News / Blog - Motorsport News

Sometimes it is good to have so many different sports to photograph.

The variety offers a backup when something goes wrong with one genre as probably there is an alternative to bail me out... I'm talking about having a sport or two to photograph each weekend.

To give you an example. The wet winter we have experienced has meant that many football games have been cancelled due to the pitch being soft, wet and muddy. But, as I stated, I usually have a back-up plan!

In this case? Well I name a sport that loves soft ground and MUD. It can only be Motocross!

I headed off to Pleinmont on Saturday morning to photograph the GK&MC championship racing and the mud was just about perfect!

I had to leave early to be at Port Soif for a 2pm footie game - and just to prove that sometimes all things turn out well - the pitch was perfect too. Happy days!

My Motocross photos are now online if you are interested:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS RACING

I was late in arriving at Chouet for the latest Autocross meeting but it was still worth making the effort. The different track layout offered some great shots.

There was plenty of sand... well we were on a beach! But it was the pools of water that were the stars. It's hard to beat the drama of a Banger at full chat splashing through standing water!

My gallery of photos is now online if you are interested:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST AUTOCROSS PHOTOS

Those amazing men and women in their stripped out Bangers were back on the Chouet sands for the first time in 2024 on Sunday.

Each of the cars has to be stripped of all glass to avoid polluting the white sands. But that alone is not enough as it was clear that the winter evenings had been spent removing EVERYTHING that isn't essential to making the car move!

Extra modifications are also made to the cooling systems to avoid radiators becoming clogged with sand. Roll cages and 'crash plates' are also added to the sides. Better safe than sorry!

All this work removes the individual identity of the cars and often it is nearly impossible to recognise the make and model!

I popped along to Chouet to capture some of the action and my photos can be viewed by clicking this link:
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2024 BANGER RACING CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTOS

One of the Motorsport events to watch that I recommend to people who have time spare on a Sunday is Trials.

If you are looking for free entertainment on a Sunday afternoon you will enjoy following the riders as they attack impossible slopes, rocks and tree stumps on their machines.

All you really need to do is wrap up against the cold and wear sturdy footwear because you will be tackling some slippery slopes too!

If you can't be bothered, all is not lost, because you can always view my photos. 🙂

Photos of yesterday's meeting are now online here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST TRIALS PHOTOS

Motocross racers like it messy and muddy... but there are limits too.

Photographers also like it messy and muddy... but for different reasons.

So when the mess and mud turn up in perfect measure we are all happy. The riders can slide about to their hearts content and me, as a photographer, can go home with a few interesting photos.

My photos of Saturdays MX meeting are now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS PHOTOS

As the GK&MC 2023 Kart Championship nears the end the competition is close and open with the podium places still up for grabs.

I was down at The Track today to photograph some of the racing and the action didn't disappoint. There are a few 'new guns' featuring in the racing and this excites me for the future. Have we got a future champion in the making?

I've added a new gallery of my photos here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROUND 9 OF THE KART CHAMPIONSHIP

This was my second try at finding new angles of view at the revised Motocross track. It was dry and dusty and I ended the morning covered in fine powder!

But I'm starting to work out a few decent positions. You can check out my photos if you like:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS PHOTOS

Well it wont last.... it never does!

But we enjoyed another dry and bright day for Round 2 of the Autocross Club Winter Banger racing championship.

The racing surface of the sand looked to be in good condition but something took its toll on the cars and drivers as the heats saw many cars drop out with reliability issues.

Proof of the racing wisdom... 'to finish first, first you have to finish'. So true!

The new gallery of pics can now be viewed here:
CLICK TO VIEW ROUND 2 OF THE AUTOCROSS WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP

I've had a timely reminder that I hadn't yet uploaded my pics of the last Trials bike event... so I've now sorted that out!

Check 'em out here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST TRIALS PHOTOS

Petit Bot Hillclimb in perfect dry weather.... is that even a thing?!?

