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

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.

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

Charlotte Versigny (Talbot) – 3^rd

Lucy O’Reilly Schell (Talbot) – 8^th

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

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

Lady Eda Jardine (Lancia Lambda) – 14^th

Alexandra Lindh (Hudson) – 8^th

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

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

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

Madame M.J. Marinovitch/Louise Lamberjack (Ford) – 19^th

Madame M.J. Marinovitch/Hellé Nice (Matford) – 18^th

Greta Molander (Plymouth) – 34^th

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

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

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

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