Enrique Cruz Claims Victory at 42nd Orvecame Norte Rally to Tighten Championship Race
Enrique Cruz secured a comeback victory at the 42nd Orvecame Norte Rally, narrowing the gap on championship leader Alexey Lukyanuk in a highly competitive Canary Islands Asphalt Rally Championship.
The 42nd Orvecame Norte Rally has highlighted just how competitive the Canary Islands Asphalt Rally Championship (CCRA) has become. The race for the regional title has turned into a tactical battle between Enrique Cruz and Alexey Lukyanuk. Cruz, driving for La Laguna, secured an impressive comeback victory, overcoming an early lead held by the Russian driver. While Lukyanuk missed out on the win, he remains at the top of the overall points standings.
Cruz and his co-driver, Yeray Mujica, finished the rally in their Toyota GR Rally2 with a time of 1:03:04.3. This win helps them close the gap on Lukyanuk, who finished the event in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 alongside Yury Kulikov. Lukyanuk currently leads the championship with 71 points, while Cruz follows closely with 65. The 56-second gap at the finish line showed just how much the changing weather conditions—which shifted significantly from Friday night—influenced the outcome.
Sergio Fuentes and co-driver Tecorice Hernández took third place with a time of 1:04:45.4, strengthening their position near the top of the leaderboard. They were followed by Yeray Lemes in fourth and Manuel Mesa in fifth. The rest of the top ten included Ayoze Almeida, Jorge Rodríguez, Alexis Martín, Santiago Pérez, and Adrián Chávez.
Beyond the final results, the rally was a crucial moment for the championship. Lukyanuk earned three extra points for setting the fastest time in the TC Plus, while Cruz and Lemes picked up two and one points, respectively. This keeps the pressure high as the teams look ahead to the next events. Cruz’s ability to fight back against Lukyanuk’s early dominance proves that this season is defined by high-level driving and closely matched machinery.