Cortina, 4-6 September, 2009
The Coppa d´Oro is a 4-day event traditionally held on the first
weekend of September. Like many of today's top classic car events it
is based on one of the legendary races of the golden days of the road
races.
The original Coppa d´Oro was held in the period of 1947-56 as a
single-day race of about 303,8 km through the Dolomites. With its
poor roads and many passes it was the ultimate challenge both for
men and cars.
Today's event is more relaxing as the chase for the hundredth of
seconds is for regularity rather than speed as it has become a
regularity trial. But relaxing is just for the speed but not for the
competition. Most of the competitors are taking these trials very
serious as one can see by the look on the scoreboard where the first
teams are all within fractions of a second.
The event starts with the technical checks on Thursday on the Corso
Italia in Cortina d´Ampezzo that is also the start and finishing point of
the following two days.
This is the first opportunity for the visitors to see the cars from a close
distance as the cars parade over the blue carpet down the road to get
their paperwork. Typical cars are the more reliable of the 50s and 60s
as a horde of Porsche 356 (ideal for the mountains with their
air-cooled engines), several Lancia Aurelias and many British cars
like Jaguar, MG and Austin Healey just to name a few.
The more exotic cars this year where a pair of OSCAs, a Maserati 200
SI and a beautiful Maserati A6G with bodywork by Allemano. Although
not ideal for the mountains even a few pre-war cars were present, a
little Bugatti T13 Brescia, an Alfa Romeo 6C 17500 that belonged to
Benito Mussolini and two BMW 328s.
Of particular interest for all Ferraristi was beside a 250 PF Coupe, two
Dinos and a 275 GTB the appearance of a 250 GT LWB Berlinetta by
Zagato (1367GT) and a 340 America Touring Barchetta (0116A).
The race itself is divided into two parts on Friday and Saturday with
160-200 km each. The route changes from year to year so that the
participants can discover new roads every year.
The Friday was a 200 km loop to the south over the Passo Duran and
the Passo Cereda to the Lunch break in San Martino Di Castrozza.
The weather was a mix between a cloud cover with a few showers of
rain and some sunny sports. This changed completely after the lunch
break on the way through the Passo Rolle and the Passo Valles
when heavy rain with fog and visibility of less than 50 meters set in.
This led to some strange encounters with several cows as they
thought standing on a wet road is better than standing on their
flooded meadow.
But as weather can change very fast in the mountains the participants
were rewarded with a spectacular panorama in the evening on Passo
Giau when all the cloud where gone to show all the beauty of the
Dolomites.
The second leg on Saturday was a loop north on a very sunny day.
After some great miles through small alpine villages the procession
came to Brunico for the lunch break where the cars were displayed in
front of the town hall.
After a few more miles on rather small roads (some of them single
road) the highlight of the day was the final Passo Falzarego. With its
barren terrain above the tree line one could imagine how life on the
moon might be.
New this year was the TAG Heuer Trophy on Sunday. The cars were
parked on the start of the Corso Italia where the passengers had to
start the timekeeping by pushing a button outside the car, run to the
car and drive to the finish down the road. Some of them were a little
bit bold so the carpet did not last very long.
As one could see by the smile in their faces this challenge was very
much to their taste and they could expect that this will be repeated in
future events.
So what is the conclusion of those days in Cortina? This is a fabulous
event for all those who want to enjoy their cars in a splendid
landscape. It might not be as glamorous as the Mille Miglia but it is
more relaxing (with less than a quarter of the distance) but it is also
“compressed fun”. There are not as many spectators as at the MM but
the Italian enthusiasm for old cars can be seen at every stop and
every passage through the towns.
Maybe a few more foreign competitors will discover this event in the
future by reading this as it is a very Italian affair at the moment with
just a hand full foreign entrants. If we can help with this report our
mission is completed.
Peter Singhof selected 280 from several 100 images of one of the
most beautiful and fun events.
