10 replies to this topic

[Rob29]

I am compiling a database of female racing drivers,and have over 900 to date. One area with a zero so far is the former USSR and its satellites. Just had a thought that one of our east european posters who have come up with many previously unheard of races & circuits might be able to help here. Seeing as USSR was the only country with female fighter pilots in WW2 did they ever have lady racers?

[kos]

Rob, there are some female racers in current Russian motorsport championships. If you are interested, I will post their names and all that I know about them

[Rob29]

Originally posted by kos
Rob, there are some female racers in current Russian motorsport championships. If you are interested, I will post their names and all that I know about them

Thanks,kos that would be a start.The only name I have so far is from before WW1.

[Pavel Lifintsev]

Originally posted by Rob29
Thanks,kos that would be a start.The only name I have so far is from before WW1.

I'll provide you more as soon as possible.

[Alexey Rogachev]

In 1960s, there were two or three female drivers who were racing touring cars in local Soviet races - if you're interested in their names, I'll post them to this thread as soon as possible. But I have to say that I don't know anything on them except theis names...

[Pavel Lifintsev]

Well, Rob, here I am. You may be slightly disappointed with very poor results of my research comparing these to the number of days I needed to collect them all, but it's really hard to find something of these ancient times, believe me.

So, first of all I copied all mentions of female racing drivers from my statistics (more or less complete results of these events can be found in recent TNF thread Early motor racing in Russia, 1898-1914).

1904

1 versta runs near St. Petersburg
31.07.1904 (18.07.1904 in old Russian calendar)
1.067 km / 1 versta (flying start)
Route: Volkhonskoe road

First russian women's speed record:
Walton (RUS) Georges Richard 10 CV 1'58''0 = 32.55 kph

1909

1 versta runs near St. Petersburg
06.06.1909 (24.05.1909 in old Russian calendar)
1.067 km / 1 versta (flying start)
Promoters: ''Avtomobil'' magazine, St. Petersburg Automobile Club
Route: Volkhonskoe road

New russian women's speed record:
N. (RUS) Brasier 24 CV 1'19''0 = 48.61 kph

1913

1 versta runs near St. Petersburg
27.05.1913 (14.05.1913 in old Russian calendar)
1.067 km / 1 versta (flying start)
Promoter: St. Petersburg Automobile Club
Route: Volkhonskoe road

1st prize in class IV and new russian women's speed record:
Darya Rimskaya-Korsakova (RUS) Vauxhall 12 HP 0'34''6 = 111 kph

1 versta runs near Kharkov
12.09.1913 (30.08.1913 in old Russian calendar)
1.067 km / 1 versta
Promoter: South Russian Automobile Club
Route: Belgorodskoe road

...
? A. Kovalenko (RUS) – prize for driving skills

2 versts off-road trial near Moscow
12.10.1913 (29.09.1913 in old Russian calendar)
2 versts / 2.134 km
Promoter: First Russian Automobile Club

...
10. Elena P. Samsonova (RUS) Hupmobile 12 HP 8'13''0 = 15.58 kph

1914

II St. Petersburg – Kronstadt – St. Petersburg Winter Race
28.02.1914 (15.02.1914 in old Russian calendar)
52.273 km / 49 versts
Promoter: St. Petersburg Automobile Club

...
? Suvorina (RUS) Opel 1:07'24''0 = 46.53 kph
DNF Orlova (RUS)

1 versta runs near St. Petersburg
24.05.1914 (11.05.1914 in old Russian calendar)
1.066 km / 1 versta (flying start)
Promoter: St. Petersburg Automobile Club
Route: Volkhonskoe road

...
? Elena P. Samsonova (RUS) Hupmobile 0'53''4 = 71.92 kph
? Suvorina (RUS) Excelsior

Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de St. Petersburg
31.05.1914 (18.05.1914 in old Russian calendar)
7 laps (32.004 km / 30 versts each) = 224.028 km / 210 versts
Promoter: St. Petersburg Automobile Club

...
DNF Elena P. Samsonova (RUS) Hupmobile (retired on lap 3 because of damaged rim being 6th of 8 competitors)

Then I tried to add statistics with a couple of words telling more of some of these brave ladies.

Walton (no first name available)
In 1902 became very first lady-motorcyclist in Russia. On September 7, 1902 at Rostov-on-Don she set first russian women's speed record – 40.64 kph (Werner motorcycle). Less than two years after that, on July 31, 1904 she did the same in the car (George Richard 10 CV) during 1 versta runs near St. Petersburg, but this time the result was a little worse – only 32.55 kph.

Elena P. Samsonova
One of the first qualified ladies-aviators in Russia. Believed to first ever woman taking part in a Grand Prix (of course providing that a) we consider the 1914 Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de St. Petersburg a real Grand Prix and b) do not count those pre-1906 races, which subsequently were entitled Grands Prix de l'Automobile Club de France, and Camille du Gast).

Suvorina (no first name available)
Presumably wife of G. M. Suvorin, amateur racing driver from St. Petersburg. In 1913 he surprisingly became the winner of the Circuit de St. Petersburg in his own Benz 29/60 PS being not reckoned a favourite of this prestigious race; it was his first and last significant achievement.



