At the end of March 2020, Harry Rupert and I would start again in the Coppa d'Europa. We had ridden this together twice before with great pleasure and not without success, so we were looking forward to this again. The fact that the whole world was now flat during the intended dates due to a bad virus and that therefore this edition was canceled then, and also not in 2021, is now history. In 2022, the Coppa then continued with a new route, but it was moved to June. That's just in a period when we both couldn't.
Text and photos: Rutger Kwant
At the end of March 2023, so 3 years later, the route planned for 2020 from Enschede through Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland to Dresden would finally be driven. We were now three times looking forward to it! Anyone who has experienced the Coppa before can rely on a few things. The routes are always beautiful, the catering is top notch, interesting locations are visited and the atmosphere is great. As experienced by some participants, more relaxed and less hyped up and/or worked up than at some other multi-day rallies.
And the colorful mix of nationalities is also very nice. You now encounter participants that you would otherwise not see. And they sometimes also bring cars that you rarely encounter in a rally. For example, how often do you see a Gilbern Invader at the start?
What you can often rely on are the regulatory imperfections. Despite all efforts, it often turns out that the regulations are not completely clear, contain imperfections or are not correctly observed in practice. Which, especially for the more experienced and fanatical Coppa Super (Expert class) participants, sometimes causes some discussion and frustration. We were curious.
Early start, rain and some more problems
After a pleasant evening in the Van der Valk hotel in Enschede, an early start was made on Thursday 30 March. We had three long days ahead of us with a total of about 1500 kilometers ahead of us. The first car therefore rolled out of the gate at 7 o'clock. We were allowed to stay a little longer and were one of the last to start as starting number 104 at 8:44 am. Unfortunately the weather forecast came true and it was soaking wet everywhere. Fortunately, the Volvo Amazon was equipped with new wiper blades.
We quickly crossed the border via the A35 to our eastern neighbors and headed for Ahaus. An area that we also visited during the last Rallyhappening. However, point 2 failed. Despite the explanation during the briefing the previous evening, the implementation turned out to be slightly different in practice… With the system in which single-line map roads to points or arrows must be driven as short as possible, many participants came from the “wrong” side. The route control B was in fact the opposite. And was therefore not noted by several participants. And unfortunately that would also happen later in the route…
Then I found a very nice contrarian route, where we would drive as few single-line roads as possible. Along the way, however, we note zero checks, but there was no time for an alternative route. In fact, we run out of time at the first time check in the field. Made too many miles. The publisher will (also) not have intended this. We hope that this does not continue for 3 days, because then the fun is over for us.
Fortunately, the route to lunch in Driburg was fun to drive, despite the rainy weather. The break location is fine, the catering is the same, but the feeling that we are sitting comfortably is not really there. For the afternoon there were 3 regularities on the program. So here's plenty of opportunity to collect penalty points. All RPs had to be driven at 49,9 km/h and that was sometimes quite a challenge. Especially if you also have to go up steeply after two sharp drivers through the mud.
In the hotel in Hanover we can finally relax after the first long day. Plenty of discussion there. Fortunately also an invigorating beer. Unfortunately, we seem to have left some points here and there today.
When the day results finally hang late in the evening, we are 11e in the Super category. Phew, that's not easy... We would still get points deducted because of that (yet better) route that I had found in the beginning, but which plotter Jan Timmers hadn't thought of. Virtually that would be 9th. Also far from the stage. Forget it, we're not going to win any prizes this year.
Jan Hein and Michiel de Rooij take the lead with only 120 penalty points. Very handsome. They clearly immediately understood how to approach this rally.
The hotel is fine, but can someone explain to me why the thermostat in hotel rooms is higher than in the average living room and at the same time the duvets are so thick that you don't get cold underneath around freezing point? Apparently energy is almost free in this industry and sustainability is not yet an issue in the hotel industry.
The second day
On day 2, Friday 31 March, after an extensive breakfast we will see if we can regain some ground. The route via border approach, arrows and directions on the map through the wooded Harz is very beautiful. However, there is not much to gain or lose in the field of map reading and many make it to the break flawlessly on the grounds of an old monastery in Lutherstadt Eisleben.
In the afternoon there appears to be a little more to be earned. The regularity goes up very quickly and turns out to be quite short, so try to get into the schedule right away. That's going well. Occasionally a not too complex reconstruction. A very interesting detour route, which many of us make, turns out not to have been foreseen by the setter, but the extra stamp collected is later neatly neutralized.
