2016 Rallye National de la Cote Fleurie

Patrice and Nadia Leon in their Seat Ibiza start the sixth stage on their way to 15th place and a class win.

Well, I finally have my new Canon DSLR that I have been contemplating since before Christmas. Unfortunately it arrived just before this Rally and thus I didn’t even have time to read the instruction manual!   It is thus, perhaps, surprising that I got any pictures at all.  I remember in about 1980 buying an Olympus OM10 SLR and going down to Brands Hatch and taking 36 shots before finding I hadn’t put the film on properly!  Certainly, I really love the feel of the Canon EOS 7D Mk2 but I just need to understand it a bit more and to find some time to get down to Magny Cours in the next few weeks and practice on some moving targets.  I probably ought to sit still for a few minutes and read the manual as well!

A Renault Clio Ragnotti on its way to the sixth stage at St Benoit d'Hebertot.
This car driven by Grégory Denie finished 19th and won the N3 class.

Last Saturday 27^th February 2016 was very cold and windy in Normandy but bright at times for the Rallye National de la Cote Fleurie which is held in the area around Deauville and Trouville.  It was the 46^th running of this Rally.  Unfortunately as I was combining various pursuits into one weekend I arrived later than expected and had to leave before I wanted and thus missed many interesting cars.  Nevertheless, here are a few photos that give some flavor of the rally and the 6^th stage at St Benoît d’Hébertot.  It was a 12.6km stage and I took some photos at the very start and some near the hairpin just before the finish.  All pictures were on the tarmac section.   It was good to see a large number of spectators for this event despite the cold February day.    

The Subaru Impreza Sti N11 of Sebastien Bret and Julia O'Brien.  They retired on the tenth stage.

These first pictures were taken close up with a Tamron 17-50 lens at the start of the stage near the centre of St Benoit d'Hebertot.  Interesting to note that many of the co-drivers were female.  A few women drivers as well.

The Porsche 996 GT3 of Michel Nourry exits the first corner.

Nicolas Martin and Matthieu Daussy finished 22nd in their Renault Clio R3.

The 18th placed Citroen C2 R2 Max of Thomas Garet and Charlene Jolit.

The 25th place Citroen C2 VTS of Pascal Lecamus and Anthony Bougeas.

The Renault Clio III of Philippe and Patricia Gouley.  They finished 20th out of the 77 who completed the whole rally.

The 29th placed Renault Clio R3 of the Cahagnes.

The BMW M3 of Emmanuel Hervieu and Pascal Viquensnel.  They finished 13th.

 We then walked down the road to the end of the stage to get some different shots, some of which were taken with a 70-300 zoom.

Some Peugeots pictured at final hairpin on the sixth stage.  Photos taken with my old Panasonic compact.

The Peugeot 205 Rallye of Jérôme Van Oosterwyk and Christophe Morin that finished 66th.

The Peugeot 106 Rallye that finished 53rd.

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Another Peugeot 106 Rallye. This one finished 49th.

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A Peugeot 106XSi.

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The Renault Clio Ragnotti that finished 47th.

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A Peugeot 106 XSi. It finished 60th.

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Tailpiece - One of the Porsche course cars heads towards the finish of the stage.