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What happened during the Rallye des Princesses ? |
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Princesses
(French)
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PRESS RELEASE - 24 September 2000 Patrick Zaniroli and his organisation can be rightfully proud. The first Rallye des Princesses has come to an exciting conclusion, both for the all-female and mixed crews. FEMALE CREWS: 1-Bugatti 35 B: Caroline Bugatti-Rinaldi/Danielle Rinaldi MIXED CREWS: 1-Jaguar XK120 Oblin: Delphine de Rohan-Chabot-Brooks/Daniel Brooks
A truly extraordinary atmosphere prevailed during the finish of the Rally in Saint-Raphaël, with participants congratulating one another and clamouring for stories from their competitors and friends. The all-female crews put on quite a show: The sublime Bugatti 35 B took the lead from the Place Vendôme and did not relinquish it until the finish. Caroline Bugatti-Rinaldi, granddaughter of the famous automobile manufacturer, together with her mother-in-law, Danielle Rinaldi, ran the race with considerable talent and determination. This family endeavour worked perfectly. The two husbands, father and son, were in charge of special assistance for this 1925 mechanical princess, and the ladies handled the driving and navigation. Who can forget the unique sight of the Bugatti at the top of Mont Ventoux, tackling the descent with brio? During the awards ceremony, Caroline recalled that the first winner of the Paris-St. Raphaël Rally was a Bugatti, and stated that she was glad to continue the tradition. Finally, in a lovely gesture, our "Princesse" for the year 2000 gave Danielle the magnificent Lalaounis set of jewellery reserved for the winners. The surprising Cox 1300, the still-familiar shape of the 1973 Volkswagen coupé, was skilfully driven by Patricia Bertapelle and Anna Clopet, who took second place after running a good race. A specialist at driving on ice, Patricia Bertapelle has quite a few awards, but joined the fun of the first female rally under the Voditi colours. Third place was taken by the 1971 Daf 55 Marathon, driven by the Dutch sisters Joana Van der Kroft and Lillan Van der Vaart. The sisters have considerable experience with regularity rallies, but they competed together for the first time in the Rallye des Princesses, which was like a holiday to them. Lady Pauline Harris of Peckman and her co-pilot, Ann Locks, had difficulty with their 1961 MG A, which refused to start at the Place Vendôme. Quickly repaired during the first stage, the little red and white convertible, to Lady Pauline's great pleasure, won the sole circuit race at La Châtre and came in fourth at the finish line. Still new to rallies, Brigitte Tirouflet discovered her Mercedes 230 SL and met her co-pilot, Ghislaine Perriot, at the same time. The lovely 1966 Pagode convertible, a gift from Mr Tirouflet to his wife for the Rallye des Princesses, won the difficult Gorges de l'Ardèche stage between Vichy and Vals les Bains. Well-known for her participation in the Paris-Dakar rally and other rallies, Bernadette Sacy, accompanied by Joyce de Montaignac, drove a 1970 MG B Roadster. The car, sporting the Bioscreen and Delbard colours, proved a tad temperamental, but rallied for the finish line. While spectacular, the 1977 Excalibur Phaeton III driven by Murielle Romanczuk was not really suited to the route of the Rallye des Princesses, and Murielle and Agnès Saumon thus deserve all the more credit. Two princesses at the wheel of the TR3 Roadster, Diane d'Orléans and Constance de Bourbon Parme discovered all at once the world of auto sports, their TR3 sporting the colours of Dior Watches, and the constraints of the clock. They truly relished each stage, and are all set for the next Rallye des Princesses. Also new to rallies, Hermine de Clermont-Tonnerre and Helen of Yugoslavia were quite pleased to come in last. Their magnificent Austin Healey MK III, sporting the Mauboussin and Fondation pour la Chirurgie Cardiaque colours, was much admired, and its crew soon became a favourite of the media. The mixed-crews category: Delphine de Rohan-Chabot-Brooks, great-niece of the founder of the legendary Paris-St Raphaël rally, and her American husband, Daniel Brooks, savoured the rewards of an excellent effort. When the results were announced, an emotional Delphine declared that the mixed-crew formula in which the lady takes the wheel suited her perfectly. She was thinking particularly about the ascent of Mont Ventoux and its endless hairpin bends, and was surprised to have thus discovered in herself a previously unknown potential. The magnificent Jaguar XK 120 Oblin, a unique model, behaved perfectly, despite a broken odometer which did not make the navigator's task any easier. Having led the race from the beginning, Danielle Peumans and Jean Claude Defresnes in their 1971 BMW 1600 could curse their clutch cable, which deprived them of victory, but the Belgian crew stoically accepted the law of sport. This BMW 1600 had been lent by a collector friend, enabling Danielle to discover the rally, the car and her talent for driving. Third place was taken by the Ferrari 250 GT, driven by another Belgian crew, Martine Lievens and Jacques Heymans, which made a superb comeback after a first stage full of mechanical difficulties (petrol pump). A Ferrari collector, Jacques Heymans chose the 1958 250 GT, which used to belong to Prince Bernard of Holland, and for the first time handed the wheel to Martine. She has happy memories of driving, especially after the mechanical problems were sorted out. A circuit driver in VEC, and a motorcycle driver in the Paris-Dakar rally, Philippe Bermudes turned the driving over to his wife Nathalie, who enthusiastically recalls her efforts on the sharp twists between Vichy and Vals at the wheel of their 1961 TR3. This lovely couple greatly enjoyed the unexpected situations and encounters during the rally. The Chifflets in their Triumph TR3 sported superb red leather skullcaps to match the coachwork and appreciated both the sporting organisation of the race and the convivial atmosphere of the stopovers. They will long remember the unbearable suspense of their struggle with the Fiat 500. A special mention goes to the Mattei crew in their 1971 Fiat 500 for their endurance, courage and perseverance. They earned a well-deserved 7th place, and one could also add the prize for good spirits. They especially liked the descents. Quite the gentleman, Yves Duquesnoy gave his wife Francine a superb white 1961 Austin Healey Mark I. After celebrating their 22nd wedding anniversary in style in Vals les Bains, the charming owners of the Côté Jardin restaurant in Le Touquet experienced some petrol inlet problems at the end of the rally, but they were all smiles at the finish line. Dana Milik and René Simons, driving a racing green Bentley Mark VI, were another memorable couple in the rally. Despite some worries about overheating in the last leg, they were beaming at the finish line. Dana also stressed the pleasure of outdoing oneself and of getting caught up in the competition. There was also competition in matters of accessories and outfits, since it seems nothing was left to chance for a Bentley. A superb car, the Mercedes 230 SL driven by Dominique and Hubert Flament nevertheless gave them some headaches. Although it experienced numerous problems between Vals and Aix, it finished the rally. In order to complete the story, it is necessary to highlight the enthusiastic participation of the sponsors: The Comité Vendôme, associating itself with prestigious events, allowed the Rallye des Princesses to start from the Place Vendôme. VW France and Audi joined the organisers of the first Rallye des Princesses in giving a superb launch cocktail party in the salons of the Hôtel Meurice, in the presence of Michel Le Paire, President of the Executive Board of VW France, and with Mumm champagne. In a special preview of the Mondial de l'Automobile, Audi A2's were available to transport the guests, and Audi also provided organisation vehicles and vehicles for the press throughout the rally. Adding a touch of charm, Delbard played host to the Rallye des Princesses in its gardens at Malicorne during the second stage. Bioscreen, Hennessy, Ilias Lalaounis, Louis Vuitton, Mauboussin, Christian Dior Watches and Voditi, handed out prizes to the competitors during the 23 September gala evening.
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