Riponian Rally Kicks Off 2025 in Style

The Riponian Stages Rally got the 2025 Fuchs Lubricants Motorsport UK Historic Rally Championship off to a thrilling start, setting the stage for another exciting season.

Organisers had to make some adjustments to this year’s format after learning in October that the popular Wass complex would be unavailable due to extensive engineering work on the forest roads. However, the event rebounded impressively, incorporating Boltby Forest and extending the mileage in Cropton to offer a competitive 44 stage miles across three stages, each run twice. Gale Rigg continued to feature its signature section of closed public road, adding to the challenge.

At the sharp end of the competition, Elliot Payne and Patrick Walsh put in a commanding performance in their Ford Fiesta Rally2, securing victory with a dominant 55-second margin. 

Behind them, Liam Clark and Carl Williamson brought home another Fiesta Rally2 in second place.

Daniel Sigurðarson and Ásta Sigurðardóttir claimed the final podium spot in their Skoda Fabia RS.

The Historic category saw a fantastic display of skill from Dan Mennell and John H Roberts, who took top honors in H8 behind the wheel of their Ford Escort Mk2.

Their impressive drive earned them a 20-second victory over David Crossen and Ben Teggart, also in an Escort. 

Rounding out an all-Ford podium, Adrian Hetherington and Ronan O’Neill secured third place with another strong performance.

With a mix of classic and modern machinery battling it out on the challenging Riponian stages, the 2025 season is off to a flying start!