JWRC: Andersson gives Swift first win in Sweden.

Suzuki's Per-Gunnar Andersson took the honours in the Junior World Rally Championship in Sweden Sunday, finishing the event over 50 seconds up on his nearest rival.

P-G lead practically throughout the event, setting 11 fastest times on route to the victory, the first for the Swift S1600 - which made its competitive debut in the WRC last year in Finland.

"It has been a perfect weekend and apart from the broken break pipe we have had no problems," the Swede said at the finish. "This is the first win for the Swift and I hope there are more. It has been good to have some new young drivers in the JWRC, they have made it a good competition."

Reigning Swedish Renault Clio Cup champion, Patrick Sandell took the runners-up spot, on his debut in the JWRC. Sandell was the only other driver who led, when he went ahead briefly on day one, following SS3.

"Everything is perfect, all the team have worked so hard for this result," he stated. "I am happy to finish second to P-G Andersson, he has a lot of experience and this is my first rally here."

Urmo Aava was third to round out the podium in his Suzuki Swift. The Estonian was satisfied with the result, especially as it was his first snow rally since 2002.

"After the first day I realised that I wasn't going to be able to challenge for one of the top two positions," he reflected. "I understand that you need local knowledge to really do well and to set fast times on the long stages with fast corners you have to know precisely how fast you can go. Before the event I thought I could do better but third isn't bad."

Of the rest, Pavel Valousek was fourth, while Kalle Pinomaki came in fifth, followed by Jozef Beres and Peter Zachrisson. The latter had been on course to finish third, until he hit a snow bank on SS11 and went off the road. He re-started Sunday eventually coming home seventh.

Michal Kosciuszko rounded out the top eight, while Guy Wilks was disappointed to finish ninth, after a driveshaft problem and an off road excursion on day two cost him over 20 minutes.

"After two very difficult days we have go back onto the pace of P-G Andersson and we have had two fastest times today. We lost the intercom this morning but this afternoon's stages have been better. It has been a very frustrating rally for us," said the Brit.

In total 14 crews were classified, the remaining finishers, Jaan Molder and Martin Prokop in tenth and eleventh, followed by Johan Karlsson, Filippo Bordignon and Andrea Cortinovis.

The Junior WRC now continues with the Rallye Espana, which runs from March 24-26.