A conversation with Sarah Le Blanc
The Royal Automobile Club 1000 Mile Trial was first run in 1900. The Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation (HERO) have successfully revived the event and in 2017 they took sixty competitors with their Pre-War machines from Windsor to Stratford Upon-Avon – through Wales, Gloucestershire, Dorset and Wiltshire, finishing at the Royal Automobile Club’s Woodcote Park. Having driven through some beautiful countryside and historic towns taking in 23 regularities and 20 special tests.
One of this year’s 1000 Mile Trial rookie crews was the husband and wife team of Karsten and Sarah Le Blanc. Karsten is an experienced Classic racer but this was their first Pre-War rally. We talked to them about their experience.
What made you choose the 1000 Mile Trial? We had previously done some classic car rallies in cars from the 60s and 70s and very much enjoyed ourselves. Several of our classic car friends said that we should try Pre-War cars, because they are a lot of fun to drive and are an even purer classic motoring experience than anything we were used to.
What car did you take and how did it go? A 1928 Bentley 4.5 Litre We loved the feeling of being at one with nature, driving along hundreds of miles of narrow lanes, with huge views of unspoiled countryside in every direction.
Worst bits? Realising I hadn’t clicked the stopwatch 2 minutes into a regularity. And on the third day; after 9 hours of navigating we still had pages of the route book to complete. I think it was 11 hours in total and we were all completely shattered.
Would you do it again? Yes definitely, although there is the minor matter of not owning a Pre-War car and not wishing to abuse the kindness of friends, so we might skip a year or two!
This is a short excerpt taken from a longer feature in the Auto Addicts Volume One
For more details about HERO events please Click here