The route is fine again, although as “Supers” we often get the worst roads for the teeth and tires in the extra loops. Of those paths where hardly anyone comes. But that's why it's fun.
The day is very long and as far as we are concerned, it could be a little shorter, because (not only) we were done with it in the last hour. It was now pitch dark and we only arrived at the hotel in Chemnitz at 21 pm. And then there is still food to be eaten. Way too late in my opinion, but come on. When the results are out we appear to have done better than yesterday. We apparently feel the thoughts of the expander better now and have moved up to the 7eposition.
Father and son de Rooij still lead the field in our class.
The third day
The night on the way to day 3 is pretty bad for me. I sleep very badly because of a worsening sore throat. Halfway through the night my head is cozily beating along, but a painkiller only helps to a limited extent. Half cooked the next morning. Happy April 1. An extra strong painkiller from Harry thrown in and talking as little as possible during breakfast. Because talking is painful.
Well, this is going to be a day to survive. But it soon turns out that this was not going to be easy. Already 4 regularities in the morning! And some spicy pieces of directions on map, where you had to read carefully. On the way, the bag of Autodrop (actually for the way back) goes through it and I pour liters of water down to keep the throat somewhat normal. With almost every TC and RP start quickly from the car to get rid of the excess moisture.
The route led through parts of the former GDR, where time seems to have stood still. Only the roaring Trabants are missing, the houses are often colorful, but often also in a deplorable state. The roads are not exactly billiard cloth tight everywhere. Communism seems to have left little wealth here. Today we also take a piece of the Czech Republic with us. Fun to drive, because how often do you come here now? Cool paths. But also a lot of desolation. Many half-collapsed buildings that no one has looked at for years. In contrast, lunch at the Wellness Hotel Babylon in Liberec is delightfully “over the top” and copiously capitalistic.
In between chewing, the rumor was buzzing that we could get to work the last afternoon. Spicy short routes. Well, I'm super fit (ahem) so bring it on. With a piece of bulb-arrow quickly on the road then at 15:44. Yes, just take that temporarily closed road, because that's where our arrow goes. Challenging trails, more roads than shown on the map, getting lost every now and then. A challenging route description. As an assignment, quickly combine all kinds of variations with distances between “lollipops” on the map until I arrive at exactly 15,0 kilometers. Work hard, but luckily on time at TC 26 IN. And on again. Just 33 minutes now. Poland is also briefly visited in the route. There is some confusion about the command “White road untill yellow road”. Yet again on time. Straight on for a piece of just 21 minutes. Just before the TC pick up another letter as close as possible to the church of Ober-cunnersdorf. And hooray, on time.
We pop back into the border across the Czech Republic at Jirikov one more time. The streets are soaking wet, the drainage leaves much to be desired. At TC 29 IN the last regularity starts immediately. This largely runs through a beautiful valley. At least, we suspect so, because it is now really flushing. The windshield wipers are working overtime and visibility is limited due to the thick cloud cover. Yet we know how to drive quite regularly. After this 2 more arrows and then via bol-arrow to the hotel in Dresden.
Finished
It's a wrap. Have a nice dinner. We're not going to make it late, because I could use some rest. I do have a good feeling about how it went today and I think we made up for it. Place 5, maybe 4. The podium really seems out of reach. So no crowds to watch when the results are posted. Until table mates return.
“Congratulations, you won!” "Hey? That is not possible at all. Joke dude, April 1, good joke. I don't believe anything." Until I see a picture of the frame. No, how…? Did we do so much better than the rest today? Apparently, because there has been a whole landslide in the standings. The highly classified German team Korff/Korff has dropped far, which we also expected, because we saw them make several mistakes along the way. The previously strong driving duo Van Bussel/Opheij and leaders De Rooij/De Rooij, among others, also missed too much today.
What a surprise. How crazy can it go, climbed from place 11 to the highest position! Despite the poor physical condition of me as a navigator. The spirit was apparently stronger. And the excellent teamwork with driver Harry definitely helped. Yes, together we are proud that we did this! Well, and then it accidentally got a bit later and more booze-filled than planned… That we would reach the finish line in 2017 with a cylinder head that did not close perfectly was exciting, that we would even win was unlikely, but we also saw this victory completely do not touch!
This Coppa d'Europa was quite one to take seriously, it was certainly no joke, not even on April 1. We enjoyed it despite the rough start (and the sad weather). If the organization succeeds in finally getting everything 100% correct and watertight according to regulations, then we can no longer advise anyone against the event and people can only mentally prepare for beautiful challenging routes and perfect care. In short, a wonderful rally event!
