Oberhallau: A family celebration for the anniversary 🎥
WHERE YOU MEET In 1923, the Oberhallau hill climb through the Schaffhausen vineyards took place for the first time. In order to celebrate the anniversary in a worthy manner, the event will take place over three days this year.
Already on Friday, the race cars thunder up the three-kilometer track for practice runs and on Saturday, the first race run takes place. The best of the Swiss mountain racing scene and the German KW Berg-Cup will do the honors in Oberhallau.
The anniversary edition is once again fully booked with 250 registered drivers. Between the championship races, racing legends from 100 years of Oberhallau hillclimb racing can also chase their racing rarities up the mountain once again.
Fascination and passion
In the beginning there was a dirt road through the Oberhallau vineyards up to the front mountain farms. The temptation to find out who can get to the top the fastest with his motorcycle is so great that in 1923 the first Oberhallau mountain race takes place.
Today, people ride on four wheels instead of two, over asphalt instead of pebbles. But even though much has changed in the 100 years, one thing has remained the same since then: In Oberhallau, the fascination and passion for motorsport is alive and well.
Historical pictures and film footage
This 100-year tradition will be celebrated over three days this year. The current racing action of the Swiss Hillclimb Championship and the German KW Hillclimb Cup will be equally taken into account as the great history of the last 100 years of hillclimb racing. The anniversary program includes an event hall in the starting area where history comes alive. Racing legends show their historic vehicles from back then, are available for talks and take the opportunity to take the mountain track under their wheels once again.
These include Fritz Erb, Edy Kobelt, Patrick Ulrich and Urs Hauenstein. Walter Röhlin, Heiri Bechtel and Peter Eglof will come with their motorcycles. Unfortunately, former Schaffhausen Formula 1 driver Gildo Guidi will be there without a car. He is in the annals of the Oberhallau mountain race because in 1971 he was the first and only driver to climb the mountain in an actual Formula 1 racing car. The living witnesses will be complemented in the event hall by historical pictures, film footage and other treasures.
Tarzan Cross in the program for the first time
Additional spectacle will be provided by the Tarzan Cross, which will be held for the first time at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Eight teams of four drivers will compete against each other in curiously reacting vehicles. The teams will be thrown together from registered drivers and members of the organizing committee. The fun for participants and visitors in the foreground. Thus it fits perfectly into the entertaining supporting program, which transforms the mountain race into a village festival for the whole family year after year.
A special highlight this year is again the traditional soapbox race of the pupils of Oberhallau, which will take place at the anniversary edition not only on Sunday, but also on Saturday during the lunch break. Further entertainment will be provided by race cab rides, drifters or helicopter sightseeing flights. But the best supporting program is offered by the village itself, where the drivers prepare their cars in the garages of the inhabitants and patiently answer all the questions of the visitors.
Many starters also from abroad
Despite the big anniversary celebration, the focus is of course also on racing this year. There are six women at the start this year and also nine local riders will not miss the opportunity to take part in the anniversary race. From abroad, eight Austrians and 68 Germans are starting this year. The latter is mainly due to the fact that the Oberhallau hill climb is once again a championship race of the German KW Berg-Cup. Here, Holger Hovemann is one of the fan favorites. His Opel Kadett C with a 5.7-liter V8 engine is affectionately known only as the "fat one.
Three-way fight for the coveted title
The Swiss Mountain Championship enters the decisive phase in Oberhallau. The third last race of the championship takes place in Klettgau. In both mountain championships, a three-way battle for the title is emerging, which is also likely to be reflected in the duel for the day's victory in Oberhallau. In the touring car category, Bruno Sawatzki is in the lead in a Porsche 911 Cup. He is being chased by Roger Schnellmann in his Mitsubishi Evo 8 and Stephan Burri in a VW Scirocco. In the mountain championship for racing cars, Eric Berguerand in his Lola FA 99 is the championship favorite, but that is no guarantee for the day's victory.
Marcel Steiner on his LobArt LA01 is just lurking for a Berguerand mistake to snatch victory and thus reduce the gap in the championship. The lucky third could be Robin Faustini. So far this season, it has not been enough for him to win the Swiss mountain championship, but he did win in the German Hauenstein with a course record. Faustini is likely to start in Oberhallau correspondingly hungry for further victories.
Excitement is therefore guaranteed at the Oberhallau 2023 mountain race, whether on the race track during the championship decisions or in the village during the extensive anniversary program. When the Oberhallau mountain calls from August 25 to 27, 2023, racing will become a family celebration. One can be curious.
Video: @Friends of Swiss Motorsport
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