The ACU’s FIM Trial des Nations Women’s team secured its status as the best in the world after taking the win and a trio of gold medals at the 2026 competition in Arteixo, Northern Spain, this weekend (26-27 September).
The success of the Women’s team underlined a fantastic performance for TeamGB overall where first-class technical riding and team-work came to the fore on a course that contained 15 sections. Two laps were ridden by each team, with the two best scores counting.
Also battling for international honours on the tricky, rock-strewn sections at the traditional end-of-season trials showcase was the TeamGB Men’s squad. Made up of the Hemingway brothers, Harry and George (both Beta), and Sherco’s Harry Turner, the team was comfortably the youngest in the entire competition. Competing against France, Italy and Spain, TeamGB finished a magnificent second – matching its result from 2025.
In the Challenge Cup class, TeamGB arrived in Spain looking to at least match their runner-up spot in 2025. They would have finished second overall this year – just two marks behind Germany – had it not been for officials issuing a technical disqualification at the end of the second lap for the bike of newly-crowned FIM Trial3 World Champion Harison Skelton being marginally underweight at the end of the first lap.
The Women show the way
With reigning British Champion Alice Minta (Beta), Kaytlyn Adshead (Vertigo) and former multiple world champion Emma Bristow in its ranks, the Women’s squad was brimming with talent and was destined to take some beating with team manager Donna Fox keeping a watching brief and offering her TdN-winning advice when required.
With dry and dusty conditions greeting the riders at the course inspection and practice on Saturday, intermittent rain made the going more challenging on race day as grip and traction levels became more inconsistent, particularly on the second lap. Minders Josh Brown and Dan Clark needed to be on their mettle.
Having been closely matched by Italy for much of the day, it was all to play for heading into the final four sections as the pressure ramped up. However, it was the TeamGB Women that coped the best. They only dropped a mark on sections 12 and 13, compared to the nine that Italy lost. That meant Minta, Adshead and Bristow just had to maintain their consistency on the final two sections to take the win – bettering the team’s 2025 performance by a place.
“It felt really close between us and Italy all day and every single point mattered in the slippery and unpredictable conditions,” Emma Bristow admitted. “But all three of us rode extremely well on the second lap in particular, and all pulled together to make sure we did what was needed to get the gold.
“It’s a dream for me to come back after a year away from international competition and win like this. I wanted to be able to help Alice and Kaytlyn as much as possible and I think the team ethic really shone through at this event.
“The atmosphere’s been fantastic all week and being able to train together in the build up was a real benefit. I’m hugely grateful to Sam (Connor), Donna and the rest of the team that’s made this win possible. Being able to wear the TeamGB colours is always a huge honour.”
Age is no barrier
In the Men’s class, the Hemingway brothers and Harry Turner – supported by minders Dan Hemingway and Brad Bullock – delivered a performance that defied the fact they were the youngest group in the competition.
Despite having an average age of just 19, the trio worked superbly well as a unit and pushed Spain harder than anyone in the competition.
The gap at the end of the two laps stood at 38 marks in Spain’s favour, but finishing second to a team that contained 39-time world title winner Toni Bou, Jaime Busto and Gabriel Marcelli on home soil was still a result to be extremely proud of.
Harry Hemingway said: “This was only mine and George’s second TdN and it was Harry’s debut so to come here and really take the fight to Spain and have them worried for a time was pleasing.
“I think this result shows the progression we’ve made as a Men’s team since 2025 where we had a big fight to finish second. We were 29 marks clear of Italy in third place this weekend.
“The future is bright for TeamGB. We pushed Spain – the best team there is in Trials – really hard this weekend with an average age of 19. I think in years to come, I don’t see any reason why we can’t get right to the top.”
Pride overcomes disappointment
In the Challenge Cup competition, Skelton and Arbon’s strong first lap gave them a narrow one-mark advantage over Germany at the top of the results. However, Skelton’s 125cc bike was found to be marginally underweight before the second lap got underway.
Both riders were allowed to continue and complete the second lap before officials issued a technical disqualification. TeamGB would have finished second, just two marks behind Germany, but Spain were instead promoted into second place.
Team Manager, Sam Connor, said: “We’re disappointed to get a disqualification so late because there was no performance advantage to be had. But the rules are the rules and nobody’s to blame for what’s happened. That’s absolutely clear in our minds.
“It’s a huge shame because both Harison and Matilda have been a great duo this weekend and they've represented TeamGB incredibly well – particularly in light of the uncertainty that this technical situation brought with it. The way they rode and conducted themselves was fantastic.”
A supreme team effort
Reflecting on the 2026 Trial des Nations weekend, Connor was extremely proud of his TeamGB riders and their haul of three gold and silver medals on Spanish soil.
He said: “It's been a really positive trip and everyone involved should be immensely proud of themselves. Representing the national federation on the international stage is a high stakes assignment, but everyone responded brilliantly and it’s been a proper team effort.
“All of the riders have stepped up and contributed at the right moment when needed and that’s all you can ask for as a Team Manager.
“I’m immensely proud to be part of this team and to watch everyone perform so well under pressure. I firmly believe the future’s bright for Great Britain in the Trials discipline. We have an abundance of talent that is genuinely world class.”