Paddon keeps Skeete at bay

Front runners Hayden Paddon and Dane Skeete enjoyed an engrossing battle for the duration of the second day of Sol Rally Barbados 2023, but it was the New Zealand native who assumed the overall lead at the end of yesterday’s nine stages, which concluded at Pickering, St Lucy.

King of the Hill champion Paddon looked at home for the duration of yesterday’s run as he won all nine stages in his reliable Hyundai i20, while defending Rally Barbados champion Dane Skeete’s Subaru Impreza WRC was a close second throughout.

Formula 2 driver Zane Maloney, at home in Barbados on a brief sabbatical from the European circuit, exited the rally early in the day’s opening stage after misjudging a jump near Dark Hole, St Andrew which sent him and co-driver Kreigg Yearwood into the bushes. While there was significant damage to the car’s shell, both competitors were unharmed.

Paddon expectedly set the pace early during the first run and looked silky smooth around the corners and displayed an intimate knowledge of the roads on his way to a time of 2:24.01 minutes, almost five seconds faster than Skeete, who clocked a stage time of 2:29.81 minutes. (NM)