ISDT 1930 – France & Italy

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Introduction

The 12th International Six Days Trial of 1930 was based in Grenoble, France and passed into the Italian Alps taking place over the 29th July – 3 August. With a total of 85 competitors 44 were from Great Britain including 7 women.

Although we have not seen any evidence of copies of the programme surviving the FIM recently provided us with a scanned copy of the Rapport des Commissaires Sportifs (Stewards Report) prepared October 1930.

Image of scanned cover of Stewards Report ISDT 1930

We still have little information on this event but recently discovered articles from regional papers found in the archives of the British Library show that there was some controversy within the British Team and the de-selection of team Stalwart the Ladies rider, Ms Marjorie Cottle. This news was even found reported on the sports pages of the regional British Newspress. It appears she was dropped from the Vase team by the ACU because she was riding a 250cc bike which was considered small. She was placed by Miss Betty Lermitte who rode a Rudge 500cc. The final results show that Marjorie Cottle  finished the event with a Gold medal and providing an identical performance to her replacement. The British starters for the event 44 saw just 26 finish 59% picking up 16 gold medals. The 7 women who started were all British and 6 finished, 3 achieving Gold Medals.

The International Trophy was won by the Italian Team of Rosolino Grana, Luigi Gilera, Miro Maffeis, with 2nd Great Britain and 3rd France, there were only 3 teams for this award.

The Silver Vase was won by the home nation France with a team made up of Sourdot, Debaisieux and Coulon. In 2nd was Italy and 3rd Holland. Britain was 4th with 8 teams entered.

Photo of Douglas 1930 ISDT Team,#15 Ramsdedt (Cotton) #49 Van Hamersfeld (Rudge) #8 HS Kershaw (Ariel), another fine pic from Dave Martin.

Although this was the caption provided it would appear reading the Stewards report for this event that the picture if 1930 would be #15 CW Ramsdedt (Cotton) #49 van Hamersfeld (Rudge) and #8 H S Kershaw (Ariel) it is not likely to be 1930 on that basis but we’ll leave it here until some genuine 1930 images turn up to add a bit of colour.

And low and behold some images did turn up we found a rare copy of ‘the Motor Cycle’ for the 8th August 1930 on ‘eBay‘ so the Speedtracktales credit card was put into action and the resulting images can be found below and and we have prepared an online browsable copy of the article  that can be read below.

On the Map!

Alas no route map yet but we can give the following daily itineraries for the event

• Day 1 Tuesday: Grenoble, Les Jarrands, Léoncel, La Vacharie, Col de Rouseet, Pont de la Goule Noire, Le Martinet, Grenoble. 183 Miles
• Day 2 Wednesday: Grenoble, Col de Cucheron, Chambéry, Col de Frene, Annecy, Aix le Bains, Novalaise, Chambéry, Col de Cucheron, Grenoble. 182 miles
• Day 3 Thursday: Grenoble, Vizille, Livet, Le Rivier, Col de Glandon, St. Colomban, St, Michel, Lanslebourg, Col de Mont Cenis, Susa, Turin, Ivrea, Stresa. 242 miles
• Day 4 Friday: Stresa, Iselle, Brigue, Sierre, Martingny, Chamonix, Mégéve, Bonvillard, Grenoble. 242 miles
• Day 5 Saturday: Grenoble, Rochetaillée, Col du Lautaret, St. Michel de Maurienne, Col de Glandon, Col d’Ornon, La Mure, Grenoble. 180 miles
• Day 6 Sunday: Grenoble, Le Mure, Agnieres, Lus de Croix Haute, Les Noniéres, Monestier de Clermont, Grenoble, Circuit de Dauphine (Speed test) 131 miles

What the Papers said.

‘the Motor Cycle‘ 8 August 1930 (Courtesy Morton’s Archive)

Photo – Amid clouds and heights a competitor climbing the Col de Rousset on the first day ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – Mrs McLean (Douglas) passes the wonderful elephant fountain at Chambéry on Tuesday ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – A party of British competitors above the clouds pn the Col de Rousset. On the other side of the valley a road can be seen zig-zagging up the hillside. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

The above picture shows riders #20 and #29

Photo – A Peugeot rider undergoing Customs formalities on leaving Italy for Switzerland on the fourth day. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – A French solo rider passes through a rocky gorge on the Col de Glandon. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – PB Cranmore (BSA sc) heading FE Thacker (Ariel) near Grenoble. Note the tram rails running alongside the road. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – A scene of rugged Grandeur and Dust. One of the Continental riders , wearing the usual crash helmet is seen nearing the summit of the Simplon Pass. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – Mrs Shillabeer (Matchless sc) has her time card stamped by the official time clock at Le Mure control on the fifth day. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – Two Netherlanders on the Col de Glandon ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – Piret (Saroléa sc.), a member of the Belgian team, tackles a rocky watersplash on the Col de Glandon on the third day. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – A crowd of British competitors at the Chambeery check on the second day. (Left to right) L H Davenport (AJS) M Greenwood (New Imperial) Miss Foley (AJS) and JJ Boyd Harvey (Matchless ‘Silver Arrow’) Palings keep the crowd back. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – PB Cranmore (BSA sc.) on the Pariset – Saint Nizier section. The wonderful ragged mountain peaks in the background give an inkling as to the magnificence of the scenery. ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Photo – Two Netherlands riders on Rudges, G Bekker Schutt and Van Hamersveld in the high speed test which was held on the last day over the Circuit de Dauphine.  ISDT 1930 (Image Morton’s Archive)

Image of scanned news article in the Cornishmen on 10 July 1930 on ISDT 1930

Image of scanned news article of 12 July 1930 of ISDT 1930

image – scanned article from the Register News Pictorial of Adelaide Australia 30th Sept 1930 with news of the succesful Ariel team at ISDT 1930

image – scanned article in the Advertiser, Adelaide 11 Sep 1930 featuring image of Miss Betty Lennette who won a gold medal on her Rudge in the ISDT 1930

The Final Score: Results

International Trophy

1. Italy (15) penalty points
2. Great Britain (400)
3. France (420)

International Silver Vase

1. France (14) penalty points
2. Italy (38)
3. Holland (349)
4. Great Britain (415)
5. Great Britain (500)
6. Holland (634)
7. Czechoslovakia (745)
8. France (1000)

Speedtracktales wishes to thank Marc Pétrier of FIM Information Resources who has facilitated the scanning of the FIM archive of ISDT results material and is allowing us to make it available here as a public service. Download a copy of the original Results and Stewards Report at the link below.

Download Stewards Report for the 1930 ISDT here

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