Now it strikes thirteen - Preview of the Aflenzer Winterclassic 2013
The start and finish of the Aflenz Winter Classic is the spa town of Aflenz in Hochsteiermark. Back in 1914, Aflenz was already the place of passage for the oldest rally in the world - the Austrian Alpine Rally - with passing and time checks for the 75 cars. Back then, the rally covered an incredible 2951 km in eight stages. On unpaved roads!
The Aflenzer Winterclassic is a classic rally based on the model of the International Austrian Alpine Rally of the 1950s and 1960s, when rally aces such as Maurice Gatsonides, Paddy Hopkirk, Hannu Mikkola, Ove Anderson, Björn Waldegaard, Alcide Paganelli and Achim Warmbold mercilessly beat their works cars over the Hiaslegg, Lonschitz, Eibeggsattel, Teichalm and Niederalpl in Styria. But the Austrians Richard Bochnicek, Johannes Ortner, Klaus Russling, Günther Janger and many others were also among the front runners. Only a few Swiss drivers ventured onto the tough special stages, and all the major sports car manufacturers were there too: Steyr-Puch, Saab, Citroen, Porsche, Austin and Morris, BMW, Ford Escort and Renault Alpine.
In 2013, the Aflenzer-Winterclassic will continue this great rally past in Styria. Of course, it's not about the coveted Alpine Cup or points in the European Rally Championship as it was back then. Nevertheless, the Aflenzer Winterclassic is one of the most challenging historic automobile events in Europe.
The concept is fair and simple. The vehicles are 30 years old and older. There is also a category for sporty vehicles from the 1930s. The Aflenzer Winter Classic takes participants along small side roads to snow-covered mountain pastures, deep valleys and over icy passes. A challenge for the drivers and the classic automobile. 720 kilometers and 25,000 meters of altitude have to be overcome. Most of the kilometers are on snow and ice. The route is based on maps. The target times at the controls and at the finish of the special stages are measured in full minutes.
Former rally drivers - who have now switched to historic cars - from Austria, Switzerland and Germany will also provide entertainment on the snow and ice tracks. The timetable shows some of the special stages that guarantee spectacular historic rallying. And at various points, rally cars from the past can be observed during servicing: Porsche 356, 911, 944, Lancia Fulvia Zagato 1600, Alfa Romeo GTV, Ford Escort RS, Austin A30, Volvo 122S, Saab 96, Alvis DKC 731, Renault Alpine and many more.
The schedule
Friday, February 15, 2013
- 14.00 Aflenz Hotel Post - Karlon: 1st vehicle at the start
- 14.25 Seebergsattel: 1st vehicle on the special stage
- 16.45 St. Kathrain/Hauenstein: 1st vehicle service time 10 min.
- 18.45 Naas/Raabklamm: 1st vehicle on the special stage
- 18.59 Jägerwirt/Semmriach: 1st vehicle service time 45 min.
- 21.26 Aflenz Hotel Post: 1st vehicle at the finish line
Saturday February 16, 2013
- 09.00 Aflenz Hotel Post Karlon: 1st vehicle at the start
- 09.32 Hiaslegg: 1st vehicle on the special stage
- 11.49 Reichenfels: 1st vehicle service time 45 min.
- 13.58 Pack: 1st vehicle through
- 15.37 Graden: 1st vehicle service time 10 min.
- 16.18 Eckwirt/Graden: 1st vehicle special stage
- 16.35 Geistthal: 1st vehicle through
- 18.25 Aflenz Hotel Post Karlon : 1st vehicle at the finish line
The definitive start list is published on the Alfenzner website under NEWS. We would like to thank Susi Tragner, Joseph Prein and Christian Houdek for the pictures.
