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What a very pleasant couple of hours that was.

I'm talking about a common theme that gets repeated on my Blog at least five of six times a year! Yes I know I lack imagination... but what can I say... it's true!!

I was down on Chouet beach to photograph the Autocross Club Banger racing. And the sun was out. And the action was entertaining. And it beats having a 'proper job'.

When I tick those three boxes I'm bound to be happy!

And the result of my 'work' is now online. Click the link to view the Gallery of pics:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST AUTOCROSS PICS

Well it took a while but I'm there!

Three Motorsport events edited and added to the Galleries. The last of the trilogy is the GMC&CC Trials.

I spent a busy Sunday afternoon chasing the riders around Lance's land below the reservoir and if you're interested this is a link to view the pics:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST TRIALS PICS

Well the 2023 Motorsport season is now in first gear and gaining speed.

Last weekend provided three events for me to polish up my photographic skills and timing.

Yes, I do get rusty during the break and it takes a couple of events to get my timing back!

But one thing doesn't change and that is the buzz that comes from the noise, smells and action of an Autocross race as the driver bounces the engine off the rev limiter.

So after the previous update to the Motocross racing Galleries I've now added an Autocross Gallery. And there is yet more to come as I also photographed a Trials meeting. Those pics are next.

Follow this link to view the Autocross pics:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST AUTOCROSS ACTION

The Guernsey Kart & Motor Club MX riders were in action on the Pleinmont cliff-top track on Saturday.

It was good to see a better entry for this race - and there were a couple of riders away on their hols - so a competitive championship is ahead of us.

As usual I was slipping and sliding on the steep banks trying to find the best viewpoints... whilst overloaded with kit!!

I've added a new gallery if you wish to take a look. Click on this link:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS PICS

The Guernsey Kart & Motor Club's 2023 Karting season hit The Track on Sunday for Round 1 of the new season and I popped along to capture some of the action before moving on to KGV for some football.

The limited time available combined with me arriving just as an incident requiring the Paramedic to check over a young driver - who was fine - meant I didn't have a chance to photograph all competitors. Maybe I'll have better luck next time.

This is a link to the karting Gallery if you are interested:
CLICK TO VIEW ROUND 1 OF THE 2023 KART CHAMPIONSHIP

It was just what we all needed in the middle of the Festive Season.

After the over indulgences of Christmas and before doing it all again for the New Year the perfect remedy was fresh air, motorsport and a workout on the steep and slippery slopes of the Pleinmont headland.

There was a good entry of veterans and youth and all those in-between for the Guernsey Motorcycle & Car Club Trials meeting.

I popped down after my morning assignment to clamber around the slopes trying to find the best angle to show off the skills of the riders.

The Gallery of my pic is now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE GMC&CC PLEINMONT TRIALS EVENT

Another busy weekend of photography combined with processing a backlog of Christmas orders means less time to 'talk'!

So this is it:

Yesterday's Motocross racing pics are now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS PICS

Due to a full diary of events to photograph on Saturday my visit to the Motocross track had to be a short one. This was a shame as it was rather pleasant up on the cliffs at Pleinmont.

So I wasted no time in trying to capture some of the action and I had time to photograph each of the different classes. The edit is now complete and I've added a new Gallery if you want to check out the pics:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS PICS

The Track has been the home for Kart racing in Guernsey for decades.

It may be constrained and limited from having a football pitch in its center and site boundaries that are all too close to allow scope for extra corners and straights but this doesn't quell the enthusiasm to race!

The Guernsey Kart & Motor Club's Karting section is fairly small but there is always a dedicated bunch who want to go racing and keep the tradition going.

So when I arrived at The Track on Sunday the action had already started with drivers enjoying the bright autumn sun and dry track. It was pretty good for pics too!

I was able to capture the racing in each Class which was, true to form, very close.

Follow this link to view the latest pics:
CLICK TO VIEW RACE 10 OF THE 2022 KART CHAMPIONSHIP

Its been half a year since I stood on a Trials section but I was back today.

The length of the break isn't quite how it reads as the sport takes a break during the summer months.

So now we are fully into the autumn period I was able to get back to trying to capture some of the action. And, as if to affirm that winter is on the way, the skies opened and soaked me and my gear!

I was down Petit Bot hill where sections were spread out along the length. Slippery banks, running streams and steep inclines were all included. Oh, and lots of mud.

My pics of the event are now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE PETIT BOT TRIALS PICS

Like many 'old school' photographers I started my career shooting on black & white film.

Now more than five decades later I find that my 'first love' has stayed with me throughout life. It seems that there always remains a place in our heart for the 'first one'.

So having completed the edit of the 46th Guernsey Chess Festival (in colour) I allowed myself to indulge in a little nostalgia by selecting a few of the images to develop into black & white.

I have to admit that I loved the exercise and I could so easily give up on colour for the clarity, focus and purity that a mono-tone image produces.

Seeing these images has re-awakened the young photographer in me... from fifty-three years ago. You can expect more B&W pics from me in the future...

Take a look at this small edit of Black & White Chess pics. I hope they grab your attention as much as they do for me:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BLACK & WHITE CHESS EDIT

Not many words this time!

