IT'S just two months since Nigel Worswick won the Cambrian Rally in a dramatic last-stage victory by one second.

This week, however, the tables were cruelly turned on the Blackburn engineer, when he was pipped at the post for a top ten result on the Network Q RAC Rally - by one second.

"I'm gutted, I don't think I'll get over it if I live to be ninety," said Nigel."

"If someone had told me before the event that we would finish eleventh, I would have been very happy.

"But to miss tenth by one second, after 1,100 miles in some of the worst conditions ever seen on an RAC, is very hard to take."

In one of the best privateer drives on this year's event, Nigel and co-driver Clive Molyneux steered their four-wheel-drive Sierra Cosworth up the leaderboard. Seeded at number 51, the Allen-Bradley backed pair successfully negotiated the treacherous, ice-bound stages in Scotland and Kielder to claim a brilliant 11th overall at the Sunday Chester overnight halt.

Going into the final day, Nigel was in confident mood that a top ten placing could be on the cards.

Ahead lay the ultra-fast forests of North and Mid-Wales - scene of his Cambrian victory in September.

"The alternator packed up in Hafren, and we lost ten seconds in road penalties getting it fixed," explained Nigel.

"But after that we really flew, setting sixth fastest in Dyfi and equalling Armin Schwarz's time through Penmachno.

"Going into the last two stages we were ahead, but when we saw the state of Clocaenog Forest, we knew we were in trouble.

"The stage route had been snowploughed leaving a very narrow track, which suited the Golf perfectly.

The Sierra is much bigger, needing more room to get the power down, and we just couldn't fend him off."

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