Sporting Trials are a development of Car Trials and differ by virtue of both the terrain used and the highly specialised nature of the cars.

Sporting Trials Cars are built to comply with a tightly controlled MSA National Trials Car Formula and are designed for optimum stability, manoeuvrability and traction. The vehicles are purpose made two seaters with rear wheel drive and use standard road tyres.

The venues used offer a more arduous terrain than those used by Car Trials, the hills climbed by Sporting Trials are often too steep or slippery even to walk up.

The driver and passenger will endeavour to make the car climb a series of hills, marked out on the rugged and steep terrain by pairs of poles, marked with penalty points, rather like a skiing slalom in reverse.

As in Car Trials time and speed are irrelevant, the crew with the lowest number of penalty points being the winner.

Two people are essential, one to drive and a passenger to bounce and clamber about the rear of the vehicle to aid traction. Sporting Trials are definitely a team activity!

It is a highly competitive sport offering great fun, where the skill of the driver is more important than the car.