In 1991, Libor Kamenický organized the first annual Czech Tourist Trophy in Hořice in the Krkonoší Mountains as a regularity race for historic racing motorcycles. In 1997, Oldřich Prokop renewed the tradition of the Královédvorský okruh (since 1952) for the same purpose, and for the third time, in 1998, Ilja Zachoval followed up with a new track in the Jeseníky Mountains called the Kolštejnský okruh.
Life flies by, values change or are lost, in Hořice they only ride for speed and old motorcycles have disappeared from the track (only classics remain), in Dvůr Králové the city was paralyzed the whole weekend and handling complaints and permits was beyond human power, so last year they rode. Of this trio, only the circuit in the Jeseníky Mountains remains, the last one, where regularity races are held and where you can also see a large number of pre-war motorcycles.
But Branná is not the only place where regular races of historic racing motorcycles are held. Spectators can go to see the races in Nepomuk at the local triangle in early August, and in early June, next to Jičín, there is a race for the City Prize. But let's get back to Branná.
The picturesque town on the edge of Hrubý Jeseník on the road from Hanušovice to Ramzová is at an altitude of 633 m. For participants, this means that it doesn't hurt to pack a winter jacket at the beginning of September. In short, genuine mountain people live here and life here is probably not entirely easy. But it is beautiful in many ways. The artistic blacksmith and painter Ilja Zachoval, a racer, collector and antiques enthusiast, also fell in love with it. He moved from Prague to the nearby village of Šléglov. In the eighties, he competed in regional championships with an ESO 350 motorcycle, and because he loved four-strokes, he always wanted to show off to those stinking two-strokes. And he often succeeded. He was a gentleman rider and we guys looked up to him in amazement.
The establishment of the race in Branná was not a rational calculation. Ilja had a ride in Dvůr Králové and in his own way stated that if you can race on such a track in the city, then he will do the races too. Thanks to the construction of the Branná bypass (in winter, cars often could not drive through the village at all), he thought of holding races on this short section. The start was built on a wide state road downhill (that's good, it's hard to push a motorcycle uphill) and then everything was original - bends, straights, you even need to hit a narrow road between houses behind the square. On a short track (two kilometers with an elevation of 40 meters), there was a lot of fun, both for riders and spectators.
But the beginnings were not easy. For example, the roads were marked by harsh mountain weather, so Ilja and his friends reached into their pockets and paid for new asphalt. Ilja solved some things, others not, but in any case he convinced a bunch of his friends (the Klimeš brothers, Brokeš, Burian, Baránek, Rolland, Matoušek and Vach) and they organized the first races. His large family also supported him in the preparations. During the first races there was good cooperation with the owner of the castle (Mr. Vach), who allowed the racers to park in the area and also allowed the bags to be stored on the track. Later, when the owner changed, good cooperation with the local ecofarm turned out to be good, which took over the storage of the bags, from where they are taken every year to this day. Other good souls of the race were also Mr. Svoboda and Mr. Křovina, who handed over their scepters to the younger ones at this year's Branná and ended their careers. We must also mention the help of teacher Štefan, who every year, until the school closed in 2003, brought the ninth grade boys to help build the track. In short, Branná lived for the races and still lives for them today. People who are not interested in the races go away peacefully for the weekend, and the rest look forward to seeing the famous racers and their motorcycles.
Every year everything went smoothly until the moment when Ilja and his daughter Maruška had an accident during the Czech Tourist Trophy on June 21, 2008, from which they both did not survive. Ten years have already been organized without them, and to this day we still think that this cannot be true. Ilja Zachoval also had plans to extend the track towards Ostružná and also to build a campsite in the bend by the forge, but these plans never came to fruition. It is hard to say what Branná would look like now if he were still with us. Fortunately, Ilja's friends and people from the village ensured that the races are still held today.
For many of us, Branná is always an important holiday, where we have to go mainly to honor the memory of Maruška and Ilja, but also to experience the unique atmosphere of the amazing mountain circuit. So far, the stars are in a good mood, so we can look forward to the second weekend in September when four-strokes will thunder in Branná again, two-strokes will scream, and the smell of burnt castor oil will waft through the village.
Thank you to everyone who is responsible for this!
Iva Hlavsová and Karel Kupka
Photo: Richard Hryciow, Michal Falta, Karel Kupka and from the archive of Zdeněk Klimeš
Motor Journal 10/2017
