Hi Listers,
Here is a copy of the most recent posting to the London-Cape Town Rally
Website
showing what has happened to our intrepid Triumph competitors!
Day 4 - Tuesday 27 October
Six o'clock saw the first competitor crawling out of the hotel. For the
Category A cars and 4x4 Adventure Drive participants, what followed was a
gentle run around the Zagreb bypass to the first control of the day. However,
the Category B cars had to thread their way through the centre of Zagreb to
reach a regularity section held on the Slieme hillclimb - often used by
Croatian motor sporting events. The first of the event's medal sections then
followed. The medal sections are tightly timed sections over twisty, uphill,
or otherwise demanding roads. If crews are to retain that precious Gold Medal,
they must not drop any time at any controls on these sections.
The two routes then joined up once again before heading out of Croatia and
into Hungary. Here in the town of Baja, they were treated to a lunch of the
local speciality soup cooked over an open fire in the town square. This was
enjoyed in the presence of both the local mayor, and the Hungarian ambassador
to Britain.
The route then continued towards Romania and into Timisoara, where the event
is staying for the night.
After four days of hard motoring, there are provisionally seven crews who have
achieved the Gold Medal standard at every control. They are:
>>>>>>18 John Kipping/John Thomason Triumph Vitesse
25 John Blanckley/Tony Davies/Ms Ann Humphreys Austin A105
29 Nicholas Marks/Mrs Anabella Marks Lancia Aurelia B12
30 Stephen Cooper/Stanley Cooper Mercedes 250 SE
38 John Bayliss/Ian Dobinson Ford Mustang 289 HIPO
44 Jac Nellemann/Ms Angelika Kommer Mercedes 350 SLC
45 Alistair Caldwell/Peter van Camp Mercedes 280 SL
Unfortunately, I also have to report the first retirement of the event. Car
number 4 - the Bentley 3/4.5L of Gerry Leumann and Mrs Helen Leumann -
developed terminal drive train problems which have seen it on the back of a
recovery truck heading home to Switzerland. However, Gerry is not one to be
beaten easily, and has vowed to repair the vehicle and fly it out to Kenya to
rejoin the event in Nairobi! Good luck Gerry - see you in Africa!
Hope you all enjoyed that report, our boys seem to be OK so far, but wish the
organisers would update their website soon!
Regards
Leon F Guyot
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