The B3276 coast road between Newquay and Padstow will echo to the sound of race car engines this weekend as the impressive Watergate Bay Sprint [17/18 September] makes a welcome return to the North Cornwall coast.
The unique motorsport event, held near Watergate Bay will see an impressive array of cars and drivers from across the UK head for the popular closed-road offering, racing against the clock in a variety of machinery in a bid to take class honours or the coveted Fastest Time of the Day Award.
The bumper entry list of around 110 cars each day boasts everything from standard road cars to full-blown race cars as competitors take part in the now annual event which is organised and promoted by a partnership between Truro and District Motor Club, Plymouth Motor Club, Newquay Auto Club and Camel Vale Motor Club.
Once again, local charities will benefit from the weekend’s activities, as profits will be donated to the Cornwall Air Ambulance and Watergate Bay Surf Lifesaving Club with £27,000 already being donated to good causes since the inaugural event in 2018.
Running as a Hillclimb in 2018 and starting from Watergate Bay itself, the event was the first closed-road motorsport event to take advantage of the passing of parliamentary law in England, which enabled roads to close for competitive motorsport.
It would then switch to a Sprint in 2021, starting on the Newquay side of the B3276 at Trevelgue with cars tackling the road towards Watergate Bay offering a fast and flowing section mixed with a technical element that includes a tight ‘90-left’ turn before powering towards the finish.
In 2022, the course will see an extension to 900 metres, offering a new challenge to those returning for a second year and an exciting target for competitors making their debut at the venue.
Crowds flocked to the venue last September and organisers have once again ensured a superb viewing location, with access to the paddock included to enable fans to get up close to the cars and drivers.
A substantial trade display area offers plenty to see and do during the weekend discounted advanced tickets are available until Thursday 15th September at 11.45 pm. They cost £10 per day for adults saving up to £4 on the weekend gate price with those under fourteen going free. Tickets will still be available at the gate.
To purchase advanced tickets and find out more, click: HERE
The action will start from 9.30 am on each day and the spectator car park must be accessed by travelling along the B3276 from the Newquay Airport side – Watergate Bay. Car parking is available at a discounted rate of just £3.50 per day [cash only].
More information:
Road closure times are 06:00 to 18:00 on the 17th and 18th September.
Click HERE for a Diversion Map/Route.
More information can be found here:
https://www.watergatebaymotorsport.co.uk/
You can catch up with all the latest news from the event on its social media feeds
http://www.twitter.com/watergatemsport
https://www.facebook.com/watergatebaymotorsport
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Progressive Cornish radio station Rewind Radio will join forces with the ground-breaking Watergate Bay Sprint to become the Official Broadcast Partner of the sensational motorsport weekend which takes place on 17-18 September.
The unique closed-road offering is a flagship event in the British motorsport calendar and takes place near Watergate Bay on the picturesque North Cornwall coastline. It uses the B3276 coast road between Newquay and Padstow, with competitors from across the UK, making up the impressive and dynamic 110 car entry each day, racing against the clock for the honour of the fastest time.
And now, Cornwall’s newest radio station Rewind Radio has partnered with the event to promote the weekend to a potentially untapped audience in the county whilst continuing to broaden the reach of the exciting new station.
Broadcast on DAB Radio, their dedicated Rewind Radio app or online, the new station is made exclusively for Cornwall, for the people of Cornwall and has seen a huge rise in listener numbers since its inception in 2021.
With a mantra of “putting the community back at the heart of local radio,” Rewind Radio is focused on playing the biggest songs from the ’90s and ’00s and has a wealth of local presenters on hand to take listeners through the day, from the Breakfast Show to a Relax and Rewind slot to round out the evening.
“When we set the station up it was all about supporting local communities from local brass bands, sports clubs to include motorsports events” said Managing Director, Richard Woods.
“We are proud to be involved with this fantastic event and look forward to broadcasting from the event this coming week. We will bringing the atmosphere throughout the weekend to our listeners.”
Matt Cotton, Media Manager of Watergate Bay Sprint is delighted to welcome Rewind Radio as a broadcast partner for 2022.
“Watergate Bay Sprint is certainly going from strength to strength but to have Rewind Radio on board this year is a real lift for the event,” he says.
