WELSH rally stars Tom Cave and Osian Parry both claimed places on the podium alongside Fredrik Ahlin at the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally, the curtain-raising round of the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship last weekend.

The Swedish/Norwegian crew of Ahlin and co-driver Torstein Eriksen came out on top after nine hard-fought stages, with Cave, from Aberdyfi, taking second, and Osian Pryce, of Machynlleth, in third.

The 2017 Prestone MSA British Rally Championship has been one of the most eagerly-anticipated seasons in recent memory, with a star-studded entry list descending on the Scottish border town of Jedburgh for the first round. Nine speed tests and more than 55 slippery miles awaited for the 33 registered crews, all of whom were ready to fight for supremacy on the gravel stages of southern Scotland.

At Friday’s Ceremonial Start in the heart of Jedburgh the bravest on stage one were local stars David Bogie and Kevin Rae in their Skoda Fabia R5, to take the spoils.

Cave and co-driver James Morgan were the model of consistency in their Ford Fiesta R5, notching up two second-fastest times on Friday evening to grab a slender 2.8-second lead at the overnight halt.

Wet and slippery conditions in the forests around Jedburgh played host to Saturday’s action, with seven tricky stages.

The lead of the rally changed hands no fewer than five times throughout the event and out to grab it for good was Ahlin, who woke up in determined mood.

The Swedish star was 5.3 seconds clear on the first stage, to snatch the advantage, before Cave wrestled it back on stage four.

Ahlin, however, was in emphatic form as he subsequently tallied two further stage wins to reclaim the overall lead, and took the top step by a healthy 38.6 seconds.

Six different drivers clinched a fastest stage time with Marty McCormack/David Moynihan in a Fabia R5 storming to the top of the timesheets on stage five before retiring a stage later after hitting a rock.

That same rock claimed many victims, including Scottish podium-hunter Bogie, who similarly had to end his event early.

Cave was the only man left who could take the fight to Ahlin. The Welshman struggled running first on the road after the departed Bogie, as he cleared the mud and stones for competitors behind.

Giving it all he could, Cave couldn’t catch Ahlin and maturely settled for second place while also playing his ‘Joker’ to earn an additional four points – positioning him perfectly for a 2017 title tilt.

With Bogie retiring, up stepped Triple BRC Champion Keith Cronin and returnee Pryce, who had Dale Furniss calling the notes, in the scrap for a podium spot.

Pryce was straight onto the pace, showing his rivals a clean pair of boots on stage eight and enjoying an event-long duel to gain the upper hand over the Irishman.

Overall classification: 1. Fredrik Ahlin (SWE)/Torstein Eriksen (NOR) Skoda Fabia R5 – 53:01.6; 2. Tom Cave (GBR)/ James Morgan (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +0:38.6; 3. Osian Pryce (GBR) / Dale Furniss (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +1:07.4; 4. Keith Cronin (IRL) / Mikie Galvin (IRL) Ford Fiesta R5 +2:02.2; 5. Rhys Yates (GBR) / Carl Williamson (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +3:08.8; 6. Matt Edwards (GBR) / Darren Garrod (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +3:14.5; 7. Jamie Anderson (GBR)/ Ross Whittock (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +3:21.3; 8. Jonathan Greer (GBR)/ Kirsty Riddick (GBR) Citroen DS3 R5 +3:27.2; 9. Euan Thorburn (GBR)/ Paul Beaton (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +3:27.2; 10, Oscar Solberg (NOR) / Patrik Barth (SWE) Ford Fiesta R2T +7:36.2.