European Scrambling

EUROPEAN SCRAMBLING

A forty-year-old form of motorcycle sport, contested by twelve countries, with two World Championships.

B. R. NICHOLLS

SCRAMBLING, OR MOTO CROSS as it is called more generally now, especially on the continent of Europe, has reached such a peak of popularity that it might be an idea to look at the background before the 1963 season really gets into its stride. Scrambling started almost forty years ago as a cross between a road race and a trial. Held on the rough, there were no observed sections, no need to keep the feet up, just try and beat the man in front and the last one home's a sissy! The old saying "you don't have to be mad to be a motorcyclist but it helps" could never have applied better than to those early pioneers of a new branch in motorcycle sport. Few could have realized what it would lead to, for we now have two world titles for individuals and manufacturers and team contests in both 250 and 500cc classes with competitors from over a dozen countries regularly involved.

This international aspect has grown since the war, greatly stimulated by the Moto Cross des Nations, a team event first held in 1947. British riders have ex celled, with ten wins in sixteen contests. In its early days the Belgians put in a strong challenge, winning in 1948 and then again in 1951. This was followed by three in a row for Great Britain, stopped by Sweden in 1955. Swedish supremacy was highlighted by their fourth win when in 1962 their team crossed the line four abreast, and in the 500cc individual title their riders occupied the first five places in the championship table and of course won the 250 title. It was in the Trophee des Nations that Sweden's great moto cross reputation took a dusting. This is a team event started in 1961 for 250cc machines and British riders won the first event held in Italy in 1961 and won again on home ground in 1962 at Shrubland Park. There they avenged the Moto Cross des Nations defeat by crossing the finish ing line five abreast after a fantastic dis play of riding by Dave Bickers, the 1960-1 Coupe d'Europe title winner, on his Greeves.

Coupe d'Europe was the name of the individual 250cc Championship which started in 1957 and in that year was won by Fritz Betzelbacher (Maico); in 1958 the Czech Jaromir Cizek on a Jawa was tops followed in 1959 by Rolf Tibblin (Husqvarna) who in 1962 won the 500cc title becoming the only man to win both crowns. For 1962, the 250 title was raised to world status and Torsten Hallman, another Husqvarna rider, was home first. The 500cc title also started as an European championship in 1952 and for the first three years Belgians on F.N. machinery took the honors. This was followed by British wins for John t~raper (BSA) and Les Archer (Norton). Since then it has been Swedish property except for 1958 when it returned to Belgium in the hands of the late Rene Baeten (F.N.). Three men have twice won the title; Bel gian August Mingels 1953-4, Bill Nilsson 1957 and 1960, and Sten Lundin 1959 and 1961.

These last two riders are the most con sistent performers over the years in the world title fights. Back in 1957 Nilsson won the title on an AJS special that he built. The engine was an over-bored 7R in a frame of his own design but generally speaking it is more profitable to ride as a factory teamster. The Rickman brothers in England, however, started a trend with their Metisse machines of which they now manufacture the frames as a commercial venture and themselves favor the Match less power unit. Many European scramb lers ride this machine, sometimes using a different engine, but the factory men us ually fill the leading championship posi tions. Sidecar scrambling is probably~ the most spectacular form of motorcycle sport and has a very big following in England but at present there seems little likelihood of a world crown or even a European title for its competitors.

Moto Cross des Nations - 500cc team event

Trophee des Nations - 250cc team event

250cc Coupe d'Europe - Individual Championship

500cc Championship of Europe