Automobile races in Sweden, 1910

According to a calendar of international automobile events published in the Oakland Tribune, 18th January 1910, pg 14, the "Annual Winter Automobile Race Meeting in Sweden, under the direction of the Royal Swedish Automobile Club" was to be held from February 20th-23rd 1910. Does anyone know anything more about this? The use of the word "annual" also hints that it may have taken place before - was this the case?

The first of these annual events were held in 1906. The objective in the first race, was to get from Gothenburg to Stockholm in 72 hours.

During 1906 and 1907 they were still called Swedish Automobile Club, the "Royal" was added in 1908.

The event was held from 1906 to 1920 and 1925 to 1930.

For 1931 the event was replaced by the Swedish Winter GP.

More of a rally than a race then
Unless the winner was the entry that arrived in the shortest time?

No, it was more some sort of realiability competitions. In 1911 they raised the allowed averaged speed in daytime to 30 km/h and to 20 km/h at night.

The Swedish Automobile Club's first event was a 170 km winter-competition between Stockholm and Uppsala in 1904. (err.. not a "winter" but a summer-event)

Do you have any more details of these events?

Yes, of course

I was wrong in my last post. The first competition was not in the winter, but in the summer - June 12th 1904. The course was Stockholm - Listlena - Uppsala - Stockholm. Ten cars started in four classes according to the price of the car! One of the cars was driven by a lady - Alexandra Gjestvang, but she didn't reach the finish. Only half of the field did. Fastest (under the maximum speed 30 km/h) was Anton Svensson in a Scania.

In 1905 was the first winter competition between Stockholm and Uppsala. This one was a pure race, although the cars started in intervals. Only four cars reached the finish and Emil Salmson won.

February 15th 1906 was the start of the first of the big Wintercompetitions between Gothenburg and Stockholm. 8 cars started the 515 km long journey. On the days they were allowed a maximum speed at 25 km/h and 10 km/h at night! Try staying awake at 10 km/h....
Emil Salmson won the first Wintercup in a 40 bhp Fiat at 24h 45.05.

In 1907 (Feb 20th) they drove from Stockholm to Gothenburg and this time 42 cars was entered. The weather was lousy and the winner Salmson needed 38 hours to reach the west coast. After some discussions and protests over the results, third man Carl Skånberg was thrown out of the club, so he and his friends started Svenska Motorklubben. SMK arranged its own big event later that summer: SMK:s Sommartävling.

In the 1908 version of the Wintercompetition Emil Salmson in a Fiat won for the third time and could keep the Wintercup. He retired from competition after that.

The 1909 Wintercup between Gothenburg and Stockholm was the first international competition in Sweden and was won by Anders Skog in a Mors.

The 1910 competition Stockholm- Jönköping- Gothenburg was won by the Danish driver R.Svendsen.

Hjalmar P:son Janek in a Minerva won in 1911. His arrival times at the controlposts was closest to the 30km/h average speed.

In 1912 they drove Stockholm-Gothenburg-Stockholm. 1017 km. John Nerén in a Opel won. He came to the controlposts right on spot after having rolled very slowly the lasts meters.

In the 1913 version 1181km long, they had incorporated a hillclimb outside of Stockholm. Hans Osterman in a Minerva won.

Osterman also won the 1914 event (1282 km long).

Puff, pant....

Many thanks!

Very many thanks.

I am eagerly awaiting the next results.


Gerrit Stevens

OK, let's continue...

KAK's Vintertävling 1920 started from Stockholm and went over Örebro, through Värmland and down to Gothenburg, where they had a rest. Then it continued to Jönköping - Örebro - Eskilstuna and back to Stockholm. They also had a hill-climb.
60 cars started and the rookie driver Per Björkman won in a Buick.

In 1925 the Wintercup was revived. This time they drove from Stockholm to Östersund. 25 drivers reached the finish on the right time. Among them Hans Osterman who then got the second Wintercup.

In 1926 the course went from Oslo, Norway to Stockholm, Sweden. The average speed for the 1246 km was set at 40 km/h.
Olof Grönqvist in a Fiat 509 won after a chaotic event where they all got stuck in deep snow in Värmland. The organizers had to scratch that part of the event.

The 1927 event went from Gothenburg up to Hudiksvall and down to Stockholm, 1467km. Six drivers made it without any penalties: Olof Grönqvist, Fiat; Clemens Bergström, Fiat; Björn Bothén, Chevrolet; Ejnar Lindberg, Dodge; Ernst Nilsson, Lincoln; Erik Westerberg, Reo.

In 1928 the course was changed again. Start in Gothenburg, to Arvika - Falun - Gävle -Stockholm. And the average speed was raised to 50 km/h. Erik Westerberg was clearly fastest, but missed out at the controlposts and finished third. The winner was John E. Ohlsson in a Dodge.

the 1929 event was easier and nine cars reached the finish without penalties: Olof Grönqvist, Fiat; Per Näs, Citroen; Clemens Bergström, Dodge; C.G. Johansson, Ford; Franklin Eck, Dodge; Lennart Svensson, Volvo; Ernst Nilsson, Ford; Nils Mark, Ford; John E Ohlsson, Dodge. Grönqvist took his third victory and got the third WinterCup.

The last Vintertävling in 1930 had 22 starting cars and no one made it to the finish without penalties. But three cars chared the victory with 2 penalties: Per Näs, Citroen; Thure Johansson, Ford and Ernst Nilsson, Ford.

1906
1 Salmson - Fiat
2 Dahn - Darracq
3 Bagge - Star
4 Bjorkman - Oldsmobile

1907
1 Salmson - Fiat

1908
1 Salmson - Fiat
(2)disq Lindstrom - Darracq
3 Janek - Beckmann
4 Raf - Star

1909
1 Skog - Mors
2 Sundberg - Vivinus
3 Christiansen - Renault

1910
1 Svendsen - no

1911
1 Hans Osterman - Miverva

1912
1 Hans Osterman - Miverva

1913
1 Hans Osterman - Miverva

1914
1 Bramberg - Fiat

1910

1 Robert Svendsen (Den) - Delauney Belleville


Automobiles Delaunay-Belleville was a French luxury automobile manufacturer from St. Denis sur Seine, France

I don't know about your sources, but according to mine, Osterman got two penalty-points for speeding in 1911. 11 drivers reached the finish with zero penalties, but Janek's arrival-times were closest.

In 1912 Nerén was the only driver without penalties.

Osterman won in 1913 and 1914 and got the second Winter Cup when he won again in 1925.