[faksta]

St.-Petersberg – Riga – St.-Petersberg.

After successful races in 1907 and 1908 the interest in racing has escalated in Russia again. In 1908 Andrei Nagel decided to organize an endurance race, as that same year he has completed a 10,000-kilometer trip through Europe with Albert Effron and Vladimir Lebedev* and remained very satisfied with it. That time some people were waiting for some ‘democratic’ forms of motor racing. Such thing that could show the possibilities of production cars, not the ones built with the only purpose – to race. Having though all the things over, Nagel together with Wadim Michailoff and Eugen Kouzmine began to plan the race. They’ve combined the two tendencies and for a first Russian endurance race happened in 1909 only production cars were allowed to enter.
This time, instead of a typical run between two capitals, St.-Petersberg and Moscow, the distance was built from St.-Petersberg to Riga, and equaled 1000 versts (1177 kilometers). All the entrants were divided into 5 categories depending on cylinder diameter in millimeters. For each category an average speed and timetable were counted, and each minute over this timetable was rewarded with one penalty point. In case that delay was more than 30 minutes – 3 points per minute, and 10 points per minute if the car was late for more than hour. Also each minute when the car or the engine were stopped gained a point. The exception was made for tires change. Also it was possible to fix the cars during a competition only, as between the stages a parc-ferme scheme was imposed.

Starting list:

#1. Samuel Suurmets (TD ‘Pobeda’) – Opel – Cat.1
#2. Ivan Puzyrev – Durkopp – Cat.1
#3. G.Luken – Rochet-Schneider – Cat.1
#4. N.Weiner – Pipe – Cat.1

#5. Military office driver – Benz – Cat.2
#6. P.Poliakoff – Berliet – Cat.2
#7. V. von Wolf – Mercedes – Cat.2

#8. Francois Donnier (TRARM) – Mercedes – Cat.3
#9. Julien Potterat (RBVZ) – Russo-Baltique – Cat.3
#10. Dubrovich – RAF – Cat.3
#11. Wilhelm – Adler – Cat.3
#12. V.Schwartz – Lessner – Cat.3
#13. Fritz Erle (Benz) – Benz – Cat.3

#14. Schneideroff (Ford) – Ford – Cat.4
#15. Alexander Mordvinoff – Pipe – Cat.4
#16. Basil Vsevolozhskiy – Pipe – Cat.4

#17. Alexander Fokin – FIAT – Cat.5
#18. Kirschten – Humber – Cat.5
#19. Heiblich – Gaggenau – Cat.5
#20. Alfonse Deringer – Humber – Cat.5
#21. Valenskiy – Gaggenau – Cat.5
#22. Finke (Leutner) – Adler – Cat.5
#23. N.Oppel – Humber – Cat.5

The start was set on August, 14 near Alexandrovskaya railway station in St.-Petersberg, where the very first race in 1898 started. All the route was divided into 4 stages – St.-Petersberg - Pskov, Pskov – Riga, and back - Riga – Pskov and Pskov – St.-Petersberg. The first stage was completed by everyone, except Schwartz and Puzyrev – their Lessner and Durkopp were broken, so they had to turn back to St.-Petersberg. Soon after the second stage has started Fokin retired from the race with a broken leaf spring. Suurmets came first to Riga, Donnier was second.
On August, 16 a 3-hour exhibition of participating cars was appointed in Riga, after which all the drivers on their cars drove to Rodenpois station for verst runs. There Fritz Erle has set a new Russian speed record driving his 150hp Benz – 1 verst at 25 seconds with a speed of 153,6 kph (World speed record was 205,38 kph then), but did it after the official runs, which, though he won also with 31 seconds (123,9 kph).
In the morning of August, 17 drivers have started back to St.-Petersberg, though some of them decided to drive one way only, as was permitted by the rules. Thus, von Wolf, Kirschten and Oppel intended to drive to Riga from the beginning of the race, and Weiner refused to drive back after he had to dela with tires 11 times from Pskov to Riga. This time less powerful cars started first to achieve a solid finish. The first to finish was Donnier in 14h 06m. Winners in categories were Suurmets (Cat.1), military office driver (Cat.2), Wilhelm (Cat.3), Mordvinoff (Cat.4) and Finke (Cat.5).
After finish 15 cars that completed the whole distance were exhibited again, this time in St.-Petersberg.

*Following that tendency of how Russian drivers wrote their names, maybe Lebedeff?

Pictures:

1-3. Samuel Suurmets on Opel.
4. Fritz Erle on Benz 150hp during verst races in Riga.
5. Gonna be Russo-Baltique C24/30 as driven by Julien Potterat. Maybe not (see posts further!!)