Just to give you a link to pics of Round-2 of the Guernsey Autocross Club's Banger racing at Chouet Beach.

Round-2 of the Winter Championship can be viewed by following this link:
CLICK TO VIEW ROUND 2 OF THE AUTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

Whilst the show has to go on whatever the weather there is nothing wrong about enjoying when the sun is out and it is a warm early autumnal morning.

So it was very nice to visit The Track to photograph Round 9 of the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club Karting Championship on Sunday... in bright sun!

Motorsport has a tradition of using colourful graphics and of course the sun makes these colours more vibrant. A photographer will grasp the chance to work when things are so good!

If you want to see the result I've uploaded a new Gallery featuring Round 9 of the GK&MC Karting Championship.
CLICK TO VIEW ROUND 9 OF THE KART CHAMPIONSHIP

I'm sure I'm simply re-stating some previous Blog when I say this... but that must mean it's true, surely?

But I do love my job when it involves spending time on a beach... on a bright and sunny day. Add into the mix a bit of motorsport photography and the noises and smells that go with this sport and I've ticked most of the boxes!

I was down at Chouet Beach for the return of the Guernsey Autocross Winter Championship. There is always a summer break for those who just like to lay around on the white sands. But as Autumn arrives it's the petrol heads who reclaim the beach... at least for a few hours on occasional Sundays!

It was Round 1 of the new Winter Championship and you can view the pics I captured of the action here:

CLICK TO VIEW ROUND 1 OF THE NEW AUTOCROSS WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP

After missing a couple of the 2022 Motocross race meetings due to being assigned to cover other events it was great to be on the top of the Pleinmont cliffs again on Saturday.

Of course it might not have been so pleasant if the weather had produced the rain that had been forecast.

But as it turned out it was most enjoyable. There had even been some, rare for this summer, rainfall in the past couple of days to dampen down most of the dust... so a dip in the bath wasn't required once I got home!

However it was disappointing to see how small the entry was - leaving seven of the eight classes with three or less riders! This must put at risk the viability of running these events. It's a real shame as when I chatted to riders in the pits they were all saying how much fun they were having.

Maybe later in the season some of the MX riders will return from their 'summer holiday' riding the sands at Vazon Bay?

I've added a new Gallery featuring my pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS PICS

We headed back to the beautiful... normally quiet... Island of Sark on Friday for the first event of a 'double-header' Lawn Mower racing weekend.

The two days of action started with the hillclimb at Sark Harbour hill.

The racing doesn't start until the final boat of the day has docked and the passengers have been transported to the top of the hill by the unique 'Sark trailer bus'. An experience that has to be taken if you ever visit this Channel Island!

But the wait for racing is never boring or wasted as the Bel Air pub is placed adjoining the finish line.

Surely every race track should be designed in this way?

I multi-tasked and managed a few beers together with a few pics. Nice.

There is a new Gallery online if you want to check out my pics
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2022 SARK HILLCLIMB PICS

There was lots of Motorsport action at Vazon Coast Road for the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club Sprint meeting on Saturday.

Entry numbers had been boosted by the addition of a 'Race What You Brung' class which saw the return to the tarmac of some old faces and a line-up of new Sprint virgins!

I've uploaded a new Gallery of pics featuring all the racing. Check it out here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE VAZON SPRINT GALLERY

All things seemed to align for perfect hillclimbing on Saturday at Le Val des Terres.

I don't know what hidden forces need to come into play to make a perfect hillclimb but something special was in the air for the GK&MC event.

The action left competitors with both PB’s and new Class records written into the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club archives.

I enjoyed capturing the racing and a new Gallery features my pics is now online...
CLICK TO VIEW THE GK&MC HILLCLIMB_06-08-2022

The Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club organised a special summer Sandracing event for its members. This offered them the chance to log up the laps during two days of intensive racing.

The format to combine two days of racing - back to back - clearly had a lot of support.

The number of entries showed that (many of) the racers were prepared to take a Friday off work for day one knowing that Saturday's racing was to follow.

It was great to see such a full line-up on the start line for the bike races. Also there was a larger number of spectators lining the beach wall than for a 'standard' event. This made for a fantastic atmosphere.

All this combined to make a great event and maybe one that will feature in the calendar in future years?

I've added a new Gallery featuring some of my pics:
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2-DAY SANDRACING EVENT

The Avon Tyres Motorsport UK British National Hillclimb Championship returned to Le Val des Terres for the first time since 2019... and expectations were high.

The two local rounds were numbered 21 & 22 so there were plenty of reference points established in the earlier rounds and the bet was on that racing would be close and competitive and there was a feeling that the outright hill record would be lowered.

And it was a safe bet on all counts! Hundredths of a second split the competitors and sure enough Alex Summers was the one who left the Island with his name in the record book with a time of 26.56 sec.

Maybe the high temperatures were less that perfect for engine performance but the dry hot surface enabled records to drop in several other classes too.

Well done to all who participated and a BIG thank you to the Guernsey Motor Cycle and Car Club for organising the event. Roll on next year!

This gallery features my pics of all the racing:
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2022 GUERNSEY NATIONAL HILLCLIMB