An impressive 68 starters crossed the finishing post at the 26th running of the Classic Marathon 2015, which served as a round of both the HERO Cup for drivers and the Golden Roamer Trophy. Kev Haworth reports.
Vehicles ranged in age from a 1934 Lagonda M45 T8 Tourer crewed by Marquis Giulio Romanazzi-Carducci and Giuseppe Ceci to a 1990 Porsche (964) 911 convertible piloted by Marco Carnaroli and Camillo Costa. A large crowd of onlookers and well-wishers gathered just outside the harbour in Otranto, Puglia to wave crews away on what turned out to be a closely fought and epic battle, which was ultimately decided on the final day.
The first leg was a prologue to enable an initial seeding to take place, which included a test at the world famous La Conca Kart Circuit and a relatively straightforward regularity section that took crews back to Lecce for an overnight halt and welcome dinner in the town. The following morning was the start of the event proper, with a leg that began in Lecce and used the narrow winding lanes in and around Puglia to head North West towards Matera, home of the Sassi, the birthplace of Italy.
Charles Colton and Ryan Pickering were embroiled in a tussle with fellow Porsche pairing Howard and Matthew Warren with just three seconds separating the teams, though the Warrens seemed to have the upper hand. In third were John Abel and Ali Procter, who pushed their stunning Sunbeam Tiger hard through the hills, while being pursued by Andrew and Sarah Mallagh in their Porsche 914/6.
Day three saw crews leave Matera and head to the Mediterranean side of Italy, overnighting in Salerno. Competitors were given a teasing glimpse of the Amalfi Coast from their overnight halt on a pivotal day that would shape the rest of the event as the Classic Marathon made its way into the more mountainous countryside. Mark & Sue Godfrey were climbing steadily through the ranks, their eye on being the first crew ever to win three Marathons, while just in front of them were relative newcomers Marcus Anderson and Matthew Lymn Rose who were having the time of their lives in a Jaguar E-type Series One.
Salerno traffic was tricky to navigate as crews departed for day four, with the distances covered increasing and starting to pile the pressure on crews. The weather changed suddenly heading into a national park, as the baking sun gave way to a downpour of monsoon-like proportions, leaving many competitors with open top vehicles seeking shelter under trees.
Colton and Pickering were now starting to edge out a slender lead from the Warrens, in a battle that continued until the final regularity section of the event. It was also a day of attrition, as Claus Coester and Tjorven Christine Schroeder exited the event, the tricky nature of the weather and slippery Italian road surfaces forcing them to retire. John Abel and Ali Procter also withdrew shortly after following a snapped stub axle that left the pair stranded at the roadside. They were always in contention and could quite have easily taken victory.
The final twist came on day seven, when a short loop to the north west of Lake Garda acted as the rally decider. The final regularity stage (which included no fewer than eight timing points) was a resounding success for the pairing of Bloxidge and Pullan, losing just 23 seconds to Colton and Pickering’s 36. However the pressure finally told and an error by the Warrens meant they dropped to 1 minute 5 seconds and off the leaderboard, handing the overall victory to the very similar car of Colton and Pickering.
The 27th Classic Marathon will return in 2017, when it is hoped the route will include the Greek city of Marathon.
