Suppers with Sidney Part 1

Local legend Sidney Dickson completed two turns of the 10,000-mile London-Sydney Marathon. The first leg of the race 7,000 from London to Bombay covered eleven countries in as many days. The final 2,600-mile leg of the race across Austraiia began after the P&O liner S.S. Chusan ferried the first 72 cars and their crews on a nine-day voyage from India to Freemantle. The marathon was first run in 1968. Seventy-seven cars participated, fifty-six cars finished. In 1993, a 25th anniversary race was held. Twenty-one of the original racers participated in the anniversary race. Local St. Michaels resident, Sidney Dickson finished both races.

Privately funded, Sidney was the only American entrant in the race. Not only did he successfully complete the 1968 race, but he built an identical 1968 race car to compete in for the 25th anniversary.

Both events were documented and filmed. In 1968, a CBS correspondent travelled the entire race as crew with…