Rallying-Loeb wins in Finland for the third time

Aug 4 (Reuters) - Citroen's world champion Sebastien Loeb

won Rally Finland for the third time in his record-breaking

career on Saturday to stretch his overall lead in the standings.

The Frenchman, chasing his ninth championship in a row,

finished ahead of local favourite and team mate Mikko Hirvonen

with another Finn, Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala, in third place.

Loeb finished the final Ouninpohja 2 stage 6.1 seconds ahead

of Hirvonen, who lost precious time in the morning when he hit a

tree. Latvala was a further 28.9 adrift.

Norway's Petter Solberg was fourth in a Ford.

The victory was Loeb's sixth in eight races this season and

he led from start to finish.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)