Inaugural Baja proves a thriller

"This was a fantastic event and it feels great to become the first-ever winner of the Baja GB," said Shropshire's new star Rochelle, who led from start to finish with co-driver Amanda Garratley.

"There was no doubt that we would enter this event. You only have to look at the entry list to see that people have made the effort to support the hard work of the organisers. We, as competitors, all want the Baja to succeed. I am sure that those people who did not enter will wish that they had been in at the start of this new chapter in British motorsport."

The stages were phenomenal. I can't praise the organisers enough for all their efforts and those early starts this week."

"I didn't even know what a Baja or a road book was," said Edmondson. "When I realised there were arrows I was much happier. I was amazed to win. My brother asked me to enter to give as much support as possible to motorsport in this country. I had so much fun. I enjoyed every bit of it, fast or slow, or just getting muddy!"

Competitors tackled three selective sections in Radnor Forest on Sunday. Cannock-based rookie rider Lee Edmondson began the final leg with a commanding lead of 12m:23 in the motorcycle category and he won his fourth successive selective on Sunday morning, with a time of 31m:12 through the Shepherd's Well section. The British under-23 enduro rider suffered a scare in parc ferme when his bike failed to start, but he was soon into a flying pace and extended his advantage over Turkey-based Chris Pascoe to 16m:01.

Stephen Malone maintained third place and Newcastle's Brian Eland and Heathfield's Clive Town took fourth and fifth. Mat Lee extended his lead over Quad rivals Daniel Upton and Matt Harrison, although he beat Upton by just five seconds in the fourth timed test.

Edmondson collected his fifth fastest time in SSS5 to extend his advantage to 18m:46, but there was a frantic battle for the minor places behind second-placed Pascoe. Eland passed Malone to take third place and Clive Town closed to within one second of fourth place by setting the third fastest time. Lee maintained his Quad lead and ninth place overall, despite a puncture.

Eleventh-placed Lee confirmed victory in the Quad category over Daniel Upton and Matthew Harrison, despite struggling in appalling conditions over the closing kilometres, but Richmond's Paul Blezard punctured and slipped further behind the leading pack, as Nick Plumb pedalled the unwieldy BMW 1150 into 14th place and Patsy Quick was the leading female rider in a fine ninth position.

Ian Rochelle headed into the fifth selective with an 8m:16 lead over Norway's Ivar Tollefsen and extended his overall lead to 9m:16 with a mere two sections remaining. Michael Jones maintained third position, but Chepstow's Richard Hopkins took the second-fastest time and displaced Cannock's Derrick Edmondson to take fourth overall by 25 seconds.

Hopkins set the fastest time on the penultimate selective to move menacingly close to third-placed Michael Jones, as Rochelle erred on the side of caution to set the fifth-fastest time and head into the final section with a 11m:46 lead over Tollefsen.

Tollefsen beat Rochelle by 14 seconds in the final section, but the Shropshire driver did enough to preserve overall victory in the first ever Baja by the margin of 11m:32. Tollefsen confirmed second overall, but Hopkins was unable to catch Jones, despite setting a second successive fastest time on the final selective. Burntwood-based Derrick Edmondson and Northern Ireland's David Johnston completed the top six.

Caerphilly's Hugh Haines had dominated the National category over the opening four selective sections in his Bowler Wildcat and the winner of the recent Baja de France edged a further 2m:50 clear of Raymond Kempster's Milner Pro Truck in the fifth selective.

Hinckley's Ryan Cooke was unable to restart after sustaining terminal clutch problems following the fourth selective on Saturday afternoon. His demise promoted Lee Mansfield's Range Rover into third overall. Haines set the fastest time in the final selective to take victory in the National category by 13m:36 from Kempster, with Mansfield in third overall.

The brainchild of officials at Marches 4´4 Ltd, Britain's first ever official candidate event for the FIA International Cup for Bajas received the full backing of the Motor Sports Association (MSA), the Forestry Commission Wales, the Welsh Assembly government and Andrew Davies, the Welsh Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks. An extensive highlight programme will be shown on Sky Sports television in the coming weeks.

"After our hard work we must now wait and see what the FIA Observer's thoughts were on the event and whether it could enter the FIA International Cup next year," said Newtown's Chris Tomley, clerk of the course and one of the chief organisers.

By Neil Perkins