Huntly's John Wink secures another podium finish at the Speyside Stages
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HUNTLY driver John Wink picked up a dramatic podium finish at the Speyside Stages at the weekend.
Wink and navigator Will Atkins were just one second ahead of fourth-place finishers Michael Binnie and Claire Mole with one stage left to go.
But they held their nerves – and their advantage – to cross the line just with their one-second lead intact.
Wink said: "Coming into the event if you had offered me third, I would have bitten your hand off.
"I made a couple of mistakes that cost us 10 seconds and made it more difficult at the end, but we got third so I'm happy.
"Will and I had a discussion before the last stage. We knew that Michael (Binnie) is notorious for putting in a really quick final stage time.
"But we knew that Teindland (the final stage) was very loose and it's caught out a lot of people in the past – including us.
"We decided to keep it neat and tidy and whatever the result will be it will be. We matched stage times and retained the one-second lead so happy days."
Winks and Atkins crossed the line 35 seconds behind winners Finlay Retson and Paul Beaton, with Jock Armstrong and Hannah McKillop runners-up.
This year's Speyside Stages were the first to have had a stage take place on a Friday.
Wink added: "The night stages were fantastic. It was great for the event and great for the spectators.
"Everyone I have spoken to thinks it's brilliant. It was a baptism of fire in the dark in the forest, it was a whole different experience, but I'd love to do it again."
The third place finish adds to a second place that Wink collected at the Snowman Rally.
Next up is the Jim Clark Rally, in Duns on Sunday, May 28. Neil Shanks will return as Wink's co-driver.
"It's shaping up to be a really competitive season," Wink added.
"I can't wait to get to the Jim Clark and hopefully it'll be the same again."
