Motorsport: Questionable SM calendar for 2017
Auto Sport Schweiz has published the provisional championship calendar for 2017 on its homepage. According to this, nine hillclimb races are to take place again. But two on the same weekend would be nonsense. Early publication of the race dates for the coming year is commendable in itself. But put online without comment, such a calendar, as for the 2017 Swiss championship, only raises many [...]
An early publication of the race dates for the coming year is commendable in itself. But put online without comment, such a calendar, as for the Swiss Championship 2017, only raises many unanswered questions. It is nice that the mountain races La Roche-La Berra and Massongex-Vérossaz (for whatever reason now called Chablais), which were cancelled this year, are to take place again. The race in the Gruyère region was last always held on the first weekend in July, but now Reitnau also lays claim to this date!
The reason is a shooting festival lasting several weeks, for which the shooting range located at the track in Reitnau is needed. Therefore, the ACS Mitte wants July 2 instead of the last Sunday in June as the date for its popular mountain race. On the same weekend as La Roche-La Berra - that would be nonsense. According to a NSK member, a solution is being sought, but it will certainly not remain that way.
Unfortunately, the start of the season for the Berg-SM on June 11 in Hemberg overlaps with the slalom in Romont, as already this year. Anzère (June 23), Reitnau and La Roche, Chablais (Aug. 6), St-Ursanne (Aug. 20), Oberhallau (Aug. 27), Gurnigel (Sept. 10) and Les Paccots (Sept. 17) are the other mountain race dates.
The slalom championship begins for the first time with the race at Interlaken airfield (April 8). This will be followed by Frauenfeld (April 23), Saanen (May 6), Bure (May 14), Bière (May 21), Romont (June 11), Chamblon (June 25), Geneva (Sept. 3), Drognens (Oct. 1) and Ambri (Oct. 8). Saanen as a venue is questionable, however, as the rumble runway at the airfield is no longer suitable for SM.
New edition of the Gotthard Rally in August
The rally championship will no longer start in France (previously Pays du Gier), but in Italy on March 25/26. The Rally Gotthard, which was last held in 1983 and postponed to 2017 due to permit problems, is scheduled to take place from August 17 to 20. The other Rallye-SM rounds are Jurassien (April 7-8), Chablais (June 2-3), Ronde del Ticino (June 23-24), Suran/F (Sept. 22-23) and the finale in Valais (Oct. 27-28), which will again take place a week later.
www.autosport-ch.com
Photos: Peter Wyss
