September 2025 - The town of Langenlois, in northern Austria, hosted the second event of the Vespa Rally 2025 European Championship, from 12 to 14 September 2025. Participants were welcomed on Friday 12 September, whilst on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14, the Vespas fired up their engines, ready for the rally.
https://www.austrianvesparally.at/
https://www.facebook.com/vckrems/
The event sold out six months ago – testament to the growing interest in this discipline. Teams from Austria, Germany, Hungary and Italy took part: some looking to repeat their successes from previous years – such as multiple champion Bernhard Kubler – and others, like current European champion Hans-Werner Both, who were more focused on consistency and control.
The welcome began on the Friday, as participants arrived to collect their starting numbers, before enjoying a warm reception organised by the local Vespa club in the town centre, with stands, drinks and typical food from the region. Despite the less than favourable weather forecast, the weekend ultimately saw ideal conditions for the event - dry and mild, with the exception of a few drops of rain during the final special stage on Sunday.
The Saturday saw participants cover more than 100 km through the rows of vines that the region is famed for. Two special stages, each repeated twice, determined the partial classification, while journeys guided by the roadbook enabled those taking part to discover the area’s delights. There were many unforgettable moments: crossing the Danube on a ferry transported by the river’s natural current and views of a picturesque monastery in the local hills to name just a few. The day ended with a gala dinner featuring a host of typical Austrian dishes.
On the Sunday, following the departure of the Special Stage 1, the route took the Vespa riders to the stamp checkpoint at the Museum of Germanic Settlements, before heading back to Langenlois to repeat the timed trials used to determine the final classification.
After a convivial lunch, members of the public were able to watch the prize-giving, a key moment of the event. Overall winner: Gerhard Ott (club: RV Hollabrunn, Austria); second place: Markus Gradner (club: IG Stanglvespa, Austria); Third: reigning champion Hans-Werner Both (Vespa Club Düsseldorf e.V., Germania). The awards by category were as follows: 8 inch wheels; 10 inch wheels; automatic; Ladies (1st place: Claudia Ott, Austria, RV Hollabrunn).
Below is the link to the Vespa Club Austria website with detailed results and photos of the award ceremony:
https://www.austrianvesparally.at/index.php/vespa-sport/ergebnislisten
Once again, the Vespa Rally confirmed its uniqueness: rather than being a race of speed, it is a challenge of regularity, where time management, precision and control are what really count; an event that combines sport, tourism and culture in a single experience brimming with Vespa passion.
The Vespa World Club is delighted with this year’s event and would like to thank the Vespa Club Austria and Vespa Club Krems for their excellent organisation, as well as the importer Faber for its support at the event.
Next date in the diary: Pontedera (Italy), from 10 to 12 October 2025, for the third and last stage of the championship, which will see the European titles being awarded, as well as playing host to the final awards ceremonies for the 2024 and 2025 Championships.
Source: press release and photos courtesy of Marco Manzoli, Vespa World Club manager.
VESPA WORLD CLUB:
https://vespaworldclub.org/
https://vespaworldclub.org/vespa-rally-2/
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