Falling tree branch blocks course and causes delay
IAN LE MESSURIER was among the top performers in an August bank holiday hill climb which was eventful for the wrong reasons.
No records fell in the Guernsey Motorcycle and Car Club event, but a very large tree branch did, blocking the top straight of Le Val des Terres and causing a delay.
Another incident involved Dave Hockaday collapsing in the pits and being taken to hospital. He is understood to have recovered well.
Other minor stoppages held up the programme through the day and meant no competitor got more than four timed runs.
Nick Saunders built on his stack of FTDs with a 28.11sec. winner but was run closer than normal by Tim Tulie, who defied his power disadvantage to finish just 0.22sec. down on his rival.
In third overall, Ian Le Messurier powered his Sports Libre car to a 29.41 clocking.
It was about the closest a driver came to breaking a record all day – 0.14sec. outside Tim Torode’s mark – but only gave him a small winning margin on his classy rivals.
Torode took second in that Sports Libre up to 1,600 class with a last-gasp 29.53, demoting Paul Le Messurier (29.59) to third in an exciting three-horse race.
‘It’s always very close between the three of us,’ he said.
‘That was a good event for myself, recording a new PB.
‘I might have got closer to Tim’s class record, but I had some problems with getting the car to change gear on my last two runs.’
Matt and Andy Bougourd both also cracked the 30sec. barrier in their racing cars.
Almost exactly a year after obliterating the all-time women’s record, Emma Rayson took the female honours once more, but her 30.49 was still some way outside her astounding 29.41 from 2022.
Seasoned sand racer Mark King mounted a good challenge to the record in the non-transaxle ‘uglies’ class, posting 31.19, while John Dunne’s 33.49 put him within sight of his own Road Going Series Production Cars 2,001 and over mark.
Although lower on engine size, the up to 2,000 equivalent brimmed with entries and it was there that Jamie Le Page came up trumps.
He finished with a 36.97, which was 0.13sec. outside the class record but enough to see off the likes of Brandon Ogier, holder Lee Poole and Mark Bichard. It was a tight class – seven competitors went under 38sec.
Colin de Jersey took control of the motorbike competition by doubling up in different classes and occupying the top two positions overall.
The motor veteran posted a swift 34.17 on his 450cc Husqvarna and also cracked 35sec. on his 250cc Honda CR.
In the first of those classes, the popular Motorcycles 351 to 500, Kieran Robilliard edged second spot with a 35.28 but those positions were exceedingly close, with Louie Waddingham (35.32) and Owen Poynder (35.34) following.
It was the last GMCCC-organised hill climb of the year, and one that made a strange impression on club president Ian Le Page.
‘What an unusual hillclimb for the last of 2023,’ he wrote to members on social media.
‘Seeing a tree snap mid-day onto the course is definitely something I’ve never seen in all the years I’ve done motorsport.
‘Well done to everyone who broke records and PBs this year.’
