‘Green’ hill puts brakes on chances of really fast times
CRAIG ROBERT emerged the sole record-breaker as a new season of Le Val des Terres hill climbing broke out in Easter sunshine.
The tarmac remained comparatively cold and many competitors were still getting to grips with their machines after a long hiatus, but importantly it was a day with no significant incidents.
Racing car star Nick Saunders had a mixed day but his 28.57sec. in the second of five timed runs allowed him to extend his long streak of ‘FTDs’.
Second-placed Tim Tulie enjoyed a clean progression to peak at 29.20, with Matt Bougourd also cracking the 30sec. barrier.
Dan Bichard, debuting in the single-seaters, posted a very respectable 30.57sec. in a one-litre car previously owned by Emma Rayson.
Meanwhile, that same Rayson ended up duelling with Jackie Le Cheminant for top woman.
Le Cheminant came out top this time around, posting 31.46 as Rayson settled for 31.80 in her new and very bright Empire Evo 00.
Craig Robert won a well-populated modified limited production cars 1401-2000cc class in his Honda, posting 33.59 to slash two-tenths from his own record.
Although no one else broke an existing record, there was a scramble for new marks in the road-going series production car classes due to a reset prompted by new tyre regulations.
The popular John Dunne put his name back in the books with a 33.56 in the two litres and over category.
Meanwhile, Lee Poole’s 36.97 gave him a new record in a very competitive equivalent for cars under two litres – 14 drivers took part and four broke 38sec.
Dale Crowsley missed his own rally cars record by one-hundredth in his Ford Escort, which stood in for the Mazda MX5 he wrote off in a Comprop Guernsey Rally crash.
On two wheels, Leigh Digard took top honours.
He posted 34.39 to win a three-way battle with motorcycling veterans Colin de Jersey and Andy Mechem, both of whom also went comfortably under 35sec. Ben Carre clocked a fast 35.49 in the 250s.
Guernsey Motorcycle and Car Club president Ian Le Page marked it as a good season opener.
‘There were some good times and personal bests,’ he said.
‘It’s early in the season and the road was still what we call “green”, so it’s still cold – even though the sun was shining. It has been a long six months since the last one and people are just getting into it. The next one is the two-day and we should see some records there.’
That two-day hill climb, again under GMC and CC organisation, unfolds over 1 and 2 May.
