Subaru Rally Team Canada Claims Second at Rocky Mountain Rally

TORONTO, May 28, 2012 /CNW/ - Subaru Rally Team Canada clawed their way to a second-place finish during the second event of the Canadian Rally Championship season. In all, five Subaru vehicles placed in the top ten at the Rocky Mountain Rally - Canada's highest altitude rally - held in Calgary, Alberta, this past weekend.

Subaru Rally Team Canada driver Pat Richard and co-driver Alan Ockwell dominated the field until penalties for excess speed discounted their performance in the first stage, leaving the duo to make up time by winning subsequent stages with ever-increasing margins.

"At no time were we considering slowing down," said Richard. "Rally is supposed to be about going as fast as you can on real roads."

"We had our work cut out for us just because of the penalties that were applied to us," continued Richard. "As the rally wore on, we took more and more risks just to get as much time as we could and it worked out."

Here are the top-ten finishers for the event:

1.)     Antoine L'Estage - Nathalie Richard - one hour, 22 minutes, 24.4 seconds
2.)     Pat Richard - Alan Ockwell - 1:24:03.5
3.)     Crazy Leo Urlichich - Carl Williamson - 1:24:29.2
4.)     Hardy Schmidtke - John Hall - 1:29:42.7
5.)     Alexandre Kozlov - Martin Matas - 1:38:40.1
6.)     Eric Pehota - Richard Doucet - 1:38:40.1
7.)     Azam Deen - Shabir Haji - 1:40:05.8
8.)     Tibor Kertes - Spencer Armstrong - 1:41:41.6
9.)     Eric Grochowski - Leanne Junnila - 1:43:34.8
10.)   Kris Schofield - Jennifer Daly - 1:44:58.5

"This very encouraging second-place result gives us valuable points for the Championship," said Ockwell. "We're in good shape for the next event, Rallye Baie des Chaleurs, in about four weeks' time."

The 2012 season continues with the Rallye Baie des Chaleurs, held June 28-30 in New Richmond, Quebec.

About Subaru Canada, Inc.
Subaru Canada, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of over 85 authorized dealers across Canada.

Image with caption: "Subaru Rally Team Canada Takes Second in 2012 Rocky Mountain Rally (CNW Group/Subaru Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120528_C3245_PHOTO_EN_14226.jpg

Image with caption: "Subaru Rally Team Canada Takes Second in 2012 Rocky Mountain Rally (CNW Group/Subaru Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120528_C3245_PHOTO_EN_14228.jpg

Image with caption: "Subaru Rally Team Canada Takes Second in 2012 Rocky Mountain Rally (CNW Group/Subaru Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120528_C3245_PHOTO_EN_14230.jpg

Joe Felstein or Julie Lychak                
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Amyot Bachand
Media Relations, Quebec Region
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