Catchacoma, Ontario – The roar of engines and the scent of pine filled the air as the 2025 Black Bear Rally, organized by the Maple Leaf Rally Club, brought high-octane drama to Ontario’s rugged backroads. With 17 teams ready to tackle the challenging gravel stages and lots of spectators braving the dust for a glimpse of the action, this year’s event delivered everything from nail-biting battles to heartbreak on the stages.
From the opening test, the pace was relentless. Trevor Pougnet and co-driver Ryan Rouleau, piloting their Subaru Impreza, seized control on Stage 2 and never looked back. Clocking fastest time on the remaining seven stages, the duo stormed to a commanding overall victory, proving once again why they’re a force to be reckoned with in Canadian rallying.
Behind them, Mathieu Dubé and Marie-France Desmarais fought their way to second overall, fending off a hard-charging Jonathan Drake and Ian Lantz—also in a Subaru Impreza—who completed the overall podium.
In the fiercely contested Two-Wheel-Drive class, it was all about consistency and precision. Mathieu Royer and Alyssa Voyzelle-Montminy delivered a faultless drive in their Nissan Sentra, topping the category with room to spare. They were joined on the 2WD podium by Mark Toufanov and David Bell in a Toyota GT86, and Dan Galipeau with Colin Turk in a Ford Fiesta ST, who battled through to claim third in class.
The rally was not without drama. Several crews saw their podium hopes dashed by mechanical woes and off-road excursions, including Jeremy Drake and Deric Jackson, who were in podium contention until a Stage 7 off cost them over 20 minutes. Others, like Simon Bauman and Aiden von Kannen, suffered race-ending damage after pushing hard in the later stages.
The event concluded with a lively finish podium and champagne ceremony at the Cavendish Community Centre, where trophies were presented to the top crews and stories from the stages were swapped well into the evening.
The Black Bear Rally once again proved why it’s a staple in the Ontario rally calendar—mixing technical, fast-paced gravel stages with a passionate rally community. With the dust now settled, teams turn their attention to the next challenge, but for Pougnet and Rouleau, this was a weekend to savor.
Final Results
Overall Classification:
- Trevor Pougnet – Ryan Rouleau – Subaru Impreza (4WD)
- Mathieu Dubé – Marie-France Desmarais – Subaru Impreza (4WD)
- Jonathan Drake – Ian Lantz – Subaru Impreza (4WD)
Two-Wheel-Drive Class:
- Mathieu Royer – Alyssa Voyzelle-Montminy – Nissan Sentra
- Mark Toufanov – David Bell – Toyota GT86
- Dan Galipeau – Colin Turk – Ford Fiesta ST