SCANDINAVIAN star Oliver Solberg together with Bream-based co-driver Craig Drew totally dominated last weekend’s Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally.

In the Monster Energy, Melvyn Evans Motorsport-run Volkswagen Polo R5, rekindled his love of rallying once more.

The event was the final round of the British Rally Championship, BTRDA and Pirelli Welsh championships plus the Bowler Landrover Challenge and attracted a very high quality entry of 130 cars to its Llandudno headquarters

For the British Rally Championship and Bowler contenders there was 15 miles of twisty tarmac closed roads on the Friday evening in darkness before the BTRDA and Welsh interclub contenders joined on Saturday morning for a further 45 miles of gravel in the Clocaenog and Penmachno complex – some of the toughest gravel roads in the country.

Solberg opened up a slight 1.8 second advantage overnight as he got used to less powerful R5 car.

Saturday dawned extremely wet and misty making visability difficult at times.

With the opening three tests in the Clocaenog forest complex, the duo soon opened up a comfortable lead as crews headed into the notoriously difficult Penmachno Forest.

From here it was back to service in Llandudno with a one minute 17 second lead.

“It’s not easy with grip levels changing virtually every corner but we are going at a safe pace rather than really pushing hard, Oliver is just enjoying driving with no pressure,” said Craig

The second loop saw the duo increase the lead to nearly two minutes despite actually stopping on the last stage to clear a misted screen.

But for Solberg it was a convincing victory after the trials and tribulations of a difficult year with Hyundai – he was back in the groove and enjoying his driving once more.

“It’s always nice to take a win, but more importantly for Oliver to have fun and enjoy himself, its been a tough event these stages are never easy.

“Thanks to Melvyn and his team for an excellent car, and to Oliver for asking me to sit with him, we’ve had a real blast, ” said a delighted Craig .

In the Interclub event it was business as usual for husband and wife duo Nigel and Karen Jenkins has took another BTRDA 1400 category win by 41 seconds in the NJ Autos Vauxhall Nova from Championship rival Peter Gorst.

A misting screen was their only issue in the morning loop and held a one second lead at service.

The afternoon loop was trouble-free until the last stage with Karen’s intercom lead came apart.

For the final test she had to hold the lead together while still trying to call the pacenotes but drama averted, they arrived back in Llandudno 31st overall .

“Really pleased to have won the 1400 again, we had a last-minute drama with the intercom lead and going through the quarry area of Penmachno a boat would have been a better mode of transport.

“Its been a tough event as always here but Nigel has driven so well again its been a great end of year for us,” said Karen

For Bob Morgan with Adrian Williams on the notes in the Winner Garage Skoda Fabia R5 it was 10th overall and more Welsh championship points

Geoff Phelps and Colin Jenkins had a good day finishing 30th overall and fourth in class in the Hills Property Consultants, Hartpury Farms Escort RS1800.

Luke Watts with Matt Rogers alongside in the Ian Watts & Son MG ZR started well holding fourth in the 1400C class after stage five only for a shift to break less than a mile before the end of the Penmachno stage.

Despite their best efforts to limp back to service, they had to retire.