A Dominant Performance by Cordero and Hernandez at Big White Winter Rally
12/11/2024
Article by Frédéric Senterre
Photography by Stanley Liu & Shawn Bishop – Rally Sport
The 2024 Canadian Rally Championship concluded with a thrilling finale at the Big White Winter Rally. The event lived up to its reputation as a challenging and exciting test of skill and endurance.
A challenging Day for the Defending Champs
Last year’s winners, Sam Albert and Krista Skucas, returned to the Big White Rally in their Ferrari-powered Subaru, aiming to repeat their success. Unfortunately, a flat tire on the opening stage derailed their plans. Despite this setback, they fought hard and secured a commendable third-place finish.
“Fun day, but challenging,” said Sam Albert.
“We started the day with hopes of defending our overall win from 2023, but a flat on SS1 made things even tougher. Making up time at Big White is always a difficult task, so we settled in, hoping to find some speed in the afternoon stages.
Ultimately, we couldn’t find the confidence in the car to match the pace of Cordero and Bailey, and a second flat further added to our deficit. Despite this, we managed to secure third overall, marking the end of our 2024 season.”
Mexican Dominance
Ricardo Cordero and Marco Hernandez, fresh off coaching from multiple rally champion Antoine L’Estage, dominated the rally in their Citroën C3-R5. They were the fastest crew on every stage, securing a well-deserved victory.
“We approached the first stage aiming to take it slow, following Antoine’s clear instructions on what to do,” said Ricardo Cordero.
“After seeing our time, we realized that was exactly the right approach.
We started the first loop with studded tires and then switched to snow tires on his recommendation, continuing to focus on preserving the car and the tires.
Before the final loop, a turbo clamp broke, so we had to run without anti-lag. We stayed cautious to ensure we made it to the finish!”
Strong Performances from Other Contenders
Jason Bailey and Shayne Peterson pushed hard in their Ford Fiesta R3 but couldn’t quite match the pace of the leaders.
Rose Oakhill was the top female driver, impressing with her skill and determination.
“Overall, we were very happy with how Big White went,” said Rose Oakhill.
“In the snow, staying on the road was everything. We definitely had some moments in the snowbanks, but nothing we couldn’t get ourselves out of.
Lassie Lake, the new stage for this year, was our favorite. From the first pass to the third passes of the Gem/Lassie stages, the road and grip changed a lot—it got better as the afternoon turned into night.
After four events this year—our first year competing in stage rally—we couldn’t be happier to have completed every stage we started. It’s a huge personal achievement, and we’re already excited for next year!”
Nick Wood and Jennifer Daly overcame early setbacks to secure a class win in 2WD.
“After a tentative, careful start, we got stuck in first gear for all of Gem Up 1 and lost over five minutes, getting passed by other cars, including H. Tabor, who inherited the 2WD lead. We fixed the issue at service and went to work to make up the time, gaining minutes on the 2WD field and posting a top-five time on Lassie 3. It was a really great end to the season,”
– Nick Wood.
First-time winter rally competitor Henry Tabor had a memorable experience.
“Rally was super exciting,” said Henry Tabor.
“I had never driven on snow or ice before, so most of the event was spent learning and adapting to how the car reacts under load, rotation, and throttle. I definitely found myself in the snow a few times, but only had one major incident—a half spin where I pulled an Austin Powers. Luckily, I managed to keep it going.
The biggest focus for us was maintaining a consistent pace, and it paid off. The roads were fantastic, and running at night was a ton of fun. I also kept the car in pretty good shape, which is great because I’m driving it home!
I seriously enjoyed the event and hope to come back next year.”
Savage Rallysport back on the CRC Stages
Here is what Leanne Junnila, co-driver for Dave Wallingford, had to say about their rally:
“We haven’t done a winter rally together since Perce-Neige 2020, and we only competed in one other event together this season (SOFR). So, we came to the event without any expectations besides finding our groove in the snow again. There was no official shakedown before the event, so we were getting a feel for the studded tires on Stage 1!
We set competitive top-5 times all day, spent some time in 3rd position, and ended up finishing 4th overall. We had no major drama—a few sideways moments, but it wouldn’t be a winter rally without those!
From the co-driver’s seat, I really enjoyed the night stages in the snow (the rally lights bouncing off the snowbanks make it feel like zooming through a tunnel) and the downhill hairpins on the Gem Lake stage. The new stage, called Lassie Lake, was also great fun and had busy notes, which I enjoy.
We had a top-notch crew wrenching on our car during the weekend as well. Our incredible crew chief, Pascal Belperron, had the support of Marcel Belperron, who is currently on a short break from his work with the Transglobal Car Expedition, and Derek James, who formerly crewed for the Carlin IndyCar team.
Savage Rallysport also supported a 2nd car during the weekend—a Subaru WRX driven by Eric Grochowski with Dan Bobyn co-driving. They had a great weekend too, finishing 6th overall despite having to manage a couple of flat tires during the event.”
A Fitting End to the 2024 Season
The Big White Winter Rally was a fitting conclusion to the 2024 Canadian Rally Championship. It delivered plenty of excitement, drama, and unforgettable moments, leaving fans eager for what’s to come in the 2025 season.
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Article written by Frédéric Senterre
Photography by Stanley Liu & Shawn Bishop – Rally Sport
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