Sport

Toyota GR Yaris gets its first British Rally Championship win

Published

5 months ago

August 12, 2024

THE CASTROL MEM Rally Team has given the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 its first Probite British Rally Championship victory after Chris Ingram/Alex Kihurani won the Voyonic Grampian Forest Rally (9/10 August), while team-mates Meirion Evans/Jonathan Jackson fought back from an early puncture to finish sixth.

Neither driver had contested the event before, and it was Chris that made the better start – going into the overnight halt just four seconds off the lead in second position. The Suisscourtage/Michelin-backed driver took the lead with fastest time on SS5 and was able to manage the advantage all the way to the finish – completing the ninth and final stage nine seconds clear of the rest of the field. It was Chris’ second BRC win of the season and the first in the Castrol Toyota.

Meirion’s plans of getting into an early rhythm were dashed when he hit a big rock that was lying in the middle of the road on SS2, which caused a puncture. That meant that he ended day one in 11th position and had to reboot and start the process of gaining confidence on the still unfamiliar gravel surface on day two. Against tremendously fast-paced opposition, a rally-best fourth fastest time on the final stage secured a sixth-place finish – just 3.3 seconds behind fifth.

Chris Ingram said: “It’s awesome to get the first British Rally Championship win for the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 and a massive thanks to the Castrol MEM Rally Team and to all of our partners. It was an extremely challenging rally, but Alex [Kihurani] and I kept our cool to take the lead and get the car to the finish against some seriously quick competition. The car ran faultlessly thanks to the Melvyn Evans Motorsport team. It’s time to switch focus back to asphalt and Rali Ceredigion in two weeks’ time. It’s a massive opportunity for Meirion [Evans] and I with the two Castrol Yaris Rally2s in the FIA European Championship for the first time and a double header BRC round.”

Meirion Evans said: “It was a tricky start to the Grampian. We’d planned to get into a nice rhythm on the Friday night and keep building on Saturday, but unfortunately there was a massive rock in the middle of the road halfway through the second stage. I managed to miss it with the front, but the back swung around and it clipped the rock and punctured a rear tyre. Luckily the tyre went down slowly, but the end of the stage had some fast fifth gear corners and we had to back right off and lost around ten to twelve seconds. The opening stage on Saturday wasn’t our best, but from then on the feeling improved and we had a good middle loop which gave us a chance of getting back to fifth, but it didn’t quite happen. I made some small mistakes on the last loop which didn’t help but even then my times were okay, especially on the last two stages. The pace of the top boys was incredible and if we can set the stage times we did towards the end without a great feeling then I’m confident we’ll get there on gravel in time. Now it’s back onto asphalt and a rally that’s close to home which will be nice – and hopefully both Chris [Ingram] and I can fight for a podium finish on both days of Rali Ceredigion and get a good result for the Castrol MEM Rally Team again.”

The next round of the British Rally Championship is the team’s home asphalt event, the double-header JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion (30 August – 01 September).

Sport

Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A TALENTED young athlete from Letterston has been honoured at the British Shooting Awards 2024.

Seren Thorne was shortlisted for the prestigious awards and attended the gala event held at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester. To the delight of her family and supporters, Seren was named the winner of the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award.

This accolade highlights Seren’s exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, marking her as one of the rising stars in British shooting.

Her mother, Sian Thorne, expressed immense pride in Seren’s achievement, sharing photos of the memorable evening.

The British Shooting Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the sport, with a full list of winners available on their official website.

PHOTO CAPTION: Champion marksman: Seren Thorne receiving the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Previewing the 2025 Super Bowl

Published

3 days ago

January 20, 2025

Staff Writer

Each year millions of people across the world gather to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl. Last year, 3.4 million people in the UK watched the Super Bowl, up 1.1 million from the previous year. Considering the growth in popularity of American football in the UK, we anticipate the viewership will be even higher for 2025.

The 2025 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on 9 February 2025 at Caesars Superdrome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NFL teams

12 teams began competing for a spot in the 2025 Super Bowl when the playoffs began on January 11. At this point, four teams were eliminated. This now leaves eight teams to compete in the Divisional playoffs. Four of these will make it to the Conference Championships before contesting for a spot at this year’s Super Bowl.

The eight teams left with a shot at competing in the 2025 Super Bowl are:

Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
Washington Commanders

Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took the title for the second year in a row. However, the latest Super Bowl odds puts the Detroit Lions as the favourites to win this year’s Super Bowl, following a series of impressive performances in the regular season.

The national anthem and halftime show

Before the game commences, a special guest performs the national anthem. Last year, Reba McEntire offered a moving performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this year the task falls to jazz singer Jon Batiste.

It’s not just the football match that people look forward to. Super Bowl halftime shows are a spectacle in themselves and many look forward to the performance as much as the game itself. This year, 17-time grammy winner Kendrick Lamar is headlining the halftime show. Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl in 2022.

How can I watch the Super Bowl in the UK?

The Super Bowl is being broadcast to fans free on ITV, including live online via ITVX on your laptop, mobile, or tablet.

Sky Sports is also broadcasting the event which you can watch online via Sky Go, NOW TV, or using the Sky Sports mobile app. You could also head to your local pub as plenty of pubs in Pembrokeshire will be showing the big game.

Will you be tuning in?

With a surge in popularity for American Football, it’s anticipated that more people from the UK than ever before will be turning their TVs on for the big event this year. Will you be watching this year’s Super Bowl?

Sport

Division Four West rugby: Thrills and tight contests on a chilly Saturday

Published

4 days ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

Exciting matches, hard-fought battles, and standout performances define the weekend’s action.

Dreigiau Emlyn Edge Harlequins in Close Contest
Dreigiau Emlyn 21 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15
Dreigiau Emlyn secured a narrow victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins, strengthening their position in the top half of the table. Gethin Davies scored two crucial tries, while Deiniol Rees added three penalties and a conversion to steer the hosts to victory. The Harlequins kept the game competitive with tries from Craig Barnett and Tom Donovan, with Ben Hathaway converting one and kicking a penalty. However, Emlyn’s composed performance ensured they held on for the win.

Teirw Crymych Outgun Llangwm in High-Scorer
Llangwm 22 – Teirw Crymych 33
Teirw Crymych powered to a 33-22 victory over bottom-placed Llangwm, bolstering their challenge for the league’s top spots. Sion Williams and Morgan Jones led the visitors’ try-scoring efforts, with additional tries from Sion Owen and Nick Bevan. Adam Phillips was reliable from the tee, adding four conversions. Llangwm fought back with tries from Aidan Rees and Ryan Banner, while Harry Makepeace contributed two conversions and a penalty. Despite their spirited display, the hosts couldn’t match Crymych’s attacking prowess.

St Davids Win Key Clash Against Llanybydder
Llanybydder 17 – St Davids 29
St Davids took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a vital 29-17 win over Llanybydder. Harvey Godkin, Nathan Foster, Zac Morgan, and Morgan Griffiths all crossed the whitewash for the visitors, with Bob Froy converting three and adding a penalty to secure a bonus-point victory. Llanybydder’s John Evans delivered an impressive hat-trick of tries, with one conversion by Matthew Rowlands, but St Davids’ all-round performance proved too much for the home side.