234:, formally titled the IV Coupe Internationale, was a motor race held on 2 July 1903, on the Athy Circuit consisting of closed roads in Ireland. The race consisted of seven laps - alternating for six laps over a shorter circuit to the west of Athy and longer circuit to the East, before a final lap on the longer circuit to make the total distance 527 km (327.5 miles). A British entry had won the previous edition of the race, which meant that the rights to host the race fell to the Automobile Club of Britain and Ireland. Legislation was passed to allow the race to take place on roads in Ireland, then a part of the United Kingdom. Britain were to attempt to defend the Gordon Bennett Cup against France, Germany and the USA, and each country was represented by three entries, with the car that finished the race in the shortest time winning the race on behalf of his country.
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race where more than 200 cars competed over a distance of 800 miles (1,287 km) but which had to be halted at
Bordeaux because there had been so many accidents. To allay these fears the 1903 race was held over a closed course which had been carefully prepared for the event, and was marshalled by
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south; the N78 north again; the N9 south; the N80 north; the N78 north again. The official timekeeper of the race was Mr. T. H. Woolen of the
Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland. Ninety one Chronographs for timing the race were supplied by the Anglo-Swiss firm Stauffer Son & Co. of La
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declared "That every facility will be given and the roads placed at the disposal of motorists during the proposed race." Eventually
Kildare was chosen, partly on the grounds that the straightness of the roads would be a safety benefit. As a compliment to Ireland the British team chose to race in
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7,000 police officers assisted by troops and club stewards, with strict instructions to keep spectators off the roads and away from corners. The route consisted of two loops in a figure eight, the first a 52 mi (84 km) loop including
301:, Patrick Foley, who pronounced himself in favour. Local laws had to be adjusted, ergo the 'Light Locomotives (Ireland) Bill' was passed on 27 March 1903. Kildare and other local councils drew attention to their areas, whilst
297:, and letters were sent to 102 Irish MPs, 90 Irish peers, 300 newspapers, 34 chairmen of county and local councils, 34 County secretaries, 26 mayors, 41 railway companies, 460 hoteliers, 13 PPs, plus the
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417:, driving a Mercedes in German colours. It was "inferior in terms of horse power", but suited to Jenazy's driving style, and he turned in a spectacular performance. His purse for the win was
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249:, both driving Panhards and representing France finished in second and third places, taking a little over ten minutes longer to complete the course than Jenatzy.
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Magazine spread showing three Gordon
Bennett Cup Teams in 1903: German Mercedes (top), USA Wintons and Peerless (middle) and British Napiers (bottom)
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Chaux-de-Fonds and London. Competitors were started at seven-minute intervals and had to follow bicycles through the "control zones" in each town.
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driving a
Mercedes and representing Germany, in a time of six hours and 39 minutes, at an average speed of 79.2 km/h (49.2 mph).
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was the first international motor race to be held in
Ireland, an honorific to
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wanted the race to be hosted in the
British Isles, and their secretary,
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955:"The Gordon Bennett races – the birth of international competition"
1051:"Grand Prix History – Organized Racing & The First Grand Prix"
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The 328 mi (528 km) race was won by the famous
Belgian
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There was considerable public concern about safety after the 1901
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who had won the 1902 event in the Paris-Vienna race driving a
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Edward
Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu
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350:, followed by a 40 mi (64 km) loop through
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1035:Bleacher report, The Birth of British motor racing
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261:Circuit map for the 1903 Gordon Bennett Trophy
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279:Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland
1104:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
980:"The Paris-Madrid and Gordon-Bennett Races"
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929:"Britain's first international motor race"
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93:64 & 83.5 km (40 & 51.88 miles)
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428:Commemorative monument to the race in
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101:3 & 4 laps, 527 km (327.5 miles)
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927:Lynch, Brendan (22 October 2003).
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1049:David, Dennis (1 November 2010).
1016:. London. 9 July 2005. p. 76
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397:heading north, then followed the
1204:Gordon Bennett Cup (auto racing)
1144:Gordon Bennett Cup (auto racing)
988:. London. 26 May 1903. p. 8
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953:Snellman, Leif (Summer 2001).
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310:, which thus became known as
265:On Thursday, 2 July 1903 the
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1024:– via Newspapers.com.
996:– via Newspapers.com.
29:Pre-1906 Grand Prix seasons
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232:1903 Gordon Bennett Cup
58:IV Coupe Internationale
22:1903 Gordon Bennett Cup
1008:"Knights on the tiles"
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43:2 July 1903
430:The Moat of Ardscull
393:on the contemporary
319:Paris-Bordeaux Rally
312:British racing green
237:The race was won by
226:Jenatzy, 1903 winner
1214:1903 in Irish sport
1013:The Daily Telegraph
847:Steering/Collision
760:James Foxhall-Keene
641:Outside assistance
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1209:1903 in motorsport
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291:Richard J. Mecredy
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382:53.0853; -6.82
308:Shamrock green
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283:Claude Johnson
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1081:Bibliography
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1058:. Retrieved
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1018:. Retrieved
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990:. Retrieved
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962:. Retrieved
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936:. Retrieved
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913:
887:
862:J.W. Stocks
638:
549:Henry Farman
460:Constructor
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352:Castledermot
340:Monasterevin
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303:County Laois
286:
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247:Henry Farman
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197:Henri Farman
85:Public roads
35:Race details
15:
691:Percy Owen
619:Selwyn Edge
401:north; the
391:Calverstown
380: /
332:The Curragh
271:Selwyn Edge
253:Race report
1198:Categories
1168:III (1902)
898:References
880:Collision
405:west; the
365:53°05′07″N
344:Stradbally
47:1903-07-02
1183:VI (1905)
1173:IV (1903)
1163:II (1901)
985:The Times
368:6°49′12″W
328:Kilcullen
77:, Ireland
1178:V (1904)
1158:I (1900)
1100:citation
1090:(1963),
959:Forix 8W
933:Forix 8W
808:Peerless
775:Mercedes
771:Germany
672:Mercedes
668:Germany
603:7:11:33
568:6:51:44
533:6:50:40
498:6:39:00
494:Mercedes
490:Germany
142:Mercedes
98:Distance
63:Location
1060:4 April
1020:4 April
992:4 April
964:4 April
938:4 April
888:Source:
639:9:18:48
595:France
564:Panhard
560:France
529:Panhard
525:France
454:Driver
421:8,000.
389:) near
336:Kildare
212:Panhard
177:Panhard
45: (
876:Napier
843:Napier
740:Winton
705:Winton
634:Napier
356:Carlow
277:. The
275:Napier
148:Second
107:Podium
82:Course
1151:Races
779:Axle
676:Axle
183:Third
113:First
1106:link
1062:2024
1022:2024
994:2024
966:2024
940:2024
852:Ret
817:Ret
804:USA
784:Ret
749:Ret
736:USA
714:Ret
701:USA
681:Ret
646:Ret
608:DSQ
599:Mors
451:Pos
348:Athy
245:and
230:The
73:and
40:Date
866:GBR
833:GBR
798:USA
765:USA
730:USA
695:USA
662:BEL
624:GBR
589:FRA
554:FRA
519:FRA
484:BEL
407:N80
395:N78
202:FRA
167:FRA
132:BEL
1200::
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399:N9
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