“It will be great to work with such a strong and dedicated team who ensure Cornwall is at the heart of everything they do and that has huge symmetry with the Sprint. It’s a small but resolute team who put the weekend on, and it attracts national attention with many people from across the UK come to enjoy the festival-type atmosphere. Hopefully, we can draw in a local audience too who have this amazing motorsport extravaganza on their doorstep.”
Watergate Sprint will also continue to donate profits to local charities, Cornwall Air Ambulance and Watergate Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, with £27,000 being donated to good causes since its inception in 2018.
To purchase advanced tickets and find out more, click: HERE
The sensational Watergate Bay Sprint will return to the British motorsport calendar this September [17/18] as the breathtaking closed-road event announces further details on its 2022 offering.
The unique event, held near Watergate Bay, uses the B3276 coast road between Newquay and Padstow, with competitors from across the UK racing against the clock in a huge variety of motorsport machinery, in a bid to secure the coveted fastest time of the day and class-based honours.
And with entries opening on Sunday [24 July], the list is already bulging with cars and drivers all eager to sample this now annual event, with its stunning backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean and Cornwall’s picturesque offering an equally encouraging draw. A maximum of 220 competitors can take part in the two-day event, and at the time of writing, organisers have confirmed a reserve list is now being created.
Organised and promoted by a partnership between Truro and District Motor Club, Plymouth Motor Club, Newquay Auto Club and Camel Vale Motor Club, the thrilling weekend of high-speed action on the North Cornwall coast will see a new look this year as the event has been granted permission by the sport’s governing body, Motorsport UK, to increase the course length to 900 metres, up 80 metres from last year’s inaugural running of the Sprint course.
Running as a Hillclimb in 2018 and starting from Watergate Bay itself, the event was the first closed-road motorsport event to take advantage of the passing of parliamentary law in England, which enabled roads to close for motorsport.
It would then switch to a Sprint in 2021, starting on the Newquay side of the B3276 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 powering towards the finish.
Crowds flocked to the venue last September and organisers have once again ensured superb viewing along the course, with access to the paddock, display area and spectator area which will all be located together.
Access to the drivers and cars throughout the day is all possible and discounted advanced tickets are now on sale at £10 per day for adults, saving up to £4 on the weekend gate price with those under fourteen going free.
“We are extremely excited to see the response so far to this year’s Watergate Bay Sprint,” says Event Director Roger Hargreaves.
“Our aim undoubtedly is to build on our success from previous events and to have an almost full entry within a few hours of opening is very encouraging and means all those spectators who attend will be in for a real treat. It’s great to have closed-road motorsport in Cornwall and we continue to go from strength to strength. Of course, our beautiful region is well-known as a tourist destination but it is rapidly being known as a popular motorsport haven too and we can’t wait to see everyone at the Sprint in September”.
Watergate Sprint will also continue to donate profits to local charities, Cornwall Air Ambulance and Watergate Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, with £27,000 being donated to good causes since its inception in 2018.
To purchase advanced tickets and find out more, click: HERE
More information can be found here:
https://www.watergatebaymotorsport.co.uk/
You can catch up with all the latest news from the event on its social media feeds:
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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The ground-breaking Cornish motorsport event Watergate Bay Speed Hillclimb will be re-vamped in 2021, re-launching as Watergate Sprint.
Scheduled to take place on 18th and 19th September, the popular closed-road event will see a new look for 2021 as it changes from the previous Hillclimb format to utilise a different section of the B3276 coast road between Padstow and Newquay.
With building works scheduled to take place in Watergate Bay itself during September, the lack of suitable start and car parking at the base of the course has meant that the traditional hillclimb format would not be able to go ahead as planned in 2021.
However, the forward-thinking organising team from the three promoting motor clubs, Truro and District Motor Club, Plymouth Motor Club and Newquay Auto Club moved quickly to seek an alternative format, creating the Watergate Sprint which will see the coastal road surrounding the traditional Boardmasters venue play host to around 100 cars and competitors tackling the new course against the clock.
First run in 2018, the Newquay based event became the first hillclimb in the country to take advantage of new legislation allowing public roads to be closed for motorsport. Attracting a bumper entry of over 100 drivers each year, the event has drawn significant interest from motoring fans and competitors across the UK, bringing many enthusiasts to the region as the traditional tourist season ends in the county. The event has also raised over £11,000 for Cornish charities.
