The Midnight Grind: Recapping the 2026 Polar Bear Rally
The Vital Stats
Event: 2026 Polar Bear Rally (MLRC)
Location: Ormsby, Ontario (Limerick Community Centre)
The Winners: Eric Vanderwal (Driver) & Zach Jansen (Navigator)
The Surface: Surprisingly "texturized" and grippy snow.
The Tall Pines Legacy & The "Ham-Fisted" Strategy
The Polar Bear Rally is more than just a navigational exercise; it’s a high-stamina pilgrimage to the "Rally Capital of Canada." The 2026 route traversed the same hallowed ground used during the Tall Pines Performance Rally, offering teams a chance to tackle legendary stages without the roll cage and HANS device.
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For winners Eric Vanderwal and Zach Jansen, the strategy was deceptively simple. Despite the lack of formal pace notes, Vanderwal leaned into the "remarkable" grip levels of the fresh snow.
"Our concerns that the overnight chill would lead to icy conditions turned out to be unrealized," Vanderwal noted. "Confidence in the grip allowed us to pursue a successful strategy of foregoing deep maths for a more ham-fisted approach of maintaining the 'CAS' (Calculated Average Speed) at all times."
Even with a car odometer reading 5% high and significant wheelspin, the duo used the Rally Tripmeter app to stay on pace, navigating the "rollercoaster" undulations that define the Bancroft area.
Legends and Late-Night Drama
The 2026 event saw a fascinating clash of generations. Bo Skowronnek, a performance champion from the 1970s and 80s, returned in a vintage Volvo alongside navigator Brandon Pace. Their presence set a high bar for the field, but the real duel for the lead was between Vanderwal and the legendary Carbados & Carbados team.
The two teams swapped the lead throughout the night until a mechanical heartbreak struck at 6:00 AM. The Carbados team lost a muffler—an issue that, in the quiet pre-dawn hours of a sleepy rural town, is more than just a performance hit. In a display of true rally sportsmanship, they chose to withdraw rather than wake the entire county, dropping from a potential win to a DNF.
The "Witching Hour" and the Snowbank Tax
As reported by checkpoint veteran Ian Lalonde, the night was "trying" for many. The West Eels section, in particular, became a graveyard for momentum, requiring multiple extractions by the sweep crews.
The Gonsalves Duo: Mark and Alton Gonsalves were the embodiment of steady determination until one "spicy" corner entry sent them into a snowbank. The 45-minute extraction cost them max penalty points at checkpoints A8–A10—a classic example of how the Polar Bear rewards the patient and punishes the bold.
The Mechanical Wall: Bauman and Kelly fought a losing battle with their power steering. Despite a desperate cocktail of stop-leak and constant top-ups, the car ultimately succumbed to the demands of the winding Bancroft roads.
The Physical Toll: First-timers Tyler Steward and Matt Clements learned the hard way that the Polar Bear is as much a test of the stomach as the mind. The relentless undulations led to severe motion sickness for Clements, forcing a retirement at Stage A5.
The Rookie Rite of Passage: Steward & Clements
If there is a "Welcome to the Sport" badge for navigational rallying, Tyler Steward and Matt Clements earned it in the most grueling way possible. Despite a flawlessly prepared car, the team made the veteran call to retire at Stage A5.
The "Moose and the Midnight Rigging"
Their rally ended early, but the adventure was just beginning. On the drive home, Steward encountered a motorist struggling to load a massive, fresh moose carcass—hit by a plow moments prior—into a truck. Using his rigging skills, a ratchet strap, and a come-a-long, Steward winched the "steaming" animal onto a tailgate.
He left the scene with a blood-stained jacket and a six-pack of Coors for his trouble, only to narrowly thread the needle between two charging deer 5km later. One buck's antlers grazed the car, but both car and driver emerged unscathed. Steward summed up the night perfectly: "Grateful we’re all in one piece, and looking forward to a shot at redemption next year."
Sidebar: The Navigator’s Survival Guide
Advice for the "Green" and the "Grit-Driven"
The Polar Bear is famously a "simple" navigational rally, but "simple" on paper feels very different on the road. If you're looking to tackle the Bancroft rollercoaster, keep these tips in mind:
The "Horizon" Rule: If motion sickness starts to creep in, look up. Try to sync your reading with the straightaways and keep your eyes on the treeline during the heavy undulations.
Tech is a Teammate: Follow Eric Vanderwal’s lead—use apps like Rally Tripmeter. When your physical odometer is off by 5% due to wheelspin, digital GPS-based backup is a lifesaver for staying on your "CAS" (Calculated Average Speed).
Hydration & Ginger: Skip the heavy coffee which can unsettle the stomach; many veteran navigators swear by ginger chews or gravol (the non-drowsy kind).
Trust the Driver, Verify the Map: As Zach Jansen proved, "navigating ahead" on a map or GPS helps clarify ambiguous instructions before you reach the intersection.
The Final Word
Even the winners weren't immune to the 4:00 AM fatigue. Vanderwal admitted to a few "quick handbrake turns" after overshooting turns in the dark. But as the sun rose over the Limerick Community Centre, the sentiment was clear: this is the ultimate preparation for the performance season ahead.
"I'm looking forward to taking on these roads again in November for the 2026 installation of the Tall Pines Rally," says Vanderwal. "I for one am hoping for snow!"
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