ATHENS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Finn driver Jari-Matti Latvala won on Sunday the Acropolis Rally 2013 for his first victory in the World Rally Championship (WRC) this year and in the 59-year old history of the Greek three-day race.
The Volkswagen driver crossed the finish line at 3:31:01 overall time, after covering a distance of some 300 kilometers from Athens to the seaside resort of Loutraki at the Peloponnese peninsula and back to the Greek capital in one of the most demanding races internationally.
Spaniard Dani Sordo ranked second for Citroen's team and Belgian Thierry Neuville was third in a Ford race car.
French driver Sebastien Ogier, who retains a lead in the world championship this season for Volkswagen, ranked tenth in Athens.
Dusty roads with gravel under heat make the Acropolis race, the so-called "Rally of Gods", one of the most difficult for participants.
Spaniard driver Alexander Villanueva lost control of his Mitsubishi car for a moment during a turn in one of the final legs of the rally on Sunday, and got off the road, slightly injuring a spectator who received first aid, the organizers announced.
A total of 50 crews, including 13 World Rally Championship (WRC) cars, entered the 59th Acropolis Rally, which was the sixth race on the WRC calendar this year.X The stages had been reduced to 14 down from 22 in past years due to the economic crisis, yet the excitement for teams and spectators remained undiminished.
"It feels good to be a winner. I am very happy for me and my team. It's nice to see the smile on people's faces," a smiling Latvala commented.