MIPIM Challenge
MIPIM CHALLENGE
Just about the most stylish way of travelling to Europe’s largest property conference, the MIPIM Challenge involves a rally of classic sports cars driving from London to Cannes. When Jim Hindle, Trustee of The Rumba Foundation took on his five-year tenure as the Challenge’s Chairman, he planned a variety of fun and exciting routes for a prestigious line-up of cars that included E-Type Jaguars and Austin Healeys, brand new Porsches, Ferraris and Aston Martins.
Each year, a group of 10-15 cars would meet at Dover and make the 1,000-mile drive to Cannes over three days. Their first stop would either be at Etoges, in the heart of the Champagne region, or in Puligny Montrachet where the famous wine was sampled in a tasting to accompany a six-course gourmet dinner.
On the second day, the cars would leave the autoroute and travel down A and B roads - including the Gorge du Tarne, featuring numerous hairpin bends. Cars and drivers were tested to stay within the local speed limits! On several occasions the group crossed the famous Millau Bridge in convoy, much to the delight of the Challengers and the slightly bemused French motorists.
Each year the Challenge raised between £3,500 and £5,000 and during Jim’s tenure as Chairman, the monies raised were in excess of £20,000 which was distributed to Help for Heroes, Macmillan Nurses and of course the Rumba Foundation.