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Scottish Malts

HERO-ERA

1st-5th September 2025


Scottish Malts 2025
Winners: Ken Binstead/Sarah Binstead (Austin Healey 3000)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA

Organiser: HERO ERA

Date: 1st-5th September 2025

Clerk of the Course: Guy Woodcock

Route: 820 Miles (24 Regs, 8 Tests)

Start & Finish: Gleneagles

Starters: 38


The nineteenth running of the Scottish Malts started and finished at Gleneagles Hotel, but in between the route took in most of Scotland between Glasgow and Inverness; a visit to the Isle of Mull was included.

Thirty-eight cars lined up at the start on Monday morning. The major surprise on the entry list was that defending Malts victors Dick and Harry Baines, long associated with Minis, appeared in a Porsche 911. The ex-Rikki Proffit machine had only been purchased the previous Thursday.

The field faced an 820 mile journey taking in 24 regularities and eight tests. However, there was disruption to this plan on Day One when a rockfall blocked the road over The Rest & Be Thankful Pass. This meant that the two tests at that venue had to be cancelled and a long reroute via Tyndrum had to be taken to reach the day's lunch halt at Inverary.

Prior to this diversion, crews tackled three regularities and a test as the rally moved westward passing Loch Lomond. Baines/Baines showed that they had quickly got used to their new steed by cleaning both of the first two regs and were fastest in their class on the test, meaning that they arrived at the Cameron House coffee halt with zero penalties. Their nearest challengers at this point were Peter Myles/Louise Myles (Porsche 911), who were on two seconds dropped.

Already in trouble was the MG B GT V8 of Steve Robertson/Julia Robertson, the car stopped just after the end of the first regularity with what was obviously an electrical problem; the problem was finally traced to a failed resistor in the master switch and the pair made the Time Control at Cameron House on time. The event was to improve for them and they came through at the Finish to take the win in Class 5.

In more difficulty was Car 1, the Bentley 4½ Litre of Ryck Tuner/Angie Barber, the car collided with a wall after being squeezed by an oncoming car; the suspension was too badly damaged for them to continue. The pair reappeared on Day Two in a hired Mazda and tackled the remaining regularities of the event.

There was a late change of crew at Car 35, where Ann Gillis, whose regular partner Filip Engelen was detained in Belgium dealing with business issues, now had their son Arne as the driver of the Porsche 911 Targa. They had a troubled morning with locked brakes causing a fire as they drove to the third regularity. The car was repaired by the sweeps and the crew were able to continue on schedule.

Baines/Baines collected their first penalties on Reg 3, which ran up Glen Fruin and had two timing points, however, the father and son team arrived at the Inverary lunch halt with a lead of five seconds over Stephen Owens/Thomas Owens (Porsche 356B), the navigator making his annual appearance on events.

Scottish Malts 2025
Second Placed: Dick Baines/Harry Baines (Porsche 911E)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA

There was a long non-competitive section after lunch that took the route back eastwards, with Regularity Four starting just outside Killin, this was the first of two regs that took crews to the overnight halt at Pilochry, with the final Main Control being at the Blair Atholl Distillery.

Baines/Baines were best on both regs and arrived at the first overnight halt with a lead of ten seconds over Binstead/Binstead, who had shared top honours on Reg 1/4. Owens/Owens were one second further back in third, while Paul Hernaman/Paul Crowther (Porsche 924) were another second down in fourth.

Day Two took the route through roads in the Cairngorms, initially towards a special lunch halt at Aberdeen, before then moving to Aviemore for the day end.

A regularity and a Jacob's Ladder test, the latter at the top of Glenshee, were tackled before a visit was made to the Lochnagar Distillery at Balmoral. Binstead/Binstead narrowed the gap to the leaders as they two seconds better on the reg and three on the test, which was timed on scratch time, rather than the usual class improvement system.