Website >>>
Entries
001 Fiat 508 C 1938 Passanante / Messina
002 BMW 328 Roadster 1938 Aghem / Conti
004 Porsche 356 1959 Raimondi / Adorni
005 Bugatti 23 Brescia 1923 Redaelli / Gallini
006 Lancia Aprilia 1937 Sisti / Bernini
007 Alfa Romeo 1900 Sport 1954 Sn.Ar1900s00002 Mocer / De
Adamich
008 OSCA MT4 2AD 1954 Marinelli / Cupolo
009 Porsche 356 A Speedster 1958 Cristina / Baroli
010 Maserati 3500 Vignale 1961 Massara / Schira
011 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante 1952 Sn.1359/00001 Grimaldi /
Confalonieri
012 Porsche 356 Speedster 1955 Lupo / Lupo
014 Lancia Astura Cabriolet 1934 Orta / Folli
015 BMW 328 Roadster 1937 Castronovo / Amidani
016 Lancia Aprilia Lusso 1938 Grossi / Mandelli
019 Fiat 1100 Monoviso Stella Alpina 1948 Sn.1100-268010
Menuzzo / Arcidiacono
020 MG TC 1948 Genovese / Cori
021 Fiat Barchetta 1948 Dradi / Ercolani
022 Healey Silverstone 1949 Cavalleri / Meini
023 Fiat Berlinetta Patria 1949 Ruschena / Giusti
024 Jaguar XK120 OTS 1950 Giacomello / Spada
025 Alfa Romeo 6c 2500 Ss 1950 Radici / Ruffin
026 MG TD 1951 Pippi / Corsini
028 Lancia Aurelia B50 Cabriolet 1950 Carnevali / Spaziani
029 Aston Martin Db2 Vantage 1951 Sn.LML/50/78 Sotgiu /
Mibelli
030 Ferrari 340 America 1951 sn.0116A Gnutti / Pozzi
031 Jaguar Xk120 Ots Se 1952 Montevecchi / Rastelli
032 Alfa Romeo 1900 C Sprint 1953 Casali / Morosini
033 OSCA MT4 1953 Boglioli / Pezzia
034 Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint 1953 Barozzi / Ferrini
035 Jaguar Xk 120 1953 De Bono / Calderaro
036 Buick Super Eight 1953 Yom-Tov / Friedman
037 Austin Healey 100 M 1954 Dolcetta / Colonna
038 Lancia Aurelia B20 1954 Morassutti / Viola
039 Austin Healey 100 M 1954 Giampaoli / Lilli
040 Jaguar Xk120 1954 Masti / Naccarato
041 Ermini 357 Sport 1955 Meneghini / Gobbi
042 Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint 1955 Ballerini / Ballerini
043 Porsche 356 Cabriolet 1955 Foscari / Saleri
044 Morgan Plus 4 1956 Fioroni / Pantini
045 Lancia Aurelia B 24 1955 Mandelli / Rossi
046 Porsche 356 Speedster 1955 Ciocca / Levorato
047 Lancia Aurelia B24 S 1955 Bollini / Nigro
048 Porsche 356 Pre A Speedster 1955 Squarzi / Savani
049 Mercedes 190 Sl 1955 Scerch / Morelli
050 Porsche 356 Speedster 1956 Linetti / Linetti
051 Mercedes 190 Sl 1956 Padovani / I Ciabattoni
052 Mercedes 190 Sl 1956 Squadrani / Zanchi
053 MG A 1956 Beschi / Fezzardi
054 Maserati A6g Allemano 1956 Sn.2142 Gerani / Gerani
055 MG A 1956 Michieletto / Vendramin
056 Austin Healey 100/6 1956 Trombini / Fusconi
057 Mercedes 300 Sl 1956 Keil / Linhardt
058 Austin Healey 100m 1956 Taglia / Comune
059 Porsche 356 At1 1956 Castellana / Alvera
060 Mercedes-Benz 190 Sl 1956
061 AC A.C.E. 1956 Carlini / Martignoni
062 Jaguar XK140 1956 Pasquale / Pasquale
063 Mercedes 220 S Cabrio 1957 Matteoni / Sansoni
064 Porsche 356 Speedster 1957 Menegazzo / Minotto