Well in 2023 that was what we had and with competitors having a chance of 10 runs there were plenty of opportunities to practice the fastest lines.

So records were lowered when racers realized that this was a moment to make hay whilst the sun shines. No-one knows what the 2024 annual visit to Petit Bot hill will bring... but we now know it doesn't have to always rain!!

I only had the morning available to be at the hill as I was booked to photograph the Guernsey Press 'Pride of Guernsey' Awards.

However I still managed quite a few pics. They're online here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS OF A DRY PETIT BOT HILLCLIMB

It wasn't only the Motocross racers who had to learn the layout of the new Motocross track.

With so many changes I've lost most of my old 'photo positions' which meant I had to recce the area before starting to work.

The new design has removed a few of the jumps and my first impression is that the racing has much more 'flow'. But maybe this will mean fewer 'dynamic' photos? I reserve judgement for now.

My first attempt of capturing the action at the new track is now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS PHOTOS

The Kart Championships are really competitive this year with lots of close racing. It's well worth a visit to The Track when they race on a Sunday morning.

I enjoy photographing this Motorsport as it offers me a rare opportunity to capture more than one competitor in a single frame! This is the result of so much of our local Motorsport being timed events.

I've just added my pics of Round 8 of the Kart Championship to a new Gallery. Click this link to view them:
CLICK TO VIEW PHOTOS OF ROUND 8 OF THE KART CHAMPIONSHIP

As we approach the end of the Guernsey 2023 Motorsport tarmac season I'm wondering where all the time went?

Once again my list of to-do's seems to be longer than it was at the start of the year... but I guess as I get older that is a plus. It means I've got to hang around for a bit longer to complete the list!

I photographed the GMC&CC Le Val des Terres Hill Climb yesterday and I enjoyed the fresh air and the action. There is no truth in the rumor that I needed to be outdoors after another fairly heavy Vale Earth Fair... but I'll admit that it did help.

My pics of the latest Hill Climb are now displayed on the NEW WEBSITE - like all new updates will be.

Follow this link to be taken to the new gallery:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST HILLCLIMB PICS ON THE NEW WEBSITE

Well I think we could quite reasonably have expected an August day to at least be dry... but the weather gods thought differently!

So The start of the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club hillclimb was wet and miserable. Of course this had an impact on the numbers of competitors who turned up.

Maybe a couple of the racers who braved the conditions are now questioning the wisdom of facing the challenge as they returned home with a 'winter project' to repair the kit.

However the clouds would eventually drift away and by the end of the afternoon several competitors were posting PB's!

I was out taking a few pics and they can now be viewed on my NEW WEBSITE. All future updates will be made here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE GK&MC HILLCLIMB_05-08-2023

The Guernsey Rounds of the 2023 Motorsport UK Avon Tyres National Hillclimb Championship included several memorable highlights.

It was certainly special because of the impressive performances of our top local drivers. Nick Saunders led the way by qualifying for both Rounds with his best performance in Round 20 when he stood in third place on the podium. Tim Tulie and Andy Bougourd also showed the visitors how it is done on the 'Terres by qualifying for the Run-offs.

Another highlight was Wallace Menzies lowering of the Outright Hill Record previously held by Alex Summers. But this didn't come without a cost as Wallace crashed into the back just after crossing the finish line!

Nobody can say he wasn't trying hard enough!

My photos are now online. When you click this link your browser will open a new page to display the Guernsey National Hillclimb pics.

The Gallery is on my new website which is where ALL NEW PHOTOS WILL BE UPLOADED:
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2023 GUERNSEY NATIONAL HILLCLIMB PHOTOS ON THE NEW WEBSITE

The Motorsport UK Avon Tyres British National Hillclimb Championship returned to Jersey's Bouley Bay Hill for Rounds 17 & 18 of the 2023 season.

Tradition (and it's a long one) is that the roadshow starts the Channel Island 'double header' in the 'other isle' before all the kit is loaded on to a Condor Ferries ferry to arrive in Guernsey for the Saturday Rounds at Le Val des Terres.

