Category Archives: Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale

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Mapping the ISDT: San Remo Italy 1948

15 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Italy, Magazine, Map, Media, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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The ISDT restarted after the war and 1948 was the second year of the resurrection of the event with the British Trophy team victorious with Captain Allan Jeffries (600 Triumph), CN Rogers (350 Royal Enfield), Vic Brittain (350 Royal Enfield), Hugh Viney (500 AJS), and Jack Williams (500 Norton). I now have been lucky to set my hands on copies of both issues of ‘the Motor Cycle‘ covering the event which is featured in this blog on the event. However here is the course map for the ISDT 1948 which we hope to use to digitise a modern map for the original route.

image - route map for ISDT from 'the Motor Cycle' ISDT 1948

image – route map for ISDT from ‘the Motor Cycle‘ ISDT 1948

 

ISDT 1961: Wales – the arrival of the Special Test

10 Saturday May 2014

Posted by in Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, International Six Days Enduro, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Magazine, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, UK, Wales

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If you were to ask many current followers of the ISDE what part they might take most interest in.. it will be the ‘Special Tests’ usually one Cross Country and one MX style each days is designed to sort out the wheat from the chaff of the sporting elite off-road motorcycle racers. Back in the early days of the ISDT the to hell or glory race was on the last day and if your national squad got through 5 days unscathed it would be the speed test, usually on a road race style circuit that the race was decided.

Back in the 1950’s it was clear the sport splitting from its roots of being an event to determine the greatness of the bike as the European Nations became more interested in the quality of the riders. However the paymaster of the event, the Motorcycle Industry, wanted to maximise the marketing value of winning the event. However as the global dominance of the British Bike industry started to wain, it was recognised for the sport to thrive required a new objective which was to measure the rider rather than the bike. The drive to this were the european nations however the greatest act to confirm this shift was from Britain’s Auto Cycle Union who supported the need to provide daily tests to identify the best riders as the event progressed.

Photo - "International" spirit: Welsh children cheer #225 J.H.L Lewis (246 Greeves) as he climbs a rocky section near Llandrillo on the fourth day.

Photo – “International” spirit: Welsh children cheer #225 J.H.L Lewis (246 Greeves) as he climbs a rocky section near Llandrillo on the fourth day. ISDT 1961

In 1960 the ISDT in Austria trialled a British idea of having two special tests a day to examine which riders where performing best rather than who was able to hang in to the pace set by the organisers. The trial worked and in 1961 the F.I.M introduced two mandatory special tests a day for the ISDT 1961. The fact this was driven by the British for a British hosted event where the home nation failed to excel is one of the most obvious milestones marking the ultimate demise of the British Motorcycle Industry within 15 years as this editorial from ‘the Motor Cycle’ of the 12 October 1961 alludes to.

“IT made a welcome change to be writing in the sunshine and among the mountains of Wales instead of in the office. Yes, I was having a few days on the “International” and enjoying every minute of it.

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ISDT 1948: Gold medal saved

08 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, International Six Days Enduro, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Italy, Motorcycling, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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Hot news – ISDT 1948 Gold Medal rescued from Flea Bay. Unfortunately no information exists as to who the person awarded the medal was.

Photo - Gold Medal (front) ISDT 1948

Photo – Gold Medal (front) ISDT 1948

Photo - Gold Medal (rear) ISDT 1948

Photo – Gold Medal (rear) ISDT 1948

 

Mapping the ISDT: 1951 Italy

23 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Italy, Map, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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Image - scanned map of course ISDT 1951

Image – scanned map of course ISDT 1951

Image - scanned course map of ISDT 1951

Image – scanned course map of ISDT 1951

This list of places along the route was released in an article in ‘the Motor Cycle‘ 19 July 1951.

THE MOTORCYCLE, 19 JULY 1951

International Six Days’ Trial  September 18 to 23

Routes for the International Six Days’ Trial have now been issued. The event is to be held in Italy from Tuesday, September 18, to Sunday, September 23, with Varese as the headquarters. On the fourth day, the Friday, there will be a night run, just over 100 miles in length. Total mileage of the route will be approximately 1,220 plus the high-speed test, which will be at Monza autodrome.

