Camel Vale Motor Club will support Watergate Bay Motorsport in 2022, helping to organise the popular Watergate Bay Sprint planned for 17 & 18 September.
The Bodmin based club will join forces with Truro & District Motor Club, Newquay Auto Club and Plymouth Motor Club who have organised the event since its inception in 2018, pooling their wealth of experience and knowledge together to take the spectacular Sprint into its second year after originally starting life as a Hillclimb.
Camel Vale Motor Club was formed in 1956 and continues to thrive based around Bodmin, Cornwall. It hosts British championship and South West (ASWMC) championship rounds as well as club level events. The club currently runs a series of Navigational Scatters, Autotest, Autosolo, Classic Trial, Sporting Trial’s along with its two major Hillclimb events during the summer.
Find out more here: https://camelvalemotorclub.co.uk/
The exciting Watergate Sprint near Newquay in Cornwall has been hailed as one of the best motorsport events of the year by spectators and competitors as over 100 cars blasted along the B3276 coast road last weekend (18/19 September) in a new-look to the unique closed-road event.
First run in 2018, the event has grown in stature year on year and had previously run as a Hillclimb, winding its way up the ascent from Watergate Bay. The Truro and District Motor Club, Newquay Auto Club and Plymouth Motor Club organised event was forced to change its format due to proposed works in the bay and the flagship event would see a new look for its 2021 return.
The all-new 820-metre course started near Trevelgue and headed towards Watergate Bay, with a fast and flowing section mixed with a technical element that included a tight ‘90-left’ turn before the finish, challenging even the most experienced competitors.
Drivers from across the UK flocked to the region in a wide variety of machines which included almost standard road cars, to fully modified racers, all eager to sample the new layout and stamp their mark at the top of the timesheets for their respective classes.
Spectators were able to take advantage of the new format as the new track offered unrivalled views of the entire course with bumper crowds flocking to the venue to witness the racing. The on-track action was scintillating all weekend and coupled with a range of displays, trade stands and access to the drivers and cars in the paddock, there was something to entertain the entire family.
The Sprint would mean that not only were class honours all to play for, but the coveted “Fastest Time of the Day” was also up for grabs, and it was a familiar name who took the accolade. Dorchester based Rodney Thorne thundered his powerful five-litre Pilbeam MP43 to the fastest time on both days of the event adding to his 2019 victory on the hillclimb layout.
Thorne grappled with the raucous machine to take a with a time of 24.71sec on Saturday and was equally never headed on the Sunday’s runs with a 24.87sec over the course, ensuring he remains the man to beat for next year’s event.
Class awards were given for both days, with some local drivers taking the honours. Liskeard’s Sam Perring taking the Rally Car class victory as Matt Ewer from St Austell scooped the Modified Production Car Class win.
The event wasn’t without its drama, however, as several drivers were caught out by the tricky course layout. Richard Travail’s BMW MINI came off the worst during the weekend after an impact with the protective bales was caused by a high-speed spin in the “s” bend, with just cosmetic damage to the car as the result.
Local charities will also be able to benefit from the weekend, with all profits being donated to the Cornwall Air Ambulance and the Watergate Bay Surf Lifesaving Club. With £11,000 being donated to date, organisers will announce this year’s addition to that total in the near future.
“We are delighted with how the weekend has gone and all the feedback we have had has been sensational,” says Deputy Event Director Dave Brenton.
“Despite having run the hillclimb for two years, we almost had to press the reset button and start from scratch, so it’s been a huge effort from the team to get the Sprint off the ground this year. We knew the competitors and fans would enjoy the new format, but everyone has been so very enthusiastic about the Sprint style of event. We have had many comments across the weekend from people that have said it’s been the best event they have done in some time. That of course is encouraging for the future.”
“We would like to extend our thanks to all the sponsors and backers that have made the event possible and look forward to seeing what 2022 holds.”
More information and full results (available shortly) can be found here:
https://www.watergatebaymotorsport.co.uk/spectators/You can catch up with all the latest news from the event on its social media feedshttp://www.twitter.com/watergatehill
http://www.facebook.com/watergatebayhillclimb/
The spectacular Watergate Sprint is set to provide drivers and fans with an exciting weekend of motorsport action [18-19 September], as the unique high-octane event will see over 100 cars and drivers tackling a stretch of the B3276 coast road between Newquay and Watergate Bay against the clock.
First run in 2018, the event was a ground-breaking feature of the motorsport calendar as it became the first speed hillclimb in the UK to take advantage of the passing of a Parliament law which allows public roads to be closed for timed motorsport events.
After a year’s sabbatical due to the pandemic, it returns in 2021 bigger and better than ever but in the format of a sprint, with an all-new 820 metre course set to challenge the drivers.
The three promoting motor clubs, Truro and District Motor Club, Plymouth Motor Club and Newquay Auto Club have joined forces to organise the weekend’s activities which will see local charities benefit from the weekend, as profits will be donated to the Cornwall Air Ambulance and Watergate Bay Surf Lifesaving Club.
