Etretat Hill Climb 2017 - VSCC Pre-War cars.

Francesca Wilton, hair blowing in the wind, driving her 1935 Austin Seven down the hill.

For the third year in succession I was back at Etretat for the annual pilgrimage of the VSCC cars to France to drive in a hillclimb on public roads and over a distance somewhat longer than their normal climbs up Shelsley Walsh and Prescott.    The participants are pretty much the same old bunch each year and there is only one corner to spectate at, but something brings me back each year to this end of summer vintage fiesta.

Nearly 30 VSCC participants turned up with their pre-war cars, including the usual plethora of Frazer Nash and MGs.  This year the French spectators had the pleasure of seeing a 1939 Talbot T150SC amongst the participants and I was looking forward to seeing the GN and Bolster specials.  The drivers are a real mix, with some driving at what appears to be a fast Sunday afternoon drive in the country pace whilst others are clearly driving near the limit. What they all share is a passion and enthusiasm for these lovely old cars.  This is motor sport at completely the opposite end of the spectrum to the Belgian GP that was taking place at the same time.  Great fun and long may it continue.

You can see photos of all of the VSCC competitors below on Sunday afternoon during their second competitive run up the hill of the weekend.  They are listed in order of their scratch times with the fastest first.  None of the competitors beat the 1 minute barrier for the 1.62km course and thus Rob Cobden’s record remained intact.

Julian Grimwade was the fastest of the pre-war VSCC class runners in his 1934 3.6 litre Frazer Nash Norris Special.

Sue Darbyshire is always fast in her 1.3 litre 1929 Morgan Super Aero.  She was second overall in the pre-War section and won her class.

Peter Edney won his class in this 1.35 litre 1936 MG TA.

For more about the MG TA, click here.

Its a family affair so next up was George Edney in this 1939 1.5 litre MG TB

One of my favourite cars was this 1923 1.5 litre GN Spider.

Another favourite was this 1923/32 1.3 litre Richard Bolster Special.

One of the many fast women competitors was Joanna Blakeney-Edwards in this 1929 Frazer Nash Super Sports. 

Mark Roper in a 1929 3.3 litre Frazer Nash Super Sports.

A crowd pleaser was this lovely 1939 Talbot T150C driven by John Guyatt.

Another of the later cars was this 1939 Frazer Nash BMW 328 2 litre driven by Alastair Pugh.

Some serious understeer from Steven Pryke in his 1933 Frazer Nash TT Replica.

Andrew Morland in his 1933 1.1 litre MG L1.  He won his class.

Robin Balmain in his Aston Martin/Riley International  of 1931/9.

Tyre or brake smoking action from Kevin Morton in his 1931 Riley 9.

Duncan Potter's 1931 supercharged MG Montlhery.

Spectacular opposite lock driving from Paul Weston in a 1934 Frazer Nash TT Replica.

For more about the Frazer Nash TT Replica, click here.

Roger Buxton in a 1930 suprcharged Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport.

Annabel Jones cutting the apex in her 1926 Frazer Nash 1.5 litre Boulogne Vitesse.

Timothy Pryke in his 1935 2 litre Frazer Nash Colmore.

An MG PB 1 litre supercharged of 1935 driven by Rachel Holdsworth.

Gerald Wilton, 1932 1.5 litre supercharged Riley TT Sprite.

1935 750cc Austin Seven driven by Francesca Wilton.

Andrew Messent, 1927 1.1 litre Morgan Super Aero. 

1934 Fazer Nash TT Replica driven by B.Mellors.

Robin Lightwood, 1928 1.5 litre Frazer Nash Sports.

1925 1.5 litre Frazer Nash Super Sports driven by Andy Cawley.

Richard Wyatt, 1931 750cc Austin Seven.

For the Post war cars at the 2017 Etretat Hillclimb, click here.

For the Post Historic cars at the 2017 Etretat Hillclimb, click here.

For the Modern cars at the 2017 Course de Cote Etretat/Bénouville click here.

For pictures of the 2015 Etretat Hillclimb, click here.

For Pictures of the 2016 Etretat Hillclimb, click here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Course de Côte du Mont Dore 2017, Championnat de France de la Montagne Production

The Renault Clio 4 Cup of Eric Peyrard making his ascent of Mont Dore.

The Production cars category of the French Mountain Hillclimb Championship always contains a nice selection of cars.  Everything from old sports cars of the seventies to modern Peugeots and Renaults to exotica like Lamboghinis and Porsches with a few Silhouette cars thrown in.   The Course de Cote du Mont Dore / Chambon sur Lac in August 2017 was no exception.  A number of the runners were also registered for the European Hillclimb Championship round and thus their photos can be found via the following link:

https://rouenlesafx.blogspot.fr/2017/08/fia-european-hillclimb-championship.html

Examples of the other runners can be seen below:

One of the many Mitjets making its ascent.  This is the Tork-Mitjet of Marc Basseres.

The stunning and unusual Volvo TC 10 of Pierre Beal

The Volvo TC10 Silhouette car in the paddock.

One of the first of the production cars up the course was Laurent Etie in his Peugeot 306 Maxi.

Marc Le Goff in his Simca R3 makes his first ascent on Saturday.

The Simca R3 waiting for a second run on Saturday afternoon.

Six time French Mountain Production Champion Nicolas Werver in his Porsche 997.

A Jidé waiting for its run.

Renaud Desmereau in his Jidé.  He was third in class FC3.

The Peugeot 205 Rallye of Philippe Quioc.

The Lamborghini Gallardo of Nicolas Caumon.

The top of the hill is still misty as one of the cars makes its ascent.

Anthony Dubois in his Porsche 997 Cup.

Flavian Sagot in his BMW M3

The Renault Clio 3 Cup of Laurent Lafosse.

The Mitjet of Jean-Michel Lestienne.

The Renault Clio Cup of Pascal Derre getting close to the armco.

Nice looking BMW Z3 M of Jean-Marc Tissot.

Lotus Exige returning down the hill.

The Opel Speedster of Serge Di Cioccio was second in his class.

Peugeot 205 Kit Car waiting for its Saturday afternoon run.

Laurent Etie in his Peugeot 306 Maxi just after the start.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.