An inaugural international rallying event has been hailed as a credit to the organisers from Wolverhampton and South Staffs Car Club.

The club successfully staged the first Bulldog International Rally of North Wales at the weekend – despite having only five months to organise the event.

Four separate competitions took place within the rally, with events being split between Bala and Llangollen to free up space for crews.

It was clerk of the course Kevin Witton’s first time in charge on an international event and he said: “It’s gone really well and it’s been an exciting rally with the close battle for the win.

“I’d like to thank all the marshals, organising committee, officials and competitors for making it a good day and our sponsors.”

The international event was won by Irish pair Keith Cronin and Greg Shinnors after 82 miles worth of hard-fought competition.

The Irishmen’s Mitsubishi Evo 9 finished just nine seconds ahead of the Subaru Impreza N11 of former champion Mark Higgins and co-driver Bryan Thomas after a tense day of racing.

Higgins led for most of the day but was pushed closely by Cronin. The sixth and final stage began with Higgins having a three-second advantage – but he suffered damaged suspension after hitting a pothole, which allowed Cronin to push ahead to claim his first ever victory in the UK forests.

The event was round one of the British Rally Championships and Cronin now leads the series.

Welshman Stuart Jones and co-driver Andy Bull were third in their Mitsubishi and made it home despite having a roll on stage three, in which they sustained only superficial damage, as well as a puncture on stage one.

There were three winners in the Bulldog Historic Rally, the opening round of the Dunlop/Gambia 2009 British Historic Rally Championship.

Nick Elliot and Dave Price took the overall victory in their Mk2 Ford Escort and claimed the win in Category D.

They set the pace over three of the four stages on the 50-mile event. Category C was won by former British champion David Higgins and Ieuan Thomas in their Ford Escort, who also finished fifth overall.

Higgins was driving more or less one-handed after putting a metal rod through his hand at work midweek.

Son and father crew, Jonathan and Graham Gale, won Category B in their Sunbeam Tiger and were 15th overall.

The Bulldog Challenge followed the International Rally over a shorter route and was won by Welsh crew Matt Edwards and Andy Murphy.