The motorsport festival has once again attracted a capacity entry of 110 drivers and cars with a wide range of competition examples from across the UK heading to the North Cornwall coast during the weekend. Divided into 12 classes, cars competing in this years event range from totally standard road going examples to highly modified racers and rally cars.
Spectators will be well catered for during the weekend with excellent viewing from the dedicated area, displays and activities and access to the paddock, enabling fans and families to get up close and personal to the drivers and cars.
Advanced tickets are priced at £9 per day or £17 for the weekend for adults, with those under 14 going free (available until midnight 16 September). Prices on the gate are £10 per day.
The action will start from 9.30am on each day and the spectator car park must be accessed by travelling along the B3276 from Watergate Bay towards Newquay. Car parking is available at a discounted rate of just £2 per day.
More information:
Road closure times are 06:00 to 18:00 on the 18th and 19th September. Click HERE for a Diversion Map.
More information for spectators can be found here:
https://www.watergatebaymotorsport.co.uk/spectators/
You can catch up with all the latest news from the event on its social media feeds
http://www.twitter.com/watergatehill
http://www.facebook.com/watergatebayhillclimb/
A high-speed weekend of motorsport action is set to take place near Watergate Bay this September (18-19) and spectators will be invited to watch the action as organisers release ticket details of this year’s Watergate Sprint.
The exciting closed-road motorsport weekend will take place as a brand-new event, having previously run as a Hillclimb based in the popular Watergate Bay resort. Due to possible building works due to take place in September, the unique event will switch to a sprint format, with the course covering 820 metres of the B3276 coast road between Newquay and Padstow, starting near Trevelgue.
And fans will be able to watch the action after the three promoting motor clubs, Truro and District Motor Club, Plymouth Motor Club and Newquay Auto Club announced details of tickets which are now on sale, offering motorsport enthusiasts the opportunity to witness a thrilling weekend of high-speed action on the North Cornwall coast.
After opening its doors in July, the event received an over-subscribed list of competitors, and 110 cars and drivers will tackle both the Saturday and Sunday events. A dynamic mix of racing cars and modified performance cars will compete during the weekend, with each one attempting to take class honours and the coveted fastest time of the day.
The all-new course will start on the Newquay side of the B3276 coast road at Trevelgue and cars will tackle the road towards Watergate Bay, with a fast and flowing section mixed with a technical element that includes a tight ‘90-left’ turn before the finish.
The paddock, trade and display area and spectator area will all be located together, offering a superb viewpoint of the course and easy access to the drivers and cars throughout the day. Advanced tickets are priced at £9 per day or £17 for the weekend for adults, with those under 14 going free (available until midnight 16 September). Prices on the gate are £10 per day.
Access to the venue is to be approached via Watergate Bay due to the road closure on the Newquay side with car parking available at a discounted rate of just £2 per day.
Watergate Sprint will also continue to donate profits to local charities, Cornwall Air Ambulance and Watergate Bay Surf Lifesaving Club.
To purchase advanced tickets, see timings and view the entry list, click: HERE
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The exciting Watergate Sprint closed-road motorsport weekend enjoyed a welcome boost this week as it was granted its track permit from the sport’s governing body, Motorsport UK.
The ground-breaking Watergate Bay Speed Hillclimb which first ran in 2018, was forced to switch format this year, due to building works taking place in Watergate bay itself during September. Switching from its traditional Hillclimb, the event has been revamped in 2021, re-launching as Watergate Sprint.
Scheduled to take place on 18th and 19th September, the popular closed-road event will see competitors tackle the B3276 coast road between Newquay and Padstow, starting near Trevelgue, with an 820-metre course in store for the estimated 100 competitors on both days of the event.
Obtaining the fully ratified Track Licence from Motorsport UK has enabled organisers from the three promoting motor clubs, Truro and District Motor Club, Plymouth Motor Club and Newquay Auto Club to push ahead with plans for the event, with regulations now set to be released on July 18th with entries opening on the on 25th of the month.
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Event Director Roger Hargreaves is positive about this year’s motorsport carnival weekend on the North Cornwall coast.
“It’s a major step forward for the organisers that we now have the full track licence from Motorsport UK, meaning we can really push ahead with the very first Watergate Sprint,” he says.
“They have fully approved the safety measures we have in place and also the layout of the track itself, so now we know exactly what we are working towards. We are now in a position to announce that regulations will be available on 18th July and we will be able to open entries on 25th July. We would encourage our competitors to enter early as we anticipate demand to be extremely high once again this year.”
The all-new course will start on the Newquay side of the B3276 coast road at Trevelgue and cars will tackle the road towards Watergate Bay, with a fast and flowing section mixed with a technical element that includes a tight 90-left turn before the finish. The paddock, trade and display area and spectator viewing will all be located together, offering the perfect motorsport weekend for fans and competitors.
Watergate Sprint will also continue to donate profits to local charities, Cornwall Air Ambulance and Watergate Bay Surf Lifesaving Club.
More information on the event will be released closer to the time.
Image: Livelight Photography
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