2013 has well and truely kicked off and the Hillclimb fraternity is readying itself for another monumental championship year.
This year the championship kicks off in Wexford on the 23 to 24 March. Fresh from winning the Dick Bailey award for the best run Hillclimb event last year Wexford Motor club have a lot to live up to! Thankfully Brendan Harpur is taking a break from competing for this weekend to run the event and promises a weekend of great value and great hillclimbing.
Next up comes Galway/Clare Hillclimb in Ballyvaughen on the 20th to 21st April. Based in Ballyvaughan again this year this event has long been a favourite among competitors for the long standing venues such as the Corkscrew and the mighty Ballyalaban. At 2.2 miles long this great venue has been host to some epic battles throughout all the classes and latterly the chase for the outright hill record has come down in favour of Dublins Simon McKinley in the Connaught Warrior Lant. Local man Sylvie Mullins will be itching to win his home event in his Gould Judd after technical problems the last few years.
Next up is the Carlow Hillclimb Bank Holiday weekend 1st and 2nd June. This has historically been a well run event and located in the middle of the country proves popular with most competitors. Last year was the first time Irish Hillclimbers competed at an airfield! This being a bank holiday it proves popular with competitors.
Carrick-on-Suir host the next Championship dates on the 20th to the 21st July. This is Carrick-on-Suirs first time back in the championship after a few years and it promises to be a great weekend.
The Irish Festival of speed is a non-championship, but significant, event on the calender in 2013. This was a huge sucess with spectators and competitors in 2011 and promises more of the same at a new purpose built track in Limerick. The sprint event will take place over 2 days on the grounds of Limerick Racecourse. Plenty of horsepower will be on display!
The MEC are hosting the penultimate weekends of the championship in North Dublin. These weekends although plauged by late starts have proved very popular with many historic competitors and indeed there is always a large turnout of exotic machinery at this weekend. Simon McKinley will be hoping to continue his dominance of this weekend as it is litterally in his own backyard!
The final weekend of the season is the Donegal Hillclimb in Knockalla Portsalon. Donegal are always in the reckoning for the best run event and the venue is fantastic for the scenery and challenge it presents to competitors. there are always thrills and spills in Donegal! Lets hope the championship goes down to the wire as it has so often over the years.
All in all an epic championship year is on the horizon again. There is already a lot of work being done to finish cars in time for the championship opener. Keep an eye on this site for more info!!