February 28, 1914. Suvorina at the wheel of her Opel soon after finishing in the St. Petersburg – Kronstadt – St. Petersburg race. Contemporary reports say 'she was the picture of calmness among fussy drivers, judges and spectacors'. Sadly I don't have any info on what place she took in that race; it is said only that she won her class.
And, what else... I must be watched this pic too long, but I seem to recognize number 12 on the grille?

[Rob29]

Thanks 'ru' At least we now have a first name for Samsonova!

[David McKinney]

The name that intrigued me was Darya Rimskaya-Korsakova
Any relation to the composer

[Pavel Lifintsev]

Originally posted by David McKinney
The name that intrigued me was Darya Rimskaya-Korsakova
Any relation to the composer

That was my first thought too! But in fact they weren't related, as the name of the composer's wife was Nadezhda and he had no daughters.

[Alexey Rogachev]

OK, here is what I've managed to find in my archives on 1960-1970 Soviet racing.

Zinaida Kakhno
Won Belorussian group B championship in 1965, driving Moskvich-407 touring. Obviously raced in the all-union championship that year as top drivers of local events were permitted to take part in the USSR championship (do you know about numerous Soviet "Spartakiada's"?)

Maria Makarchuk
Took 5th place in Belorussian class 3A championship in 1970, driving Moskvich-412 touring car. As 5th Soviet Spartakiada was held in 1970, including touring cars racing, I guess she also raced in the USSR championship...

[Magee]

Rob,
Good idea! I've been collecting info on local women drivers at Westwood Circuit. Below is an article I have written for the local newspaper (just waiting publication). In the early 60s on the West Coast (Canada-U.S.) Powder Puff races were held to attract more women to the sport. This kind of race persisted for a few years but then was abandoned. When it first appeared the news reporters started to poke fun at the idea. Eventually, the "femme-grid" became unacceptable and the women were integrated into regular racing.

Powder puff races at Westwood
By Michael Gee

Westwood circuit, near Vancouver, BC, opened in the summer of 1959. The following year the race organizers put together a race for women, and the newspapers played up the event. Prior to the special race for women there were a few women competing with men, but if they were back markers or moving chicanes, their results were not publicized in the local newspapers. Generally, they were ignored much like their brothers who were at the back of the pack. However, sometimes they were mentioned, such as this quote, "Burnaby's Joan Goodridge leads a femme field of 16 starters. Joan regularly races her Austin-Healey with the men - and wins."
One race in June, 1960, was promoted in advance with headlines such as this -- Sunday (Shudder) is Ladies Day. One news reporter wrote, "Westwood sports car circuit has logged 47,000 miles of injury free racing since opening last year. Sunday, the girls take over. Thrills, chills, spills - now frills." The news reporter was wrong about the injury statement. The very first race at Westwood included an accident that sent a male driver to the hospital.
News reporters and photographers worked hard to get images of the women drivers patting their cheeks with a powder puff and applying lipstick while sitting in their cars posed in front of a rear view mirror. In fact, at this race and for a few years hence the special race was called "Powder Puff".
Ann Moore, a nurse from Victoria, won the June race, Zelma Moore of Vancouver was second, and Joan Goodridge, of Burnaby, came in third in a borrowed TR3 Special. Her Austin Healey blew out a cylinder.
Later that year, in the September race, Zelma Moore in her Lotus 7 was listed as first. In May 1961, Diana McColl was second. Later, in July, 26-year-old Joan Goodridge came first; Karen Hall, second; Doris Walters, from Edmonton, third; Ann Moore, fourth.
In June, 1962, the Powder Puff race, with 10 entrants, was won by Karen Hall, a "veteran of two years." Diana McColl of Vancouver, was second, and Yvonne Bridge, third.
In September, 1963, the race organizers adopted a handicap system for the Powder Puff. Ordinarily, cars were rated by engine size and placed in classes. The Powder Puff had been a simple first to the finish line type of race. In this race, Karen Hall came first in a Porsche Carerra, usually raced by her husband. It far out performed the other cars, MGA's and TR3's. As a result Judith Alston, in her small-bore racer, was awarded first place due to the handicap against big-bore Porsche.
Unfortunately, during practice runs that day, Irene McKaig, was seriously hurt at Westwood's turn 3. Racing bites hard at times for men and women. It doesn't discriminate.
In 1964 and years later, the "Powder Puff" label was hardly mentioned in news reports. Perhaps this was due to the decision to integrate women into whatever races their cars were eligible for. The 1963 accident may have been a factor, and perhaps the lobbying by women to be treated equally was affecting the attitude of organizers.

In October of 1964 both Karen Hall and Jann Helzer of Portland were mentioned as regular racers. Also, more importantly, Karen Hall, in 1968, became the first local

woman to race in a national event at Westwood in her Lotus Cortina sedan (#182). Progress had been made on the track.

Addendum:
June 26, 1960 Race: First news article on women's race at Westwood
Entrants:
Joan Goodridge, Burnaby
Dede McColl, Vancouver
Marg Horton, UBC student
Yvonne Bridge
Doris Ostlund
Glennis Godfrey
Joan Orr
Jean Saunders
Laureen Doherty
Pay Haywood
Fay Lee
Jay Hoyland
Ann Moore, nurse, Victoria
Zelma Moore, Vancouver
And two Seattle girls

News Sources:
The Vancouver Sun
The Province