065 Mercedes 300 Sl Roadster 1957 Ferretti / Martinis
066 Lancia Aurelia B24 1957 Manca Bitti / Anzini
067 Devin Mga 1957 Ostinet / Pizzol
069 Jaguar XK140 1957 Pedetta / Fedi
070 Mercedes 190 Sl 1957 Morini / Masetti
071 MG A 1957 Basso / Abondio
072 Fiat 1100 Tv Printemps 1957 Ballero / Ferri
073 Maserati 200 Si 1957 Sn.2419 Bacchi / Alberani
076 Porsche 356 A Cabriolet 1958 Romagnoli / Barbero
077 Lancia Aurelia B24 S 1958 Guzzini / Perticarini
078 Triumph Tr3 A 1958 Romano / Paterlini
079 Porsche 356 A Speedster 1958 Micoli / Micoli
080 Porsche 356 Cabriolet 1958 Corti / Volpi
081 Lancia Aurelia B 24s 1958 Begliomini / Bramati
082 Porsche 356 A 1958 Callegari / Lanteri
083 MG A 1958 Polzoni / Laricchia
084 Porsche 356 A 1958 Brindani / Pintus
085 Porsche 356 Convertible 1959 Ticchioni / Valentini
086 Jaguar XK150 1959 Marin / Galassi
087 Ferrari Tdf Zagato 1959 Sn.1367gt Arengi Bentivoglio / Bianco
Mengotti
088 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider 1960 Maioli / Partesotti
089 Maserati 3500 Gt Sl 1960 Scappin / Carnevali
090 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider 1960 Carutti / Berger
091 Austin Healey Sprite 1960 Cicoria / Pispola
092 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider 1960 Fedi / Potestio
093 MG A 1960 Fabbri / Morri
094 MG A 1960 De Angelis / Spapperi
095 Austin Healey 3000 1960 Menuzzo / Tamassia
097 Porsche 356 Roadster 1960 Bortolotti / Bompani
098 Ferrari 250 GT PF Coupe 1960 Sn.2003GT Gianaroli /
Buscaroli
099 Porsche 356 B Cabriolet 1961 Wohlgemuth / Illing
100 Mercedes 300 Sl 1961 Matteoni / Ranfaghi
101 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1961 Saccomandi / Zoli
103 MG MKII 1961 Basso / Darsie'
104 Lancia Flaminia Coupe 1961 Rossi / Sorbo
105 Fiat 500 D 1961 Piccioloni / Corti Di
106 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider 1961 Franzoni / Orlandini
109 Lancia Flaminia Sport 1962 Alzona / Tamba
110 Porsche 356 1962 Cocchetto / Graziati
111 Maserati 3500 Touring 1962 De Munno / Lupo
112 Mercedes 190 Sl 1962 Tassi / Zerlotti
113 Lancia Fulvia HF 1600 1969 Bianco Mengutti / Marin
114 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider 1964 Caldart / Furmenti
115 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1964 Mazzini / Galeotti
116 Porsche 356 C Cabriolet 1964 Bordogna / Savoini
118 Mercedes 230 Sl 1965 Ferri / Gozzoli
119 Ferrari 275 GTB/2 1965 Sn.08209 Beghetto / Beghetto
120 Jaguar S 3.4 1965 De Gaetano / Colomba
121 Sunbeam Alpine Roadster 1968 Cucchia / Mariani
122 Prati De Tomaso Mangusta 1968 Giugiaro / Dalla Rosa
123 Ferrari Dino GT 1969 Comelli / Andretta
124 Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato 1969 Paro / Storto
125 Ferrari Dino GT 1972 Viola / Garosci
126 Alfa Romeo 1750 Gs 1930 Elmi / Ferruzzi
127 MG A Roadster 1957 Canevazzi / Costa
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