Wales hosted 2024ʼs Per Ardua Ad Infinitum on 10-11 February, with much of the Llandrindod Wells-based HERO-ERA rally set within the famous Epynt ranges.
Even at lunch on day one, after the first few tests and regularities, Volvo PV544 pairing Dan Willan (Paddock profile, January 2023) and Niall Frost held the lead, with Thomas and Roger Bricknell (Volkswagen Golf GTI) and John King and Oli Waldock (Toyota MR2) lying in second and third respectively. Jon Dunning and Henry Carr (Ford Escort RS 2000) were fastest through the final test of leg one, yet Willan/Frost still extended their lead to 31 secs, by then from King/Waldock after the Bricknells lost time on the final regularity. Another Golf GTI, this time that of Paul Bloxidge and Ian Canavan, was up to third.
Leg two, run in the darkness of Saturday evening, was the undoing of King and Waldock, who overshot a corner and ended up in a ditch; the pair eventually recovered to finish in 22nd. The more measured approach of Willan/Frost meant they were the top crew on the leg by 21 secs, with Mick Valentine and John Thornley (Ford Escort Mk2) second in this section, and Paul Dyas and Martyn Taylor (Volvo PV544) third. All of which meant that, come the close of Saturday, leaders Willan and Frost had a two-and-a-half-minute advantage over Valentine/Thorley, with Dunning/Carr now third.
A split fuel tank was a sad end to the rally for Dyas/Taylor, but as the other crews got into Sundayʼs action it was a strong start for Kurt Vanderspinnen and Iain Tullie (Lotus Cortina), who had leapt up from fifth to third by the mid-morning break. As Willan/ Frost kept their heads to win by 2 mins 38 secs, the battle behind went to the finish. Vanderspinnen/ Tullie were second by noon, with Bloxidge/Canavan lying third, and Dunning/Carr and Valentine/ Thornley close behind. In the end, however, Vanderspinnen/ Tullie retained second place, with Dunning/Carr 43 secs back in third, holding off fourth-placed Bloxidge/Canavan by 18 secs.
Frost claimed the award for the best performance by a navigator, while there was some consolation for Valentine as he collected the driverʼs Test Pilot prize.
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