The 2013 Great South American Challenge, organised by H&H Classic Rallies, crossed the finishing line March 24th in Ushuaia, Argentina – the world’s most southerly town – after 14,500 gruelling kilometres of action, triumph and adventure, stretching from Rio de Janeiro to the very tip of the world. The start on 14 February was organised to coincide with the end of the greatest show on earth – the 2013 Rio Carnival – when 29 cars, from Austin to Vauxhall, with participants from Australia to the USA, set out on the adventure of a lifetime.
The route included the Foz do Iguaccu Falls in Brazil; the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia; Lake Titicaca – the highest navigable lake in the world; Machu Picchu in Peru – the home of the Inca Kings; the Atacama desert – the driest place on earth; and the lake district of Chile; Patagonia; glaciers and the wine regions of Argentina; before the final dash to the end of the world in Ushuaia.
The event was won by the father and son combination of Max and James Stephenson from Australia in their 1923 Vauxhall 23/60, followed by the Porsche 356 of Stephen Harris from the USA and co-driver Hayden Burvill from Australia. Third went to Hans Geist and Herbert Pinzolits from Austria in their Mercedes-Benz 280SE.
Commenting on his success, Max Stephenson said, “This was a fantastic rally and to win it with my son is unbelievable. Congratulations to everyone who finished this event, which is one of the toughest in the world.”
Of the 29 starters, seven failed to reach the finish – all through mechanical failure or lack of preparation.
The Great South American Challenge 2013 was the second endurance rally organised by H&H Classic Rallies (the first was the Tiger Rally in south east Asia) and was regarded as a success by the participants. The second Great South American Challenge is scheduled for 2015. For more information, visit hhclassicrallies.com.
Great South American Challenge 2013 – Rally Results
1st Overall – Max and James Stephenson – 1923 Vauxhall 23/60
2nd Overall (and winners of Class C) – Stephen Harris and Hayden Burvill – 1964 Porsche 356
3rd Overall (and winners of Class D) – Hans Geist and Herbert Pinzolits – 1969 Mercedes 280SE
Winners of Class A: Bill and Biddy Bolsover – 1927 Bentley 3/8
Winners of Class B: Lloyd Dahmen and Chuck Schwager – 1949 Cadillac 62 Coupe
Great South American Challenge 2013 – Photo Gallery
Great South American Challenge 2013 – Photo Gallery Page Two
Great South American Challenge 2013 – Photo Gallery Page Three
Great South American Challenge 2013 – Photo Gallery Page Four
[Source: H&H Classic Rallies]
Very beautiful! Fantastics cars in fantastic scenery.
Thank you for bringing these great pictures from an event that I didn’t know existed. Seems like a bucket-list type of event…(yet another!)
Absolutely stunning! But please, in addition to details of the cars in the pictures, could you also add something about the location?
Like driving on spaghetti
Would love to read about some of the adventures on the trip. Where’s our write up, interviews, etc. 😉
Agree with Anonymous; more on the experiences of selected contestants would be good. I was intrigued by the WIDE {!} variety/age/type
of cars, and the thinking behind the choices is obscure, at least. Probably, a book could be written on this event and still leave lots out.
Pictures, scenery etc truly remarkable. Whoda thunk it, 14,000 km?
now that seems like a lot of fun 😀