When the final reckoning is done in the British Hillclimb Championship, Alex Summers may well look back on his late decision to travel to the Channel Islands and see it as a very good call. He won three of the four run-offs in Jersey and Guernsey to build his championship lead.
Bouley Bay has always been good to Trevor Willis and he made the absolute most of that with a storming performance in the first of the Island doubleheaders.
At a hill that rewards controlled pace rather than outright power, Willis is the longstanding hill record holder and drove a peach of a first run, aided by a new set of rubber, to win the opening run-off last Wednesday in his OMS 28.
It was his first run-off victory for five years, and it was an incredibly popular result with all his rivals who gave him a tumultuous reception back in the seafront paddock. On a hill with four slow corners, a distinct lack of grip and at least two first gear bends, Willis was superb.
“I've always been strong here,” said Willis of the Jersey hill. “But it's a tricky hill and you need new tyres.” Reigning champion, Wallace Menzies was one of the first to congratulate Willis on his victory. Menzies said: “That was a cracking run by Trev, and it just shows his class.”
Later in the day Willis was strong again, but not as strong as Summers who set the absolute standard for the day with a stunning 37.10s climb to take his first win at Bouley Bay and maintain his impeccable 2024 form. “It's been a good day,” said Summers as he reflected on the Jersey event. “It's good to see Trevor get a win. I'm really pleased for him.”
Matthew Ryder had reason to have low expectations from Bouley Bay, a hill where on two previous visits he had not shone, but this time he got it all together and bagged two second places.
It was a pretty fair day for Wallace Menzies, too, who continues his progress back towards the top of the pile. With traction control working overtime and chattering for large portions of the hill, Menzies was right on the money and a tenth of a second could have moved him into second in either run-off. However strong points and a trouble free day was a good day's work for the reigning champion
From the smaller-engined cars, David Warburton had his best day at Bouley Bay, and Nick Saunders claimed his best ever BHC finish with a fighting fifth to fly the flag for the Channel Islands in his 1600cc Reynard-based Reynick.
Will Hall admitted to messing up the first run-off by getting crossed up at Cafe Corner, but later made amends with a decent run to fifth in the second run-off. In the older Gould Dave Uren struggled with lock at the tight Radio Hairpin but bagged a sixth.
Three days later at wet and slippery Val des Terres on Guernsey Summers swept to a double win despite spirited challenges from Willis and Hall. Menzies bagged a single fourth but Ryder was out of luck completely after a moment for Sean Gould sidelined their GR59 from the run-offs. Warburton and Spedding again bagged good scores.
Written by Paul Lawrence and published in partnership with Autosport
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