2025 Cookstown Navigation Rally

Grattan and Mitchell Win Cookstown Navigation Rally.

On Friday 21st March, fourteen hopeful crews turned up at the Millwheel Bar outside Cookstown to try their hand at a navigation rally organised by Cookstown Motor Club.  After four sections of route, Philip Grattan from Banbridge, and Aaron Mitchell from Craigavon, ran out the winners with just 13 penalty marks.

Clerk of the course John Nicholl had provided navigators with a different type of instruction for each of the four sections.  The route from Control A to Control B was defined by seven map references, and from B to C required crossing grid lines in the order shown.  

At Control C, navigators got a breather with a short relaxed section to Control D where five “spot heights” had to be visited in the order given, and approached and departed from in the correct direction.  The final section, from Control E to F was a set of 24 Tulip diagrams, all in oder, that would bring folks to the final control.

First crew away were former Northern Ireland Navigation Rally Champions (1996 and 1997), Tim McKie and Gavin Millington.  Tim, from Limavady, was driving his Hillman Imp Californian, and it was a treat to see this classic car out in competition again.  Another classic car was in the hands of Craigavon’s Neil Fletcher with William Doherty.  Neil is another former NI Rally Champion (1989 and 1990) and was in his trusty Mk1 Escort Mexico.

Dungannon Brothers Dougie and Glen Millar, fresh from their class win on last weekend’s Targa Rally at Enniskillen, were competing in their VW Golf, although the evening didn’t go as planned for them.  Not to be outdone by the classic cars mentioned already, Stuart Biggerstaff (Dromore, Co. Down) was driving Trevor Barlow’s lovely Austin Cooper S, again bringing a smile to many faces at the start.

The competitors were separated into two classes.  One class was for those crews, though essentially the navigators, who had significant previous experience at this type of event.  Crews in this class would receive the instructions for each section as their start time for the section arrived on the clock.

The other class was for those relatively new to the sport, and they would receive the full route instructions before the start so they had time to plot the route in the comfort of the Millwheel Bar with good light and the chance to discuss with the organisers when they needed a little help.  

Nevertheless, the route for both classes were the same, the instructions the same, and the average speed schedule was the same for all (30mph).

Most crews managed well on the first half of the event.  By Time Control D after the relaxed section, Tim McKie/Gavin Millington (Hillman Imp) and Philip Grattan/Aaron Mitchell (Honda Civic Type R) were tied with 7 marks in the experienced class.  On the same penalty in the beginners class were Trevor and David Turkington (BMW Mini Cooper S) and Gareth Whiting/Stephen Wishart (Suzuki Swift Sport).

On the next section, which was defined by spot heights with an approach and departure specified, chaos ensued thanks to the only private lane on the whole rally.  Seven crews missed out the lane and attracted a whopping 15 mark penalty, including Tim McKie/Gavin Millington and two more of the more experienced crews.  Many folks lost time here and only Grattan/Mitchell avoided lateness at Time Control E.

The final “Tulip” section also contained problems for competitors.  Late-night slurry spreading activity delayed many crews as large tractors, with even larger slurry tankers, in the small lanes had to be accommodated by reversing and finding places to pull in.

Back at the finish, competitors expressed their appreciation for the effort put in by Cookstown Motor Club to run the event, and for all the volunteers who came along to man the checkpoints along the way.  Although the rain came shortly after the event got under way, it didn’t seem to dampen the enjoyment for those competing or officiating.

You can find the full detailed results here ===> FULL RESULTS

Results:

Overall Winner – Philip Grattan and Aaron Mitchell – 13 marks

Experienced Class:

1. Martin McKernan and Ashley Boulton – 19 marks
2. Tim McKie and Gavin Millington – 29 marks
3. Niall Carey and Ciaran Carey – 48 marks

Beginners Class:

1. Stuart Biggerstaff and Trevor Barlow – 25 marks
2. Gareth Whiting and Stephen Wishart – 27 marks
3. Neil Fletcher and William Doherty – 36 marks