an incident. Thankfully, everyone was okay.
· SS2 – Clocaenog: Found a good rhythm despite slippery conditions off-line. A solid and enjoyable run.
· SS3 & SS4: Continued the momentum with clean, confident drives.
Their efforts paid off with Ben’s first gravel win – a fantastic achievement! They're now looking forward to the final round of the championship.
Car 237 – Rob Fisher & Charlotte Wainright (R53)
Rob and Charlotte embraced the Cambrian Rally with enthusiasm and smiles all round:
The day began with a breezy meet-up on the pier before the ceremonial start on Llandudno promenade.
SS1 – Elsi: Despite the rain, they got into a great flow and finished with grins on their faces.
SS2 – Clocaenog: Sunshine and smooth driving made for another enjoyable stage.
SS3 & SS4 – Brenig and Alwen: Both stages were tackled without issue, and Rob’s faultless driving brought them home 9th overall out of 18 Mini Challenge starters.
Rob shared:
“Absolutely loved this rally! Great teamwork – especially SS1 Elsi where the notes were coming thick & fast!
I feel like I’m getting to grips with the gravel stages now, and hopefully the pace will improve with more experience!”
Car 71 – Sven Grube & Alfie Element (R50)
🏆 PROVISIONAL MINI RALLY CHALLENGE GRAVEL CHAMPIONS!
Cambrian Rally once again delivered surprises for Sven and Alfie:
· SS1 – Elsi: Cancelled due to an incident. Glad to hear Timothy Bradshaw & Steve Harris were okay.
· SS2 – Clocaenog: Extremely rough conditions for those running later in the field. The exhaust began cracking at the flexi – manageable but far from ideal.
· SS3 – Brenig: The exhaust completely detached, held only by the lambda sensor, and the car hit a concrete anti-cut device, bending the steering and causing a puncture. A frantic wheel change followed.
· SS4 – Alwen: Smoke began pouring into the cabin from the engine bay. With only a few miles to go, Sven pushed through, extinguisher at the ready. They made it to the finish with minimal time loss despite the fear of fire.
They finished 2nd in R50, securing enough points to become provisional champions. A wild ride and a well-earned title!
Car 74 – Jack Birch & Lucie Gutteridge (R53)
Jack and Lucie faced a tough rally, running the full event behind larger 4WD cars and Bowler Defenders:
SS1 – Elsi: Cancelled.
SS2 – Clocaenog: Started late, with rough conditions already setting in. The stages were deeply rutted, and the Mini was often surfing on the sump guard.
After service, the weather worsened with heavy rain and hail, and darkness added to the challenge. They lost time due to getting beached on hairpins and slowing for cars that had gone off.
Despite the conditions, Jack kept the car safe and competitive. The youngest crew in the rally (Driver 18, Co-driver 19) finished 56th Overall and 2nd in Class 3 – a fantastic achievement!
Car 239 – Guy Butler & Paul Stringer (R53)
The gentleman crew of Butler and Stringer enjoyed a smooth and safe tour through the Welsh forests:
“Not bothering other people’s times or their own safety,” they completed the rally with smiles and an intact car.
The Cooper S ran faultlessly through stunning stages – a relaxed and enjoyable outing.
Car 240 – Paul Green & Andrew Millington (R50)
Paul and Andrew tackled the Cambrian with determination:
SS1 – Elsi: Extremely slippery and twisty, with loose regraded sections making traction difficult. They kept it clean and moved on.
SS2 – Clocaenog: The longest stage of the day. They passed three Minis but a mistake at a hairpin cost them time.
SS3 & SS4: Enjoyable stages with a solid pace, finishing 4th in R50.
Paul has now consolidated 3rd place in the overall championship, and it looks like he can't be caught. Huge thanks to Sammy Green, Dana Phamm, and Ady at CS Motorsport for their support and repairs.
“See you all on the RAC!!”
Car 243 – Chris Allen & Cahil McElhinney (R50)
Chris and Cahil had a weekend full of challenges and laughs:
Arrived Friday to find Sparks had already passed noise checks. Scrutineering done by 3pm – happy campers!
