Classic Marathon plans

On January 12, full details of the Classic Marathon, scheduled for June 18-26 1988, will be announced in London by the event organisers and sponsors.

Some people thought that this would rival the London-Sydney Marathon of twenty years ago, but this is not the case at all. The event will take place entirely in Europe and will revive some of the spectacular Alpine passes which have never been used competitively since the cessation of great classics such as the Alpine and the Liege.

This London-Alps-London rally will take in such famous passes as Mont Ventoux, the Restefond , the Stelvio and the Gavia, and will have a 2800-mile route incorporating sections from the Tulip, Liege, Monte Carlo and Alpine rallies.

Even by the end of October there had been more than 500 enquiries, of which many had materialised into deposit-paying entries, pointing to the appearance of a fine selection of splendid rally cars of the past. The entry fee is £850, and the address for enquires at this stage is Bramble Bay Cottage, Cousley Wood, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6EZ.

However, we have to point out that the maximum entry, set at 75, has already been achieved.

If you are no great admirer of FISA’s version of a rally car and prefer Minis, Rapiers, Tigers, Healeys, two-stroke Saabs, Fulvias, TRs, Anglias, PV544s, Morgans and cars of much earlier vintage, or if you are simply attracted to magnificient Alpine passes, this will be an event worth seeing.