HEREFORDSHIRE driver Terry Pickering has added the Classic Rally Association's Winter Challenge to Monte Carlo to his impressive list of successes over the last five years.

With navigator Anthony Preston from Didcot assisting, Pickering, in his 1956 Triumph TR3, came home first over the gruelling course which begins at the International Historic Motorsport Show at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire before heading across the channel to Le Touquet.

From there, the rally continues through Auxerre, Vichy, Le Puy and Digne-les-Bains to Monte Carlo. And, as if the daytime driving was not arduous enough, there are also three night-time stages to contend with.

With heavy snow and cold nights making this the toughest of all the 16 Winter Challenges, Pickering and Preston, both first-timers in the event, did superbly to finish two and a half minutes clear of Mickey Gabbett and Michael Jackson in an Alfa Romeo Giulia.

Pickering has been taking part in Classic rallies for five years after attending a Beginners Rally School day.

After a year out due to the foot and mouth crisis, he resumed in 2003 and achieved nine wins in 11 starts as well as carrying off the Hero Challenge, for pre-1960 cars, with a maximum score.

A heart condition severely restricted his ability to compete last year but, now that his medication has been accepted by the authorities, there is a serious prospect of plenty more future successes.

Since the Winter Challenge win, he has already carried off the VK Derbyshire Rally which took place earlier this month.

His victory in the Winter Challenge means that he currently leads the FIA world regularity championship and has brought further invitations to drive in FIA events the world over in addition to domestic events.

"I really enjoy doing it," said Pickering, an electrical contractor. "I'm aiming to take part in another rally in Croatia at the end of the year."