Although the Guernsey veteran’s fifth-place finish came with a sense of deja vu, as he fondly remembers doing the same more than two decades ago, his latest rally proved extra special.
Not only has the rallying scene developed significantly since then but this time he got to share the Ford Escort MK2 with son Jamie Trebert, with whom he claimed the honour of being the top Guernsey crew.
‘I had a fifth 24 years ago, which was my first ever Jersey Rally,’ Trebert senior said.
‘We came fifth then and it has taken that long to get another one.
‘It’s a lot more competitive [now] and it’s all moved on – it’s a lot more expensive.
‘It feels like this week was my best result in Jersey and I was well pleased with it. It’s nice to have Jamie sitting near me – it’s nice to do it with him. He wants to get in the driver’s seat.’
Ross Le Noa continued his Channel Islands rallying brilliance with a 1hr 49min. 10sec. clocking while working alongside Derek Le Bailly for the two-day, 93 stage mile event.
But Paul Trebert built upon his seventh-place finish last year, achieved with the local knowledge of Jersey navigator Kieran Gregory, with a 1-54-01 finish that was topped only by four rapid Caesarean combinations.
Guernsey had gone in with lower numbers than usual owing partly to continued challenges surrounding inter-island travel.
The event started in the wet and the Treberts spent much of Friday climbing up from eighth overall, before finding traction in fifth place and locking into that position.
As always, the rally had its fair share of retirements, with 24 of the 74 starting crews not seeing the finish.
This included Guernsey navigator Will Rutherford, who in his ongoing partnership with Ed Fossey once again threatened to push the overall leaders, yet their engine failed early on the first day.
Of the Sarnians that went the distance, Nick Duquemin and co-driver Phil Ferbrache underlined their consistency with a third 12th-place finish in the last five editions.
Guernsey navigator Fraser Torode shared in an 18th-place finish, co-driving Jersey’s Keith Pinel, while Kev Rumens and Kay Taylor placed 28th, then Jono Robilliard and Gary Robert took 43rd having been forced to miss a couple of stages due to a wheel snapping off at Grouville.