SS1 – Elsi: Cold, wet, and slippery. Managed to pass a sideways car and finish the stage.
SS2 – Clocaenog: Delayed start, intercom failed but fixed with a battery swap. Good run with Chris finding his rhythm.
SS3 – Brenig: A massive bang at a square right caused the car to die, but it restarted on the second try.
SS4 – Alwen: Nearly hit a bale, lost the intercom again, and switched to hand signals – which worked surprisingly well!
“Well done Chris – first time with hand signals!” – Cal
Car 106 – Kevin & Tarna Ablitt (R50)
Kevin and Tarna’s goal this season was to complete every MRC round and maximize mileage – and they stayed true to it:
Seeded near the back for the Interclub event, they faced the worst road conditions.
SS1 – Elsi: Cancelled, but drove through non-competitively, giving Tarna a chance to warm up on notes.
SS2 – Clocaenog: Huge ruts and slippery tarmac made survival the priority. A Bowler Defender started two minutes behind and nearly caught them.
SS3 – Brenig: Shorter but still rough. The Defender appeared at the end.
SS4 – Alwen: Light rain and better grip than expected. Car checked over at service – no issues.
SS5 – Clocaenog 2: Slowed for a stricken Impreza on a hairpin but made it through.
SS6 – Brenig 2: Hailstorm hit while cleaning lights. Light bar came loose, causing a distracting light show.
SS7 – Alwen 2: Steady run to avoid ruts. Finished the rally and celebrated with a trip through the event car wash.
“Finally over the finish ramp – hooray!”
Car 245 – Catherine Bell & Andrew “Karaoke Side” (R50)
Catherine and Andrew faced a tough rally with wet, slippery, and technical stages. Catherine’s main goal was to achieve an EWRC official finish, which she proudly did!
Despite being the slowest in the field and having to let faster cars pass, Catherine stayed focused and safe. She noted:
“It knocked my confidence a bit, but I moved over as quickly as I could when safe. I was happy with the notes – Andrew and I are getting more in sync, even though it’s only our second event together.”
A stressful weekend, but a successful one. Well done on pushing through and finishing strong!
Car 235 – Tim Bradshaw & Steve Harris (R53)
A weekend of highs and lows for Tim and Steve:
Started strong with the ceremonial launch in Llandudno, cheered on by Granny Harris (aged 89!).
SS1 – Elsi: Disaster struck ¾ through the stage. A rear suspension bolt failed, causing the damper to detach and the car to veer off, hitting a steel bollard head-on.
Thankfully, both were uninjured, and the safety gear worked perfectly.
With help from spectators and the Harris family rescue crew, the car was recovered.
The car is now in the workshop at WB Mechanical Services Ltd, being repaired for the Roger Albert Clark Rally.
“This team is not for being beaten! #BecauseICan”
Car 241 – Andrew Downward & James Coutts (R50)
After sourcing a new engine last year and competing on minimal sleep, Andrew and James were ready for a better Cambrian:
Revised notes helped them carry more speed through SS1 – Elsi.
Unfortunately, just a few miles in, the drive shaft sheared off in the gearbox, leaving them stranded.
“Not the way we wanted the rally to start or end… BUT THAT’S JUST RALLYING!”
Car 244 – Jack & Richard Warren (R53)
Jack and Richard took on their first gravel event ever, with Richard returning to notes after 20+ years:
Hired their R53 from Rally Car Hire and passed scrutineering smoothly.
SS1 – Elsi: A twisty baptism of fire. Got lost a few times but recovered well. Finished 4th fastest before the stage was cancelled.
SS2 – Clocaenog: Jack was flying, and Richard nailed the notes. Unfortunately, a slippery downhill section led to a slow roll into a ditch.
They were fine, but the car was damaged further by a passing Subaru and joined by an Escort with its own issues.
Eventually recovered and returned to Llandudno.
“Despite the end result, excellent day and proved we can do it – and will do again!”
Final Thoughts
A huge thank you to all the marshals, organisers, and support teams who braved the weather to make the Cambrian Rally 2025 a success. The spirit of rallying was alive and well in Wales – with fierce competition, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments.
One round to go – let’s finish strong!
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