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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Report and Photos

1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Zagato
1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Zagato

The Alpine Trial Rally 2015 was staged 6-9 September in southeastern France, starting and ending in the alpine town of Annecy. The second running of the Alpine Trial from Endurance Rally Association (ERA) was based around Annecy’s Imperial Hotel, with the route taking in a different direction each day — south to the 2000 meter high Col de la Madeleine, west towards the Rhone valley and the Jura Mountains and finally every road at the foot of Mont Blanc.

With Regularity and Special Tests as well as Alpine sections, route master Keith Baud pushed the crews to the limit as they navigated rocky hairpins, remote Alpine roads and the steepest of mountain climbs. Per the rules, crews only received their route books just 30 minutes before each day’s start so while navigators frantically plotted and calculated, the drivers checked and rechecked those all important staples of motoring life such as tyre pressures, water, oil and washer fluid.

Fred Gallagher, ERA’s Rally Director, said, “The glorious weather and stunning scenery have once again provided a wondrous backdrop to three fantastic days of historic rallying. The route continues to offer exciting competition where car and crew work hard to grab every second to create an advantage for fear of meeting the unknown on the mountain roads. Some of the pre-rally favourites saw themselves tumble down the leaderboard due to meeting a herd of cows on an Alpine pass.”

After three thrilling days of pre-war rallying, it was Peter Kite, Terry Thorp and the 1934 Frazer Nash Tourist Trophy Replica that won the Alpine Trial Rally 2015. The all-British team just managed to keep American James Gately in the 1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe, with Flying Scotsman winning navigator Tony Brooks, in second place, with only 24 seconds between them. Hot on their wheels was the 1926 Bentley Super Sports of Mike Thompson and Julian Riley, finishing just eight seconds adrift in third place.

Winning driver Peter Kite, jubilant after collecting the silverware in only his third ever rally, thanked the two people who helped him reach the top spot, “Thanks to Archie Frazer Nash for building the best motorcar in the world and Terry Thorp, my navigator.”

As well as the overall winners, the Alpine Trial’s 45-strong entry-list was broken down into five categories based on engine size: up to 1500cc; up to 2000cc; up to 3000cc; up to 4000cc; over 4000cc, with class winners celebrated in each.

There were also special awards for Richard and Anthony Joseph in the 1930 Austin 7 Ulster, the smallest car on the event, who were presented with the Spirit of the Rally accolade, and Concours d’Elegance winners Tony and Pauline Mather in the 1937 Citroen Traction Avant.

The 2016 Alpine Trial will take place from 25-28 September, with entries already being received. For more information on the ERA events, visit EnduroRally.com.

Similar to 2014, Sports Car Digest also documented the 2015 Alpine Trial Rally, with photographer Gerard Brown offering wonderful images that highlight the outstanding mountain vistas of France. We split up Gerard’s pictures into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, all displayed in the full-width view, while the second gallery and complete results can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all photographs.

Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery

 

1931 Invicta Low Chassis 'S'
1931 Invicta Low Chassis ‘S’
Alpine Trial Rally 2015
Alpine Trial Rally 2015
1937 Lagonda LG45
1937 Lagonda LG45
1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
1937 Frazer Nash BMW 328
1937 Frazer Nash BMW 328
1928 Ford Model A
1928 Ford Model A
1937 Citroen Traction Avant
1937 Citroen Traction Avant
1934 Frazer Nash TT Replica
Overall Winners – 1934 Frazer Nash Tourist Trophy Replica of Peter Kite and Terry Thorp

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Two

 

1930 Rolls Royce Phantom II
1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II
1926 Bentley Super Sports
1926 Bentley Super Sports
1935 Riley 12/4 Special
1935 Riley 12/4 Special
1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Zagato
1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Zagato
1937 Alvis Speed 25
1937 Alvis Speed 25
1922 Bentley 3-4 1/2 Litre
1922 Bentley 3-4 1/2 Litre
1938 Riley 16/4 Special
1938 Riley 16/4 Special
1933 MG K3
1933 MG K3

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Three

 

1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Zagato
1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Zagato
1937 Alvis Speed 25
1937 Alvis Speed 25
1936 Buick Series 40 Roadster
1936 Buick Series 40 Roadster
1937 Riley 12/4
1937 Riley 12/4
1928 Ford Model A
1928 Ford Model A
1936 Railton Fairmile II DHC
1936 Railton Fairmile II DHC
1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
1936 Alvis 4.3 Tourer
1936 Alvis 4.3 Tourer

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Four

 

1937 Riley 12/4
The 1937 Riley 12/4 distorts your face
1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
1936 Buick Series 40 Roadster
1936 Buick Series 40 Roadster
1924 Bentley 3-4 1/2 Litre
1924 Bentley 3-4 1/2 Litre
1933 Talbot 105 Alpine
1933 Talbot 105 Alpine
1937 Citroen Traction Avant
1937 Citroen Traction Avant
1936 Invicta S Type
1936 Invicta S Type
1933 Aston Martin Le Mans
1933 Aston Martin Le Mans

