A Novice Trial 2025 Film

A Novice Trial 2025 took place from March 7th to 9th at the Hellidon Lakes Hotel in Northamptonshire. This new venue provided ample space for training and direct access to excellent roads for the practical aspects of rallying.

The event commenced on Friday evening with light classroom tuition, followed by more intensive sessions on Saturday covering navigation, route finding, tests, and timing. Participants then applied their knowledge during practice regularities on local roads. ​

On Sunday, competitors tackled over 100 miles featuring four regularities and three tests. The overall winners were the father-son duo, Nick and Miles Fieldhouse, in a 1977 MG B Roadster. Notably, 16-year-old Miles, a winner of the Bob Rutherford Historic Rally Scholarship, excelled as a navigator, dropping just seven seconds in penalties. Second place went to brothers Rikki and Russell Watson in a 1972 BMW 1602, while third place was secured by Tim Sawyer and Chris Papaioannou in a 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTi. All top three teams drove HERO-ERA Arrive & Drive vehicles. ​

The rally attracted participants with diverse aspirations, from aiming to enter the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge to seeking a deeper understanding of historic regularity rallying. The comprehensive training and practical experience provided by the event were highly praised by attendees.