2025 Swiss Trials Championship: Season Recap

The 2025 Swiss Trials Championship concluded after seven exciting rounds, highlighting the incredible skill and determination of riders from across the country. From the opener hosted by MC Jurassien in April to the finale at MC Trial 96 Grandval in October, this season was defined by intense competition. Let’s look back at how each category unfolded.

Elite Category

Noé Pretalli delivered a masterful season to clinch the Elite title with 120 points. Representing Moto Club Jurassien, Pretalli established himself early on by winning the first four rounds. He continued his streak in the final two events at Schwenden and Grandval, displaying remarkable consistency. With six wins out of seven events, his near-perfect season confirmed his unbeaten status at the top.

Johan Buchwalder also enjoyed a remarkable season, positioning himself as Pretalli’s main rival. He finished second overall with 116 points. Buchwalder’s perseverance paid off with a key victory at the fifth round hosted by MC Roches, along with four second-place and two third-place results.

Tim Affolter finished third with 62 points, showing clear progress in the latter half of the season, including several key podiums in the crucial mid and late rounds.

Pascal Geiser took fourth place with 49 points, supported by strong results in the early rounds—including two third-place finishes—although absences in the later events affected his final ranking.

Louis Gys rounded out the top five with 28 points, achieving his best results in the closing rounds, including a strong showing at Grandval that secured him fifth in the overall standings. These five riders delivered many of the Elite category’s highlights across all seven events.

Expert Category

In the Expert class, Noah Lauber (TC Illgraben) became the new champion with 109 points. A model of consistency, Lauber never finished off the podium throughout the season. Key wins at Illgraben and Schwenden proved pivotal in keeping his challengers at bay.

Lorenz Maurer (MC Ruedertal) secured second place with 103 points. Always at the front, he maintained constant pressure and capped his season with a win at the final event at MC Trial 96 Grandval.

David Guenin finished third with 88 points, after a blazing start that saw him take three of the first four events. His absence from the last two rounds took him out of the title fight, but his early dominance left a mark on the competition.

Valentin Leiser was fourth with 74 points. His season featured bursts of brilliance, including victories at MC Montchoisi and MC Roches. Though absent from some events, Leiser’s performances showed immense talent and fighting spirit.

Dominique Guillaume completed the top five with 40 points, making the most of his appearances with wins at Amicale du Trial des Hauts-Geneveys and Grandval—a testament to his ability to challenge the leaders when on form.

Challenge Category

The Challenge category provided the closest title fight of the season. Duncan Macdonald (Trial Moto Club Genève) took the championship with 129 points, led by four victories and consistent high finishes throughout the year.

Jan Schnyder (TC Illgraben) finished just a single point behind with 128 points, winning three major events—including back-to-back victories in the final two rounds. The duel between Macdonald and Schnyder lasted down to the wire, making it one of the highlights of 2025.

Robert Christe claimed third with 86 points, thanks to his reliability and ability to collect points at each event.

Nolan Christen ranked fourth with 77 points, buoyed by several podiums, including an especially strong finish at Grandval that pushed him up the final rankings.

Charlotte Suard rounded out the top five with 65 points. She impressed with steady results during the summer rounds, securing her place among the best in the category.

Junior Category

Kevin Frutiger dominated the Junior class from start to finish, notching a perfect season with seven wins and a maximum 140 points. His supremacy suggests a bright future in the sport.

Nevio André ended the year second with 119 points, always finishing runner-up at every event and establishing himself as Frutiger’s chief rival.

Christy Schnyder took third with 105 points, matching André’s consistency by collecting seven third-place results.

Levi Walther finished fourth with 91 points, always placing inside the top five and gathering crucial points at every event.

Nolan Christen (77 points) took fifth, building steadily over the season and making his mark in events like MC Roches and Grandval.

Open Category

The Open category saw a packed and competitive field. Urs Plüss (Trial Club Schwenden) won the championship with 112 points, thanks to exemplary consistency and a decisive victory at MC Roches.

Jacques Aebi finished second with 108 points, buoyed by a win at MC Montchoisi and an impressive string of podiums that kept him in the title hunt until the end.

Thomas André came in third with 106 points, finishing the season on a high with wins at Schwenden and Grandval, coming close to overturning the championship leaderboard.

Hans Zenklusen finished fourth with 78 points, highlighted by a win at MC Illgraben and the kind of steadiness that kept him firmly in the top five.

Joseph Hürlimann rounded out this elite group with 73 points, including a victory at Amicale du Trial des Hauts-Geneveys and solid performances all summer long.