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Five

 

1933 Lagonda M45
1933 Lagonda M45
1937 Riley 12/4
1937 Riley 12/4
1924 Rolls Royce Boat Tail Roadster
1924 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Roadster
1938 AC 16/80 Sports
1938 AC 16/80 Sports
1930 Austin 7 Ulster
1930 Austin 7 Ulster
1933 Lagonda M45
1933 Lagonda M45
1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1947 HRG 1500
1947 HRG 1500

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Six

 

1926 Bentley Super Sports
1926 Bentley Super Sports
1931 Invicta Low Chassis 'S'
1931 Invicta Low Chassis ‘S’
1930 Rolls Royce Phantom II
1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II
1928 Ford Model A
1928 Ford Model A
1938 Alvis 4.3 Tourer
1938 Alvis 4.3 Tourer
1938 Riley 16/4 Special
1938 Riley 16/4 Special
1924 Bentley 3 Litre Speed
1924 Bentley 3 Litre Speed
1937 Lagonda LG45
1937 Lagonda LG45

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Seven

 

1938 Riley 16/4 Special
1938 Riley 16/4 Special
1928 Ford Model A
1928 Ford Model A
1936 Riley Bigley Special
1936 Riley Bigley Special
1937 Frazer Nash BMW 328
1937 Frazer Nash BMW 328
1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Zagato
1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Zagato
1934 Frazer Nash TT Replica
1934 Frazer Nash TT Replica
1936 Invicta S Type
1936 Invicta S Type
1934 MG K3
1934 MG K3

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Eight

 

1936 Riley Bigley Special
1936 Riley Bigley Special
1926 Bentley Super Sports
1926 Bentley Super Sports
1947 HRG 1500
1947 HRG 1500
1937 Frazer Nash BMW 328
1937 Frazer Nash BMW 328
1936 Alvis 4.3 Tourer
1936 Alvis 4.3 Tourer
1933 MG K3
1933 MG K3
1936 Railton Fairmile II DHC
1936 Railton Fairmile II DHC
1938 Riley 16/4 Special
1938 Riley 16/4 Special

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Nine

 

1927 Bentley 3-4 1/2 Litre
1927 Bentley 3-4 1/2 Litre
1937 Alvis Speed 25
1937 Alvis Speed 25
1936 Railton Fairmile II DHC
1936 Railton Fairmile II DHC
1926 Bentley Super Sports
1926 Bentley Super Sports
1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
1937 Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
1937 Citroen Traction Avant
1937 Citroen Traction Avant
1922 Bentley 3-4 1/2 Litre
1922 Bentley 3-4 1/2 Litre
1934 MG K3
1934 MG K3

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)

 

[nggallery id=867 images=15]

 

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Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Overall Winners

1. Peter Kite and Terry Thorpe, Frazer Nash TT REP
2. James Gately and Tony Brooks, Cadillac 60 Series Coupe
3. Mike Thompson and Julian Riley, Bentley Super Sports

Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Class Winners

Class 5 Vintageants Pre-1941 over 4000cc

1. Beat and Elizabeth Hirs, Rolls-Royce Phantom 11. Car 50
2. Alan Brown and Suzy Black, Invicta Low Chassis S. Car 41
3. David and Julia Little, Bentley. Car 15

Class 4 Vintageants Pre-1941 up to 4000cc

1. Martin and Josephine Aaldering, Alvis Speed 25. Car 12
2. Bill Cleyndert and Matthew Abrey, Ford Model A. Car 05
3. Keith Wickham and Brian Spearman, Rolls-Royce Boat Tail

Class 3 Vintageants Pre-1941 up to 3000cc

1. Richard and Tom Jeffcoate, Riley 16/4 Special
2. Dominc and Jack Manser, Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model
3. Michael and Philip Joseph, Alvis Speed 20

Class 2 Vintageants Pre-1941 up to 2000cc

1. Tony and Pauline Mather, Citroen Traction Avant
2. Peter and Zoe Lovett, Frazer Nash BMW 328
3. Simon Skelding and Judy Douglas-Boyd, AC 16/80 Sports

Class 1 Vintageants Pre-1941 up to 1500cc

1. Clint and Brad Smith, MGK3
2. Phillip and Yvonne Hallam, Aston Martin Le Mans
3. Richard and Anthony Joseph, Austin 7 Ulster

Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Spirit of the Rally

Richard and Anthony Joseph, Austin 7 Ulster

Alpine Trial Rally 2015 – Concours d’Elegance

Tony and Pauline Mather, Citroen Traction Avant

[Source: Endurance Rally Association; photos: Gerard Brown]