Junior Rallying

Alice Paterson and Amy McCubbin

Junior rallying for 14-17 year olds is a relatively recent innovation, mainly found in the UK and Scandinavia. Girls are often involved. Below are profiles of some of the youngest rally drivers in Europe.

Lina Björklund - currently competes in the Junior class of Swedish rallying. She started her rally career in 2013, in a Volvo 940, and was 53rd in her first event, the LRD-Ruschen. This was enough to attract the attention of Ramona Karlsson, who named her as one of her “Young Female Drivers”, who are being mentored by Ramona. In 2014, she undertook a wide programme of Swedish rallies, and enjoyed a best finish of eleventh, in the Föneruschen event. She also scored three Youth class wins, quite early in the season, and was a strong contender for the championship. She also managed another, separate class win in the Kullingstrofén, and was 75th overall. In 2017, she did not manage many rallies, but was twelfth in the Jamtrallyt, in the Volvo. Prior to taking up rallying, Lina competed on the circuits for three years, in the Renault Junior Cup. In 2012, she was second in the championship, with three wins.

Jenna McCann – Irish driver who came to prominence competing in the Junior championship in Ireland. In 2017, she won the Irish Junior Tarmac Championship. She started her 2015 campaign in a Peugeot 106, which gave her a best finish of sixth in the Cavan Stages Junior Rally, but became increasingly reliable. A Ford Fiesta R2 proved more reliable, and gave her two fifth places, in the Clare and Wexford Junior rallies. She was seventh in the championship overall, and the only female driver. A move into the Irish National Championship in 2016 led to a win her class in the Cavan Stages, finishing 47th overall. She finished all ten of her events. She won her first rally in 2017: the Cork 20 International Junior Rally. In 2018, she mostly took part in senior events in her Fiesta, in both Eire and Northern Ireland. Despite this, she went back to Junior competition for the early part of 2019, earning two more top-tens in Irish events driving the Fiesta. Later, she sampled the power of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX on the Cork Forest Rally, but did not finish. Although opportunities for competition were limited in 2020, she entered two more senior rallies in the Lancer, finishing the Carrick on Suir Rally in 21st place from 48 finishers. After a year's break, she returned in 2022 with a Ford Fiesta, in which she had a best finish of ninth in the Laois Rallysprint. A few more rallies in the Fiesta in 2023 led to an eleventh place in the Tipperary Sean Conlon Memorial Forest Rally. Her first experiences with rallying came from navigating for her father, James McCann, in 2013.

Letisha Conn - rallies in Scotland and Northern Ireland in junior events. She began in 2019, aged fourteen. Her car for the Northern Ireland Rallysport championship was a Citroen C1, and she managed a win at Aghadowey as well as a third at Nutts Corner. In Scotland, she normally drove a Peugeot 107, in which she was not quite as competitive, picking up two fourth places in the Condor and Crail Stages. She rallied in Irish gravel events in 2020, although her first outing, the Limerick Forest Rally, was stopped due to snow. She did not finish the Carrick on Suir Rally. Her last season as a junior gave her a first win, the 2021 Annabelle Tennant Miltown Junior Stages Rally. She was also second in the Albar Kames Trophy Junior event, driving a Skoda Citigo. Back in the C1, she tackled her first senior rally, the Boggeragh Rallysprint. 2022 was a mix of UK junior rallies and senior events and she used the Citroen, Skoda, C1, a Peugeot 106 and a Ford Fiesta. She brought the Fiesta out again for three more senior events in 2023, recording a best finish of 50th in the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally.

Amy McCubbin - active in junior rallies in the UK since 2016, when she was fourteen years old. In her first season, she was eleventh in the 1000 Junior Ecosse championship, driving a Nissan Micra. Her best finish was ninth in the ABR Travel Services Junior Rally. In 2017, she improved dramatically, and became a regular top ten finisher, despite swapping her Micra for a Skoda Citigo. Her best finish has been fifth, in the Granite Junior Stages, driving the Citigo. She was seventh in the 2017 Junior 1000 Ecosse Challenge. In 2018, she continued for another season as a junior, in the Citigo.

Kasia Nicklin - one of the youngest-ever rally drivers in the UK. She began rallying in 2010 in Junior F1000, aged fourteen. Her car was a Nissan Micra, and her best result was fourth in the Junior class, in the Hall Trophy Stages. In 2011, she continued in the same series and the same car, and was a more consistent top-ten contender, with multiple fourth places. In 2012, she continued in the Junior class, and achieved second places in the Honington and Woodbridge Stages. She was seventh in the junior class. She did three major rallies in 2013, in the Micra. Her best finish was 20th on the Woodbridge Stages, where she won her class. She does not appear to have competed in 2014, but she managed to get out again in the Micra in 2015. Her best result was 24th, second in class, in the Flying Fortress Stages. In 2021 she returned to action in the Micra, entering the Snetterton Stages. The car was replaced by a Ford Fiesta R2 for three more rallies in 2022, and three more in 2023, including a 17th place in the Lookout Stages Rally.

Alice Paterson - started rallying at the age of fourteen in 2016. She contested the 1000 Junior Ecosse Challenge and was twelfth overall, driving a Peugeot 107. Her best rally result was thirteenth, which she achieved on five out of her six rallies. She stuck with the same car for 2017 and earned some better finishes; four out of her five rallies have ended in top tens. The best of these was a fifth place in the 5 Star Junior Stages. Both Alice and Amy McCubbin spoke out in the Scottish papers against David Coulthard when he cast doubts on women’s ability to race cars. Her 2018 season was quite similar, although she did suffer a couple of retirements.

Erica Winning - took part in junior rallies in the UK in 2018, driving a Nissan Micra. She mostly competed in Scotland, in the Junior 1000 Ecosse Challenge. From seven events, all of which she finished, she managed four top-tens, the best of these being two ninth places in the Condor Memorial Gardens and 5 Star Junior Stages. 2018 was her first season as a rally driver. Her second gave her five top-ten finishes in junior events in 2019. After a break, she returned to competition in 2021, finishing fifth in the Mach 1 Junior Stages. She has since switched to co-driving.

(Image from http://www.soscc.co.uk)