Bogie and Rae Lead the Way

Skoda pair storm to third Snowman Rally success.

- John Fife

There were two topics of conversation ahead of this year’s Arnold Clark Snowman Rally – the lack of snow, and the quality of the top 10, topped on this occasion by now three-time winners David Bogie and Kevin Rae. Many were left scratching their heads trying to remember when the Highlands were last a snow-free zone for the opening round of the Scottish Rally Championship, but this year, not a trace.

It didn’t make much difference either way for Bogie and Rae. The duo were imperious in their Skoda Fabia R5, but the big surprise was the pace of second-placed Shaun Sinclair and Jamie Edwards in a Subaru Impreza WRC. Less of a surprise were 2014 SRC champions Euan Thorburn and Paul Beaton in third place first time out (apart from the Cambrian, which doesn’t really count) in their new Ford Fiesta R5.

Sheltered between two hills, the low lying Meall Mor opening test is often more like a skating rink at this time of year than a forest stage, but this year it was different. Three of the top seeds cleaned it, Bogie, Sinclair and Jock Armstrong all emerging from the forest with no advantage.