FIVA Motorcycle World Rallye "Back to Classics"

World Rally for Motorcycles 2007, Loutraki, Greece, May 16--20

The event marks a new stage of the World Rally for Motorcycles as we had a real competition part as a long distance regularity run. It’s encouraging to see organisers like the “Hellenic Classic Motorcycles Club” offering their services and knowledge to organise such an event.

The event was held in two parts, the first two days were tourist, and the third and fourth day was competition. The roads, historic places and landscapes chosen were of outstanding beauty. The organisation was of a very good and competent level. Foreigners were looked after in the Greek way of hospitality, so we were happy.

We entered the event as riders, Pascale on a BMW of 1952, I on my Brough-Superior of 1938.

The first day was a trip along the east coast of Peloponnesus and the ferry to the Port of Pireus; we entered Athens led by a police escort and parked on the ancient Agora!

Certainly this was a first-class surprise for all participants; I suppose you know the traffic at Athens.

Day two saw us again on the coast but also on mountainous roads on the Peloponnesus, we visited ancient Mycenae, a day with excellent food, company and riding over the most beautiful roads.

The third day was competition, from Loutraki down to Porto Cheli, 275 km on wet and therefore quite slippery roads. The weather on day three and four was dreadful, thunderstorms and heavy rain added flavour to the event. Day four was a shorter regularity north of Loutraki, 130 km on mountain roads, but in worst weather.

The price-giving ceremony was very warm, with plenty to eat and drink as usual and the winners got their awards, local dignitaries were present and spoke and everybody left in a good mood.

145 Nationals of GR, N, GB, D, PL, A, CH, I, RSM, SLO, CZ and CDN attended the FIVA-World Rally for Motorcycles 2007.

53 rode BMW’s, 11 Moto-Guzzi, 11 Norton, 7 Honda, 8 Triumph, 9 BSA, 3 Ducati, 3 Vincent, 3 Brough-Superior, 1 Ambassador, 1 Suzuki and 2 Nimbus and other brands.

It was a perfect organised event and unforgettable for the participants.

I would like to thank the organisers, especially Panagiotis Mariolopoulos, President of the Hellenic Classic Motorcycle Club and Yannis Eferemidis, Christoforos Santamouris, Georgios Mermigas, Elina Economou and Petros Kikinis for their efforts to make it the best FIVA WORLD MC Rally event ever held.

Thomas Kohler

Steward and member of the GC