July 2025 - The Vespa Rally 2025 officially kicked off at the beginning of July (Saturday 5 and Sunday 6) with the first European stage, hosted in Celle, in the heart of Lower Saxony, Germany. Two days focused on regularity, technique and above all, the great Vespa community.
In the regularity rally, speed is not the main objective, but rather precision: it is not being the fastest that counts, but rather knowing how to manage the time with intelligence and good technique. Participants have to follow a roadbook on a pre-defined route and overcome specific challenges, and the rider who gets closest to the times fixed by the organisation wins. Participants go up against the clock, and concentration, regularity and control are what really count over power or speed.
During the two-day event in Germany, a total of 280 km were covered, with 19 stamp check points and four special tests and more than 120 enthusiasts taking part. The Vespa bikes ridden in the event were a perfect balance of traditional and modern: 50% of participants were riding automatic models, and 50% were on Vespas with traditional gears, showcasing the sheer variety and technical inclusivity of this event format.
A total of 16 Vespa Clubs were in attendance, including historical national clubs and new generations of Vespa lovers, all united by a common spirit: sharing, passion and style. The event had more than 35,000 live views, confirming that precision and not speed is what defines sporting prowess when it comes to Vespa.
But the Vespa Rally is much more than just stopwatches and roadbooks. During the course of the weekend, participants also had the chance to discover the local region, with highlights including the majestic Celle Castle with its four imposing wings - one of the biggest in the area - as well as evocative rides down quiet roads through woodland, tiny historical villages and authentic German rural landscapes, as well as plenty of opportunities to sample the best of the local cuisine. The atmosphere was brimming with friendship and party spirit, where every arrival was applauded and every meeting celebrated with a smile.
The final results of the first stage of the 2025 championship were a celebration of German talent, with Bernhard Kübler in first place on the podium (Vespa Club Bonn, 10” category), second place to Christian Mangel (RV Hollabrunn, 10”), and third to Guntram Engelhardt (Vespa Club Hannover von 1950 and V., 10”). Nadine Kübler was first in the women’s race (Vespa Club Bonn, automatic category) and she also won the Coppa Andreani Cup; meanwhile, Sigrid Bödicker came in second (Vespa Club Düsseldorf e.V., automatic; with Claudia Ott in third (RV Hollabrunn, 10”). Top Team: Vespa Club Bonn (Kübler Bernhard, Kübler Nadine, Kitz Bernd). There were cups for the winners and awards for all participants, as a reminder of the thrilling 12th German Vespa Rally 2025.
https://www.facebook.com/vccelle/
A superb organisational team made everything possible: 5 members of the Vespa Club Germany, along with around thirty volunteers from the Vespa Club Celle, who managed every aspect of the event with passion and skill.
Sport is one of the pillars of the Vespa movement, along with the Tourism and Historical Register sectors, which confirms Vespa’s technical flair, competitiveness and competence. The Vespa Sport Rally championship proves (and Vespa's historical performance in competitions reminds us) that Vespa is also synonymous with sport!
The next stage is the 2nd: Langenlois, Austria – 12-14 September 2025.
https://www.austrianvesparally.at/
https://www.facebook.com/vckrems/
(Source: Vespa World Club press release. Photo courtesy of the organisers).
VESPA WORLD CLUB/VESPA RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP:
https://vespaworldclub.org/vespa-rally-2/
Photo album, VWC facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.792379783117694&type=3
