The Sixth running of the Watergate Bay Sprint near Newquay will once again bring action-packed closed-road motorsport into the heart of Cornwall in 2025, marking a Centenary of Good Sports!
In September 2023 a hundred cars and competitors descended on the region from across the UK to tackle the 850-metre course which used the B3276 coast road between Newquay and Padstow.
The event starting life as a Hillclimb in 2018, as the pioneer closed road sprint event following a change in primary legislation in 2015 and then secondary legislation in April 2017 which enabled Motorsport UK to authorise closed road motor sport events in England. Watergate Bay transitioned into a Sprint in 2021 and continues to be one of only a handful of closed-road speed events in the UK. Its unique format attracts some of the fastest drivers in the country to the challenging course, all eager to beat class records or secure fastest times.
Next year, 2025, will mark the Centenary of the last of the early speed trials held on public roads, on 4 April 1925 in Hereford and Tavistock, speed events took place two days after the then decision to stop motor racing on public roads, a Bill having been put to Parliament and the RAC Competitions Committee cancelling all permits for speed contests on the open highway on 2 April 1925. Back then local authorities and Police allowed these last speed trials to proceed on the basis of ‘good sportsmanship’!
Watergate Bay is the spiritual successor of these grass roots events 100 years ago…Something for ‘Good Sports’ to celebrate in 2025!
Putting on an event like this is a mammoth undertaking, the standards of safety we adhere to has moved on considerably since those halcyon days of a century past. Watergate Bay Sprint is organised by a partnership between Truro and District Motor Club, Newquay Auto Club, Plymouth Motor Club and Camel Vale Motor Club. A dedicated team of volunteers stepped forward from these clubs to establish this event from the spark of enthusiasm that fuelled its first running in 2018 and after its sixth running some members of that team have had to take a break.
The organising partners in the Watergate Bay Sprint are in the process of establishing a new team but recognise that they are not yet up to the capacity needed to make the event a success in 2024. Consequently, the decision to postpone the Watergate Bay Sprint to 2025 has been taken. This enabling the organising partners to secure the running of their own club events throughout 2024, whilst focussing their collective attention on returning to Watergate Bay with a Centenary Celebration of Good Sportsmanship and Closed Road Motorsport in September 2025.
There really isn’t another event like the Watergate Bay Sprint and through coming together to enjoy motorsport in this spectacular Cornish setting local charities are benefiting. Watergate Bay Motorsport has, since 2018, secured over £30,000 to worthy causes, including the vital work of Cornwall Air Ambulance.
Watergate Bay Motorsport extends its thanks to all sponsors, the local community, businesses and competitors for their continued support for this pioneering event. We look forward to the return of an exciting weekend of thrills, spills, and fast-paced motor racing against the spectacular backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean in 2025, what better way to mark this Centenary in Motorsport.
See all ‘Good Sports’ there in 2025!
