Akademos

Find out about the rich history of the Akademos Trial / Rally

Event History

Table of Contents

Table of Event Editions

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The Akademos Trial/Rally has been the signature event conducted by the Melbourne University Car Club since 1960.

It was first run without the Akademos name, which was suggested by Donald Thompson after that successful initial edition. From 1961 onwards, the name Akademos has applied, with the name being a combination of “academic” and “motorsport” while also having some similarity to the famous Acropolis Rally in Greece.

Since 1963, it has been a heat of the Australian Rally Championship or the Victorian Trials/Rally Championship.

List of Editions held of this event.

Click on the Year to see more details about each edition. Click on the Area to see a plot of the route (if available).

Year	Director(s)	Area	Driver	Navigator	Car	Status
1960	Steve Coffey	Marysville & Dandenongs	Tony Theiler	Martin Hartigan, Bill Hartigan	VW	Open
1961	Dave Wallis	Dandenongs and Pakenham	J. Zejbrilk	Bob Forsyth	VW	Open
1962	Doug Rutherford	West Gippsland	Harry Firth	Graham Hoinville	Anglia	VTC
1963	Doug Rutherford	West & Central Gippsland	Frank Kilfoyle	Mike Flanagan	Falcon	VTC
1964	Geoff Sproat	South West Gippsland	Bob Watson	Jim McAuliffe	Holden	VTC
1965	Geoff Sproat	Gemrbook, Jamieson, Strathbogies, Mrrindindi	Bruce Woodfull	Bob Forsyth	Cortina GT	VTC
1966	Geoff Sproat	Glenmaggie & return	Tony Roberts	Peter Haas	Holden HR X2	VTC
1967	Geoff Sproat	Mount Cole etc.	Ron Phillips	Jim McAuliffe	Holden HR X2	VTC
1968	Geoff Sproat	Murrundindi, Strathbogies, Mt Disappointment	Bob Watson	Jim McAuliffe	Holden HK V8	VTC
1969	Bob McInnes	Daylesford, Whroo, Murrindindi	Peter Janson	Neville Price	Renault Gordini	VTC
1970	Clarke Ballard	Noojee, Walhalla, Heyfield, Licola	Bob Watson	Jim McAuliffe	Renault Gordini	VTC
1971	Geoff Sproat	North East Victoria	Frank Kilfoyle	Mike Osborne	Holden Monaro	ARC
1972	Clarke Ballard	Central Gippsland	Frank Kilfoyle	Roger Bonhomme	Torana XU-1	ARC
1973	Geoff Sproat	Central Gippsland	George Fury	Monty Suffern	Cortina	VRC
1974	Clarke Ballard	Central Gippsland	Colin Bond	George Shepheard	Torana XU-1	ARC
1975	Peter Otzen	Central Gippsland	Stewart McLeod= Ross Dunkerton=	Adrian Mortimer= John Large=	Datsun 260Z Datsun 260Z	ARC
1976	Peter Otzen	Central Gippsland	John Dixon	Ian Richards	Datsun 120Y	VRC
1977	George Davidson	Central Gippsland	Graham Trounce	Lloyd Minifie	Datsun 1600	VCS
1978	George Davidson	Central Gippsland	Gil Davis	Graham Toner	Holden HR	VRC
1979	George Davidson	Central Gippsland	George Fury	Monty Suffern	Datsun Stanza	ARC
1980	George Davidson	Central Gippsland	Ross Dunkerton	Jeff Beaumont	Datsun Stanza	ARC
1981	David McKenzie	West & Central Gippsland	Geoff Portman	Ross Runnalls	Datsun Stanza	ARC
1982	Peter Otzen	Central Gippsland	Chris Brown	Noel Richards	Datsun 180B SSS	VRC
1983	Peter Otzen	Central Gippsland	David Officer	Kate Hobson	Galant	VRC
1984	Peter Otzen/ David Stannus	South & Central Gippsland	P.A.Thompson	S Scott	Datsun 1600	VRC
1985	Michael Morrissey	Central Gippsland	Hugh Bell	Steve Ellis	Mazda RX7	ARC
1986	Michael Morrissey	Central Gippsland	Andrew Martin	Philip Martin	Galant GB	VRC
1987	Peter Otzen	Central Gippsland	Grant Walker	Denis O’Brien	Ford Escort Mk 2	VRC
1988	Michael Seidler	Central Gippsland	David Greig	Paul Tirant	Datsun 1600	VRC
1989	Michael Morrissey	Central Gippsland	Greg Hoinville= Grant Walker=	Michael Cains= Dennis O’Brien=	Ford Escort Mk 2 Ford Escort Mk 2	VRC
1990	Darryl Otzen	Central Gippsland	John Reynolds	David Boyce	Madza 323 4WD	VRC
1991	Darryl Otzen	Central Gippsland	Gary Kendrick	Ron Gottschalk	Commodore V8	VRC
1992	Michael Morrissey	Central Gippsland	David Officer	Greg Hilton	Starion	VRC
1993	Darryl Otzen	Central Gippsland	Nigel Letty	Stephen Young	Subaru Liberty	VRC
1994-2001	Not conducted
2002	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Mike Reeves	Robin Smalley	Lancer Evo III	VRC
2003	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Peter Montgomery	Chris Montgomery	Impreza WRX	VRC
2004	Natasha Swan	Rubicon – Blue Range	Peter Montgomery	Chris Montgomery	Impreza WRX	VRC
2005	Natasha Swan	Rubicon – Blue Range	Peter Montgomery	Chris Montgomery	Impreza WRX	VRC
2006	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Eli Evans	Matt McAdam	Impreza WRX STi	VRC
2007	Natasha Swan	Rubicon – Blue Range	Justin Dowel	Matt Lee	Lancer Evo VII	VRC
2008	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Brendan Reeves	Rhiannon Smyth	Impreza RS	VRC
2009	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Brendan Reeves	Ben Atkinson	Impreza WRX STi	VRC
2010	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Justin Dowel	Matt Lee	Lancer Evo IX	VRC
2011	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Eli Evans	Glen Weston	Honda Civic Type R	VRC
2012	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Will Orders	Lauren Gray	Lancer Evo V	VRC
2013	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Tristan Penhall	Jodie Middleton	Impreza WRX STi	VRC
2014	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Eli Evans	Glen Weston	Honda Civic Type R	VRC
2015	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Arron Windus	Joe Brkic	Impreza WRX STi	VRC
2016	Peter Otzen	Rubicon – Blue Range	Darren Windus	Bernie Webb	Lancer Evo X	VRC
2017	Darren McKemmish	Rubicon – Blue Range	Glen Raymond	Kate Catford	Impreza WRX STi	VRC
2018	Natasha Swan	Rubicon – Blue Range, Black Range	Matt Lee	Cathy Elliot	Impreza WRX STi	VRC
2019	Natasha Swan	Rubicon – Blue Range, Black Range	Richie Dalton	Dale Moscatt	Ford Fiesta	VRC
2020-21	Not conducted (Covid)
2022	Natasha Swan	Rubicon – Blue Range, Black Range	Cancelled (weather)			VRC
2023	Not conducted