Trondhjemsridtet 1922

Et historisk tilbakeblikk / A look back in time

En velutrustet rytter på en Excelsior m/ sidevogn et sted i Norge i 1921. * * * * * A well equipped rider on an Excelsior combi somewhere in Norway in 1921.

I 1922 gikk løpet over 3 dager i september med start og mål på Frogner stadion. Det var tvungen legeundersøkelse 1 time før start for å sikre at deltakerne var fysisk skikket til strabasene. I alt 24 deltakere startet fredag 8/9 fra kl. 13:00 og deltakerne ankom mellom kl. 17:22 og 18:15 på søndag 10/9, altså nærmere 53 t senere. Løpet gikk på en fastsatt idealtid mellom kontrollstasjonene. Fartsgrensen den gangen utenfor byer var 35 km/t, men veiene var elendige etter dagens standard og over fjellet var de lite mer enn stier. Det var 6 timers hvile i Trondheim og til sammen rundt 3,5 timers pause underveis fordelt på diverse 15, 20 og 30-minutters pauser til hvile og bensinfylling. Til sammen 9,5 timers hvile og pauser. Antall timer i salen lå altså rundt 43 timer, og det var for øvrig ”..forfærdelig veir over høifjeldet. Det kjørtes i snøveir og mange kuldegrader og isen laa tyk paa vandene”. Vi kan anta at de 20 deltakerne som fullførte løpet var rimelig frosne og mørbankede ved ankomst. Modige og hardføre ryttere!

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In 1922, the rally took place over 3 days in September, starting and finishing at Frogner Stadium. A medical examination was required 1 hour before the start to ensure that the participants were physically fit for the hardships. A total of 24 participants started on Friday 8. Sept. from 13:00 and the participants arrived between 17:22 and 18:15 on Sunday 10. Sept., almost 53 hours later. The rally was a reliability run with a set ideal time between a number of control stations. The speed limit at that time outside cities was 35 km/h, but the roads were miserable by today's standards and over the mountains they were little more than trails. It was a 6-hour compulsory rest in Trondheim and a total of around a 3 ½ hours of breaks along the way, divided into various 15, 20 and 30-minute breaks for rest and refueling. Total time for rest and breaks was 9 ½ hours during the entire event.  Elapsed time in the saddle was thus around 43 hours and weatherwise it was ".. terrible weather over the high mountains. The riding was in snowy weather and many degrees below freezing; ice laid thick on the lakes”. We can assume that the 20 participants who completed the race were quite frozen and battered on arrival. Brave and hardy riders!