Despite the format change, event organiser Roger Hargreaves believes Watergate Sprint will offer competitors and motorsport fans another fantastic weekend of action.
“Of course we are disappointed that we are unable to run the Watergate Bay Speed Hillclimb again, especially as we were forced to cancel in 2020 due to COVID-19,” he says.
“We have dedicated a lot of energy into making this event happen for Cornwall over the years, it means a lot to the community and sport in the region. Whilst it was a blow to find out that the hillclimb may not happen, we were eager to find an alternative and we believe that we have come up with an event that offers something for everyone and are very excited to share our plans for September”.
In a mirror image of the Hillclimb, the course will start on the Newquay side of the B3276 coast road, at Trevelgue and cars will tackle the 820-metre sprint towards Watergate Bay, with a fast and flowing section of the road mixed with a technical element including 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.
“Effectively we will run the event in exactly the same way as we ran the Hillclimb, but without the ‘hill’ element and so by definition, we have to call it a sprint” continues Hargreaves.
“We will be returning to the more traditional hillclimb format in 2022 but for this year, we are confident that it provides a great challenge for competitors as well as good viewing for spectators. That means we can continue being one of the biggest motorsport events in the South West. We would like to thank all our supporters and backers for their faith in the event and look forward to welcoming everyone back to Cornwall in September”.
Watergate Sprint will also continue to donate profits to local charities, which for 2021 have been named as Cornwall Air Ambulance and Watergate Bay Surf Lifesaving Club.
More information on the event will be released closer to the time.
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Main image courtesy Livelight Photography
Organisers of the Watergate Bay Speed Hill Climb have taken the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 running of the popular Cornish motorsport weekend, which was due to take place on the 19th and 20th September.
The organising committee, made up from members of the three promoting motor clubs, Newquay Auto Club, Plymouth Motor Club and Truro and District Motor Club have been considering the implications of hosting the event in September this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
After careful consideration, organisers have elected to cancel the 2020 edition of the closed-road speed event held on the B3276 coast road between Padstow and Newquay, meaning the third running of the hillclimb will take place in September 2021.
Watergate Bay Speed Hillclimb is a ground-breaking motorsport event, held on the north Cornish coast and became the first hillclimb in the country to take advantage of a new legislation allowing public roads to be closed for motorsport. Attracting a bumper entry of over 100 drivers during the past two years, the event has drawn significant interest from motoring fans and competitors across the UK, bringing many enthusiasts to the region as the traditional tourist season ends in the county.
After raising over £6,000 for local charities Cornwall Air Ambulance and Cornwall Food Foundation in the inaugural year, the event continued to donate its profits in 2019 and was able to donate a further £5,000 towards the New Heli Appeal as it became the headline event in “Cornwall Motorsport Month” which ran throughout September last year.
However, on 17th March Motorsport UK suspended all motorsport activity due to the potential increased risk to competitors, officials, spectators, and communities which was later extended until the end of June as the country entered the lockdown phase of Covid-19.
Despite being in the advanced stages of planning for the 2020 running of the event, organisers have cited the “uncertainties” of the Covid situation going forward and with no guarantees of the sport, hospitality or social distancing guidelines being available in September, organisers had no choice but to cancel the event.
Event Director Roger Hargreaves said “After spending many hours deliberating over this year’s Watergate Bay Hillclimb, the organising committee have concluded that we must cancel September’s event due to the continued uncertainties of Coronavirus.
It has become impractical and financially uncertain to continue the planning for September and with the current conditions on social distancing and possible Government restrictions on large events for the foreseeable future, it is just not possible to host a safe event for all those involved. Our main obligation and priority is to protect the health and safety of our competitors, volunteers, traders, exhibitors and spectators which means that this is the safest and only decision we could make.
We know this decision will disappoint competitors and enthusiasts across the country not just Cornwall and we are equally disappointed that we will miss an opportunity to support the Cornwall Air Ambulance charity.
To continue our support to the valuable cause, we will be creating a “JustGiving” page and would hope that everyone who has an interest in the hill climb will make a small contribution towards the charity.”
Anyone who wishes to donate to Cornwall Air Ambulance as a supporter of the hillclimb can visit:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/watergate-bay-speed-hillclimb1
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