More than 60 classic cars battled their way between the UK’s Land’s End and John O’Groats on this year’s LeJog Endurance Rally, which is being described as the toughest ever.
Tomas de Vargas Machuca, joint Managing Director of the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation (H.E.R.O.), said: “This year’s LeJog was probably the toughest we have ever had, with new routes and fewer but longer special tests.
“The weather gave enough challenges to the competitors but without being too appalling. It was slippery, but road conditions were good enough to allow us to carry on with the tests and trials without having to cancel any section.”
Drivers set off from Land’s End on Saturday, December 1 on an epic 1,400-mile route across Britain, traveling through Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wales, Shropshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Northumbria, Northumberland, East Lothian, West Lothian, North Lanarkshire, and across Scotland to arrive in John O’Groats after a four day period of tough rallying.
Tomas added: “As expected, crews were very competitive and top positions kept changing during the first days of competition. There were a few retirees due to mechanical problems, but overall we had a very successful event.”
The winners of the elusive gold medal of this year’s LeJog were Andy Lane from Saddleworth and FIA Champion Navigator Iain Tullie from Cumbria, who came first in their 1973 BMW 2002 Tii.
Andy Lane said: “It was a very hard event this year. We were only able to come first because car 11, who was leading, got hit by another vehicle on the road, so we were able to take over the first place and win.”
