Following the success of 2011's Run to the Sun competition, Vital Equipment, the UK distributor for Carless Racing Fuels and DMACK tyres has announced its 2012 competition, Champions on Ice. This year's reward will differ from 2011, in that the winning driver from the Junior categories of the BTRDA and Scottish rally series will win a funded four-day trip to Ice Drive Sweden to hone their skills on a frozen lake.

Last year, the winning junior driver and their co-driver from both series were treated to a four-day trip to Rally d'Espana as guests of Vital Equipment. This proved a huge success, with all four - Tom Cave, Craig Parry, Liam Harkness and William Keaning - soaking up the WRC's most famous party atmosphere as well as taking in some iconic stages.

However, the company decided this year that the prize should help develop a driver's skill and propel them forward in their rallying career. One of the most widely acknowledged ways to do this is for drivers to take part in an ice driving event, learning car control in low grip situations. And it is exactly this that the 2012 scheme will deliver.

Each driver will receive two days of training with Matt Edwards of MERallyDrive. Matt is a former BTRDA 1400, MSA English and Welsh National Group N Champion. Driving Group N Ford Fiesta STs fitted with DMack tyres, they will spend the two days at the Ice Drive Sweden facility, run by former rally and rallycross champion and 205 Challenge series organiser, Pat Flynn. All associated costs, including flights, transfers and accommodation will be met by Vital Equipment.

While the 2011 Run to the Sun competition was open to all Junior drivers in the BTRDA and SRC series, in 2012, drivers must register for the scheme and use  fuel supplied by Vital Equipment, exclusively for at least four events during the season. This can be products from the Carless Racing Fuels range, such as Turbo Ultimate or Vital Equipment's low-cost option, of super unleaded fuel. Competitors must also carry Champions on Ice stickers on their cars on every rally, highlighting their participation in the scheme.

Commenting, MD of Vital Equipment, Alistair Roberts, said: "Last year's Run to the Sun competition was a resounding success and all four of the winners had a real blast in Spain for the penultimate round of the 2011 WRC. We wanted to do something similar for this year but at the same time, offer a prize that would help drivers develop their skills and that's when we came up with the idea of the ice driving school.

"Participation in the scheme is fairly straightforward - people just have to run the stickers and use fuel supplied by Vital Equipment at least four times during the year. We know from feedback from our many customers that the fuel itself delivers the goods in terms of performance and consistency and the idea is to offer a little something more from Vital Equipment.

"Of course, we'll be providing fuelling services at every round of the BTRDA and the SRC series, starting with the Wyedean Rally in February and will also have the full range of DMACK tyres available for delivery to each event."

For more information, including registration details for Champions on Ice and order forms for Carless Racing Fuels and DMACK tyres, go to the Vital Equipment website, vitalequipment.co.uk.