Myself, well I decided that it would be just as easy for me fly between the Islands and so I was on station at the start-line in Jersey for the first competitors run.... and then it was non-stop action all the way - except for the lunch break. Oh they are so cultured in Jersey, ha, ha!

My pics of the Jersey National Hillclimb are now online.

When you click the link your browser will open a new window to view all the Jersey National pics which are on my NEW WEBSITE.

Please note that ALL NEW PHOTOS WILL ONLY BE FOUND ON THE NEW WEBSITE:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE JERSEY 2023 MOTORSPORT UK NATIONAL HILLCLIMB

We all know that time flies. Certainly as I get older whole decades seem to pass with the blink of an eyelid!

And it is the passage of time and the continued progress with technology that has made me think that I needed a new project.

The Internet has become the dominant resource for a photographer to present his work to interested people. Tagged on the back of that is the opportunity to sell a few pics. Even a photographer needs to eat and buy beer!

So I'm announcing here that this website won't be where my new work is uploaded in the future. I have a new website under development... more on that later.

But the good news is all the Photos, Blogs and Information that features here will remain just as it is. I have built this massive record of Guernsey life... Sports, Motorsports, Gigs, Bands and Social Life and I'm keen for it to still be available. This 'old' website is now thirteen years old and has accrued nearly 50 MILLION picture views!

However with the improvement of mobile phone screens, faster download speeds and expectations of how photos display I will be uploading all new work to a new website. It still carries a title that regulars will be familiar with... TALLPICTURES.com

This is a major project for me as I hope to carry some of the old Galleries across too, but that all depends on time. Yes time gets a mention again!

I wonder what the next blink of the eye brings?

TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEW WEBSITE HERE:
CLICK TO VIEW THE NEW TALLPICTURES WEBSITE

The Guernsey Kart & Motor Club returned to the popular Reservoir Speed Event with a full entry after having a break in 2022.

This event offers something different for the racers with high speeds and tricky, technical corners and attracts Cars, Bikes and Karts.

I think it is quite amazing how each split of the program and the return to pits is achieved so quickly when you see how tight the space is in the pit area.

It proves what can be done when the competitors do their bit and listen to the briefing, oh, and want as much track-time as possible!

Take a look at these galleries to see all the action....
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2023 GK&MC RESERVOIR SPEED EVENT

Just a quick note and a link to the latest uploads.

I've added a new Gallery featuring Round 6 of the Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club Sand Racing Championship.

This race meeting was back on the normal track position as the tides had returned the beach to its normal levels. Unlike most Motorsports that are raced on a track that maintains a reliable surface from one meeting to the next, with beach racing you don't know what you are racing on until the tide recedes.

Sometimes a gale and rough weather will lift and move the sands revealing stones and ruts.

But you can also rely on the tides to make good the damage. So after a previous meeting the sands were perfect for Round 6. My pics of the racing are now online:
CLICK TO VIEW ROUND 6 OF THE SAND RACING CHAMPIONSHIP

Mike Ogier is a very nice guy but I hope he doesn't make a habit of coming to visit me at the Hillclimbs!

Because at the Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club Bank Holiday Hillclimb he gave us both a bit of a shock! I was photographing the action at the first corner when Mike came into view... at quite a pace!

Unfortunately for his wallet he couldn't find enough grip and his Anderson 250 Kart under-steered straight towards my position. Definitely not a good idea for Mike as I was protected behind a thick Guernsey Granite and Block wall!

I spoke to Mike after he came to a sudden stop and he said he had to make the choice between the Granite wall and a solid (but not as hard) bank. He chose the bank... a good choice. But he was still left with a cracked front nose cone.

The whole thing was quite dramatic however whilst I kept my finger on the trigger until the moment I retreated behind the wall the sequence of pics really aren't that striking.... at least to you and me.

Maybe they will be for Mike?!!

I was able to photograph plenty of the other racing and three new Galleries are now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST GMC&CC HILLCLIMB