2026 Champagne Scenic Rally Tour

24-27 April 2026 – Soissons

Scrutineering took place in the shade of the Hotel carpark on Friday afternoon before the Competitor briefing in the hotel conference room with roof terrace looking over the Saint-Jean-des-Vignes Abbey.

Saturday morning saw the 36 crews taking part in the competitive rally (having already lost 3 three prior to the event starting) plus the two crews taking part in the Tour, congregate at the first MTC and Regularity start in the glorious sunshine.

The day involved four regularity sections totalling around 120 miles around the north of Soissons and skirting the edge of Laon.

At the end of Day 1 the leaders were Peter Opie & Ken Dobbs in their MGB with 29seconds of penalties. In second place were Mark &  Sue Godfrey also in an MGB with 38seconds of penalties (20 of which were lost at the first Timing Point of the day). In third place were Robert Robinson & Clare Grove in the Mercedes with 40seconds of penalties.

Sunday morning was cold but the skies were blue and it soon warmed up as the crews that were still running, or had been able to resolve their Saturday issues, headed south of Soissons for four more regularities covering 114 miles. At the first stop we even arranged an informal car show for the locals attending the market in the carpark!

At the final stop of the day we were invited to join a local car show that takes place at the same time every year just up the road at a local Chateau, unfortunately time did not permit.

Into the last Regularity the top two were split by one second only! The regularity saw some turns and twists to finish at the end before, due to a road being closed, the competitors having to find their own way back to the hotel.

So after 235 miles of regularity sections, 32 Timing Points, the event was won on the last timing point.

The winners cleared the last Timing Point whilst the car that was in the lead upto to that Timing Point by 1 second dropped a whopping 11 seconds. If only they knew how close it was at the time.

The navigation was via tulip or descriptive text with a few curveballs thrown in to keep the navigators on their toes.

So the results….

Overall Winners

Mark Godfrey & Sue Godfrey

First in Historic Class

Peter Opie & Ken Dobbs

First in Post Historic Class

Richard Stanier & Robert Smith

First in Classic Class

Keith Howard & Graham Mayes

First in Young Timer/ Modern

Robert Robinson & Clare Grove

Well done to everyone that took part, especially those that finished, and especially well done to those that were taking part in their first Regularity event.

Special awards were given to:

Duncan & Kay Hopkins – Car 2 – For being the best cattle farmers

Jon Harmer & Chloe Leister – Car 27 – For being the best Pitstop crew with the steering rack repairs in 37 minutes (closely followed by Phil & Jackie Walker for, amongst other things, a coil change or two and tightening the fuel pump, and Mark and John Gearing for the brake repairs in the hotel carpark).

Nikki Daniels and Jacqui Boast – Car 36 – For the best attempt to retain an award by looking French.

Rob Robinson & Claire Day – Car 34 – For the best music played at every MTC

Keith Howards & Graham Mayes – Car 32 – For being best placed newcomers to Classic Rally Tours/ Scenic Rally Tours events.