The Coupe des Dames in the Monte Carlo Rally: Part I

Mildred Bruce with her AC, 1927

The Coupe des Dames was awarded to the best female finisher in the Monte Carlo Rally. The award was first made in 1927, to Mildred Mary Bruce, although she was not the first female driver to contest the event. A Madame Mertens came second in 1925, driving a Lancia Lambda, but no special trophy for female drivers existed as yet.

Below are the winners of the Coupe des Dames prior to 1950. Where possible, full names have been given. The early days of the rally saw considerable success for women drivers, with women in the top ten for several years, in the 1920s and 1930s. For some editions, separate “Coupes” were given for different classes, and these have been included. This is the first part of a series of posts about the Monte Carlo Rally. Part 2 Part 3

1927

Mildred (Mrs Victor) Bruce (AC) – 6^th

1928

Charlotte Versigny (Talbot) – 3^rd

1929

Lucy O’Reilly Schell (Talbot) – 8^th

1930

Madame M. Doré (Chenard & Walcker) – 9^th

1931

Madame D. Jeanne (Rosengart) – 3^rd (Light Car)

Lady Eda Jardine (Lancia Lambda) – 14^th

1932

Alexandra Lindh (Hudson) – 8^th

Morna Vaughan (Triumph) – 6^th (Light Car)

1933

Marguerite Mareuse/Louise Lamberjack (Peugeot) – 13^th

1934

Simone des Forest/Fernande Hustinx (Peugeot 301) – 17^th

Madame Marinovitch and Louise Lamberjack, 1935

1935

Marie-Jeanne Marinovitch/Louise Lamberjack (Ford) – 19^th

1936

Marie-Jeanne Marinovitch/Hellé Nice (Matford) – 18^th

1937

Greta Molander (Plymouth) – 34^th

1938

Germaine Rouault/Madame J D’Herlique (Matford) – 7^th

1939

Yvonne Simon/Suzanne Largeot (Hotchkiss) – 8^th

1949

Countess van Limburg Stirum/Countess van Vredenburgh (Ford V8) – 12^th

(Images from http://www.acownersclub.co.uk/ and http://www.forum-auto.com/)