Winners Bethany Cullen and Cath Donohue in 2016
Despite its French name, the Rallye des Femmes is an Australian event, run in the Australian Capital Territory and organised by the Brindabella Motor Sport Club.
It was first run in 1977, and has been held most years since then. It is intended as an event for novices, although some more experienced drivers usually enter, and are there to offer support and encouragement. Some of its regulars only compete in that one event, but some also appear in club and national championships.
Men may participate as co-drivers, and in recent years, male junior drivers may enter to make up numbers.
The Rallye has sometimes been cancelled or rescheduled due to extreme weather, and in 2013, the local police withdrew permission. However, it usually runs without problems.
Below is a partial list of winners of the Rallye des Femmes. This information comes from the Brindabella Motor Sport Club’s own website, and published results. Makes of car and the names of co-drivers are not always recorded. Cath Donohue is the most successful Rallye des Femmes competitor, and has dominated the event in recent years.
1977
Judy Scorpecci/Terry Bain (Datsun 1600)
1978
Jenny Whitting
1979
Barbara Beveridge/John Taylor (Datsun 1600)
1980-1981
No data
1982
Jenny Bellfield/Mike Taylor
1983
Linda Stevens/Dennis Stevens
1984
Jenny Bellfield/Col TRinder
1985
Jenny Bellfield/Col Trinder
1986-1987
No data
1988
Shirley Clark/Peter Clark (Subaru 4WD)
1989
No data
1990
Jayne Annabel/Peter Vincent
1991-1992
No data
1993
No rally held
1994
Jo Cadman/Kim Martin (Holden Gemini)
1995
Lindsay Atkinson/Judy Jesse (Mazda Familia)
1996
No rally held
1997
Lindsay Atkinson/Shaun Atkinson (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III)
1998-1999
No rally held
2000
Cath Donohue/Fiona Crimmins (Toyota Sprinter)
2001
Terrie Hornby/Jody Newiit
2002
No rally held
2003
Lizzy Ferme/JP de Sousa (Toyota Celica)
2004
Jo Cadman/Colin Hill (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III)
2005
Molly Taylor/Mick Ryan (Toyota Celica)
2006
No rally held
2007
Kelly Caruana/Rob Moran (Holden Commodore)
Kate Bowler/Rodger Pedersen (Honda Civic)
Cath Donohue/David Stevens (Nissan S14 Silvia)
2008
Cath Donohue/Kate Bowler (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII)
2009
Cath Donohue/Renee Jeffery (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII)
2010
No rally held
2011
Cath Donohue/Michael Barrett (BMW E30 M3)
2012
Cath Donohue/Kate Bowler (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X)
2013
No rally held
2014
No data
2015 (postponed to January 2016)
Cath Donohue/Kate Heydon (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X)
2016 (joint winners)
Cath Donohue/Kate Heydon (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X)
Bethany Cullen/Mel McMinn (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
2017
Rally postponed until early 2018
Bethany Cullen/Mel McMinn (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
2018
Rally not held?
2019
Event cancelled due to bushfires.
2017
Rally postponed until early 2018
Bethany Cullen/Mel McMinn (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
2018
Rally not held?
2019
Event cancelled due to bushfires.
