A spry 107-year-old conquered the elements and was the first to cross the finish line at the 2009 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run on Nov. 1. The 1902 Oldsmobile, driven by a much younger 22-year-old Canadian, was among the 484 participants at the event, considered the world's longest running motoring event.

The Royal Automobile Club event takes pre-1905 cars along a 60-mile route from London’s Hyde Park to Brighton along A23. This year, the cars had more than just the distance to contend with. High winds and heavy rains pounded the participants and their antique autos.

“In my 46 years of taking part in the London to Brighton Run, this is certainly the worst weather we have ever faced,” said Sir Ray Tindle, chairman of Tindle Newspapers, the event’s title sponsor.

But despite the challenge, an impressive 375 cars made it to the finish line before the official close of the run at 4:30 p.m. Among the finishers were the youngest and oldest drivers in the ’09 event: 85-year-old Sir Freddie Sowrey crossed the finish line in his 1901 Darracq and Rowan Lawson, 17, finished in his family’s 1902 MMC. All the finishers received a coveted finisher’s medal and certificate.

The London to Brighton run takes place on the first Sunday of every November. The event commemorates the Emancipation Run of Nov. 14, 1896, which celebrated the passing of the...