Circuit of Europe

The Circuit of Europe (Circuit d'Europe) was an air race held in 1911. A prize of £8,000 was offered by Le Journal for the entire Circuit, with additional prizes for the individual stages. The stages of the race totalled 1,600 km (990 mi) were:

The first stage was held on 18 June. Most of the competitors started from the military parade ground at Vincennes, watched by around 500,000 spectators. A few who were members of the French army took off from Issy-les-Moulineaux. In all, 43 pilots started the race. The event was marred by three fatal accidents: Léon Lemartin crashed on take-off from Vincenness and died on arrival at hospital, Lt. Pierre Princeteau crashed at Issy while attempting to land to repair a fault, his aircraft overturning and catching fire, and Pierre Landron was killed when his aircraft caught fire near Chateaux-Thierry.René Vidart, flying a Deperdussin monoplane, was the first to arrive at Liège; his time for the course was 3 h 9 m 54 s. Jules Védrines, flyind a Morane came second and Charles Weymann, flying a Nieport, third. Only eighteen pilots managed to complete the course within the allowed time.

The second stage was to have been held on 20 June but poor weather forced a postponement to the next day. The stage was won by Jules Védrines, René Vidart coming second and Jean Louis Conneau, flying as André Beaumont in a Blériot third.

19 pilots started the third stage, of whom 14 finished. The stage was won by Gilbert with a time of 2 h 4 min 25 s. Roland Garros was second (2 h 10 min 21 s) and Vidart third (2 h 17 min 20 s).

The fourth stage was to have started on 24 June. However, although the organisers decided that weather conditions were suitable the pilots disagreed, and hauled down the white flag that had been hoisted as the signal that flying would take place. It was immediately rehoisted but the pilots refused to fly, saying that they would reconsider their position later. Weather conditions did not improve, and the start was postponed. The weather did not clear until 26 June.

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