A truly international field of 32 crews started out from two different locations for the 19th running of the International Winter Challenge. Competitors from several European countries were accompanied by two entries from Japan’s Tokyo University Historic Rally Team. Starting point one was the superb “Race Retro,” rightly billed as Europe’s premier historic Motor Show and based in the grounds of Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, England. The second starting point was over the English Channel in France, where the picturesque town of Troyes, in the Champagne region, hosted the opening leg for competitors both from the Continent and some UK crews as well.
The popularity of the start from Race Retro allowed the organizers, HERO/CRA, to add a second event for competitors unable to make the full journey to Monte Carlo. Named as Retro Challenge, it paid homage to the success of the event it starts from, and the crews taking part set off in front of the main Winter Challenge. A spectacular start area was lined with spectators as the mainly pre-1970 vehicles assembled for the off, a special test that took in the tree-lined avenues and roads that criss-cross the grounds of the venue. UK starters made their way toward Southampton, avoiding main roads and using the quieter, more testing lanes that transect the countryside. It was here at Southampton where the Retro Challenge competitors finished, the event being won by Duncan Wild and Jez Boakes in a 1965 Triumph 2000, a great achievement as this was Boakes’ first event ever as a navigator.
At the same time, competitors from Troyes headed away, both sets of Winter Challenge crews would complete the same style of route on the same day, albeit in different countries. Two regularity sections and a test would bring the day’s proceedings to a halt, the following day converging all competitors in a village close to Le Mans where the event would then properly get under way. From the outset, the 1964 Porsche 356 of Jan Ebus/Jan Berkhof would be dominant. Ebus, who narrowly lost out on last year’s “Rally of the Tests” was in amazing form, it was clear to see he meant business. The event wound its way southeasterly, taking in the rolling plains of middle France before the real business started on Tuesday afternoon. It was here that the countryside became much more undulating and Col started to appear on the route instructions.
Ebus/Berkhof kept up their dominance amid stiff competition from some of Europe’s top historic endurance rally crews, more than two and a half minutes separated them from 2nd-placed David Hughes who was navigated by Richard Dix and Martin Neal in their 1964 Volvo 122S. Taking 3rd were the vastly experienced Charles Colton and Ryan Pickering in a beautiful 1965 Porsche 911.
For more details see www.heroevents.eu or www.craevents.eu.