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Mapping the ISDT: 1952 Austria

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Austria, Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Map, Media, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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We now have a map … not sure when I will have time to start making a digital version. Let me know if anyone has any better information please.

Image - The routes followed in each of the six days of the trial. The numerals indicate the particular sections used on individual days. ISDT 1952 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Image – The routes followed in each of the six days of the trial. The numerals indicate the particular sections used on individual days. ISDT 1952 (Speedtracktales Collection)

 

ISDT 1952: Bad News from Bad Aussee for Great Britain

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Austria, Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Magazine, Media, Motorcycling, Photography, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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So read the title of the editorial in ‘Motor Cycling‘ in the issue of 25 September 1952 in a report covering the ISDT 1952 that had recently taken place at Bad Aussee in Austria. You can read a copy of the Cyril Quantrills report on the event at our issuu.com library of old ISDT magazine reports and programmes here.

“Bad News From Bad Aussee:

THOUGH these words are being written while we still await the final confirmed results of the International Six Days Trial it seems evident that things have by no means gone as planned by Great Britain. Until our representatives return home it will not be possible to establish a clear picture of what went wrong and, In any case, this is not the moment to conduct a post-mortem. Rather is it one to congratulate the winners on their success, to compliment the organisers on what seems to have been a difficult yet fair trial and to commiserate with those who found that their luck was Out.”

Photo - Conditions at the start of Saturday's run are depicted above. Reflected in the waterlogged ground, spectators and officials see the riders off on their third day's journey ISDT 1952 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Photo – Conditions at the start of Saturday’s run are depicted above. Reflected in the waterlogged ground, spectators and officials see the riders off on their third day’s journey ISDT 1952 (Speedtracktales Collection)

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Auction News: Bonham’s Spring Stafford Sale 27 April 2014

20 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by in Enduro, England, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, International Six Days Enduro, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Media, Motorcycling, Regolarità, restoration, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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And Christmas v2 for the Classic and Vintage Motorcycle lover has arrived early in 2014.. around Easter time at the Staffordshire County Showground.

Bonham’s Spring Stafford Sale

Bonham's Spring Stafford Auction 27 April 2014

Bonham’s Spring Stafford Auction 27 April 2014

Apart from a few attractive lots of prewar copies of ‘the Motor Cycle‘ or ‘Motorcycling‘ bundled with a few programmes or photos of interest to ISDT collectors. Of motorcycles a few nice pukka trials bikes and a few road trim Tiger Cubs, but the most obvious item is this rather nice Ariel Red Hunter although no evidence of it having been used in the ISDT.

Download the programme as pdf here

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ISDT Videos: British Pathé now on Youtube

18 Friday Apr 2014

Posted by in Enduro, England, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, International Six Days Enduro, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Media, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, Video, Wales

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This week ‘British Pathé‘ archive was officially released on Youtube. This famous news reel archive that would have been the main feature of cinema visits in the past includes short articles for news features of the time on the ISDT.

Not many seem to exist and I hope more are subsequently found and released

1926

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGfB5o3mSUM]

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ISDT 1939: The Six Day Affair

10 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by in Austria, Book, Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, Germany, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, UK

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We have just received advance news of a new book to be published this coming Spring that may be of great interest to many Speedtracktales readers.

In late August 1939, Hitler’s armies were poised to invade Poland, while in Austria the International Six Day Trial was underway.  The trial was dubbed ‘The Motorcycling Olympics’, where the crème de la crème from five or six nations competed in six days of hard riding.

Image - Cover for new book 'The Six Day Affair' ISDT 1939

Image – Cover for new book ‘The Six Day Affair’ ISDT 1939

Following the Olympics in Berlin just three years earlier, the ISDT was seen by Hitler as being another opportunity for Nazi dominance – and the event was unexpectedly held in occupied Austria!  Half way through, riding through the mountains surrounding Salzburg and with the British teams once again doing very well indeed, they received a telegram from the British Embassy telling them to get out immediately.   WWII started just a week later.

The story of how the British competitors and spectators successfully made it away through Switzerland with the help of their German escort has so far only been mentioned in magazine articles and websites, but extensive research has revealed much new material about this fascinating and exciting event in history.

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