RtG Ypres-Istanbul Daily Dispatch - complete - web - Flipbook - Page 41
13 June to 3 July 2022
The last day of the 5,500km Ypres to Istanbul
Challenge. With only one final Regularity along
the Sea of Marmara to deal with, this was to prove
a very easy Sunday morning.
From here all roads led to Constantinople and, notwithstanding
the fact that Istanbul is the biggest, and maybe busiest, city in
Europe, just after midday, the cars started rolling under the
finishing arch in the Shangri-La car park. Here two winning
crews popped their corks and sprayed fellow competitors
with varying degrees of proficiency.
Graham and Marina Goodwin, our vintage category
winners, are no strangers to the top step of a podium and
the physics of a bottle of sparkling wine. For Steve and
Jenny Verrall, who won the classics category, this was
altogether a new experience. One which they seemed to
enjoy very much and are likely to become accustomed to
given their performance over the last three weeks.
Under an intense sun just a few metres from the
Bosphorus, the Ypres to Istanbul Challenge finally checked
into its last TC and switched off its engines. Man and
machine could begin the job of cooling down and, for the
former, reflect on what they’d just achieved. Justifiably
there was a party atmosphere in the air and the cold beers
disappeared almost as quickly as they could be poured.
Everyone seemed to have a tale to tell. Roy Stephenson and
3 July 2022
Mark Bramall had to be pushed into their allotted space,
the Mustang’s electrical problems having struck again as
they stopped for the chequered flag.
After a brief intermission for freshening up, the rally
then set off for the prize giving dinner aboard the MV
Okyanus, a 36m vessel that cruises the length of the Strait.
And, ’twixt Europe and Asia we sat down to a true Turkish
delight of an evening where the silverware was distributed
and speeches made. This was a very special venue which led
Philip Blunden, an ex-engineer with a passion for bridges
and who was sometimes civil, to remark that “Tonight has
made all the bumping and crashing worthwhile, this has
been a great way to finish such an epic trip.”
The praise from the rest of the crews for the event was also
fulsome and generous, with Renate Hanselmann even telling
Fred directly that she “…wants two days rest in Istanbul and
then another three weeks on the road. That will do nicely.”
But, what of the winners? Steve and Jenny Verrall begun
their endurance rallying career with something of a baptism
of fire on the Southern Cross Safari in 2020 and have been
honing their skills ever since. Steve was delighted with
their maiden win, he explained.
“Dawn and Clint Smith introduced us to this. We saw how
much they enjoyed it so decided it was something we’d
probably enjoy as well. It’s a great way to travel with old
friends and an ideal way meet new friends.
“I’ve always loved Porsche’s, they’ve been an obsession for
www.rallytheglobe.com
Design: K-Design
Tekirdağ to Istanbul (208.5 km)
Text & photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Day 20