Honours were even between the two crews on Reg 2/2, but the following reg near Durris caused some confusion, the source of the misunderstanding was a slightly misleading No Through Road sign. Baines/Baines were one of those misled and were 32 seconds late at the following timing point; the event was using the Joker scheme, so this penalty was cut to 15 seconds, but it caused their lead to drop to seven seconds.

The lunch break was taken at the home of regular competitor Mike Dreelan, where is vast and very impressive collection of steam engines and fairground attraction, including a carousel, were on display. There was also a test in the grounds following the halt. This, plus another test at the Grampian Transport Museum, led to three regularities which took the route to Aviemore.

By the time that they reached the overnight halt, Binstead/Binstead had narrowed the gap to the leaders to just two seconds. Hernaman/Crowther had established themselves in a clear third place, ten seconds off second place, and eight ahead of fourth placed James Holt/Gill Holt (Mercedes 280SL Pagoda).

Scottish Malts 2025
Third Placed: Paul Hernaman/Paul Crowther (Porsche 924)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA

Day Three was shorter one with four regularities and two tests, before the circus arrived at Inverness at the end of the day.

Binstead/Binstead cleaned the reg that opened proceedings and, with Baines/Baines picking three seconds of penalties, this put the Austin Healey into the lead. Two tests followed at the Balmenach Gin Distillery. The new leaders increased their advantage by another two seconds on the tests which were again timed on scratch times.

Myles/Myles were fastest on both tests, which were the last of the event, and ensured that the driver would win the Test Pilot Award at the Finish.

At the front things remained tight throughout the day and the two leading crews were separated by just four seconds at Inverness. Behind them the gaps had extended; Hernaman/Crowther were now 33 seconds off first place, but 22 seconds clear of Robertson/Robertson, who had moved up to fourth.

Day Four took the rally to the Isle of Mull via the Fishnish Ferry. Prior to the crossing two regularities were contested, the first in the lanes to the south of Loch Ness. Binstead/Binstead triggered their Joker at the final timing point after being 20 seconds late. Despite this, they arrived on Mull with an extended lead, but it was a six second advantage over Baines/Baines.

In terminal trouble was the Porsche 911 of Nicolas Konig/Archie Comparelli ground to a halt with a broken gearbox after the second reg. They became the second retirement of the event.

There was misfortune for Hernaman/Crowther when their Porsche suddenly ground to a halt just prior to the ferry. A mystery electrical problem was the source of the problem and a change of relay got the car going again, although the car was still unhappy and a battery change was needed at the Tobermory overnight halt.

They were among five cars who failed to get onto the second planned ferry, previous spaces having been taken by lorries, which put the boat near to its weight limit. These later runners were unable to tackle the first Mull regularity and so were given nominal times, which were based on the crew's average penalty at timing points up to that point. This allowed Hernaman/Crowther to retain their third place.

After two regularities on the island the Baines Porsche had reduced its deficit to the Binstead Austin Healey to four seconds. Behind Hernaman/Crowther, Holt/Holt were back in fourth.

Scottish Malts 2025
Test Pilot: Peter Myles/Louise Myles (Porsche 911)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA

After a night in Tobermory, a ferry took the rally back to the mainland at Oban. There were five regularities to contest before the Finish back at Gleneagles. After two regs, Baines/Baines got to within a second of the leaders, but Binstead/Binstead zeroed the third and reestablished a four second advantage. The gap closed by a second on the penultimate reg, leaving everything down to the long final section.

The two leading crews put in the best performances of anyone on the reg; critically Binstead/Binstead were one second better than Baines/Baines, meaning that after many near misses the husband and wife team finally took a rally victory. They finished four seconds ahead of the runners up. Despite the defeat, the Baines duo being very happy with their new car, now planning to use it on Classic Marathon a week after the Malts.

Hernaman/Crowther and their Porsche survived a nervous day to take the final podium place, while Holt/Holt were fourth and the only crew to finish the event without having to use their Joker.

As well as the overall win, Sarah Binstead secured the Clock Watcher Award for the best performance over the event's twenty-four regs.


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