Midway, Park City teams claim rookie podium in 10-day off-road competition

Park City's Main St. before the race. Photo: Nico Nolan IG @storm_axe_visuals // courtesy of Rebelle Rally // Warner Ineos

PARK CITY, Utah — Two teams with local ties took first and second place in the rookie 4×4 category of the 2026 Rebelle Rally, a 10-day off-road navigation competition exclusively for women that challenges teams to cross rugged terrain using only maps and compasses, no GPS allowed.

Team 128, made up of Midway residents Racine Warner and Diane Walsh, won the rookie 4×4 category with 1,386 points. Team 121, featuring Park City resident Kristi Reed and navigator Katheryn Basso, finished second with 1,341 points. Both teams represented Warner Ineos, an automotive dealership in the Salt Lake Valley.

Warner and Walsh also earned the Rookie of the Year title, awarded to the highest-scoring team in each class whose two members are competing in the rally for the first time.

“We were so grateful for this incredibly challenging event and the support of Warner Ineos, Torn Warriors, and our community,” Reed told TownLift. “It was a true test of skill, endurance and grit. 10 days of no cell, no GPS, map and compass navigation through some of the most beautiful and gnarly terrain this country has to offer was the experience of a lifetime”

Day 8. Photo: Ernesto Araiza // courtesy of Rebelle Rally

This year’s rally ran Oct. 7-17, beginning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and covering approximately 1,607 miles across three states, with 21 maps and more than 200 checkpoints to collect.

Ninety Rebelles came from 114 cities, 24 states, and four countries. Mother Nature brought it all: a hurricane, a flash flood, a mudfest, and a sandstorm. But even with all the challenges, every one of the 45 teams who started crossed the final finish line.

Day 5. Photo: Paolo Baraldi // courtesy of Rebelle Rally

Despite their rookie-category success, the teams faced a demanding field. Warner and Walsh placed 8th overall, while Reed and her navigator placed 15th overall.

Competitors alternated between base camps with basic facilities and meals provided, and self-supported ‘marathon nights’ making ready to eat meals. Most participants brought one, maybe two sets of clothes and wore them throughout the rally. Teams carried car parts with them and handled minor repairs. Mechanical assistance could result in point penalties in the points-based race, and base-camp mechanics could assist for up to two hours.

The competition tests more than driving ability. Teams must navigate without GPS or cell service, relying on traditional navigation tools to find checkpoints and earn points.