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Once again the Motorsport Seafront Sunday attracted huge crowds to enjoy the static displays, Supercar rides and the Motorsport Club's Twisty Sprint.

This years event was treated to perfect weather and that was all that was needed to bring islanders out in record numbers.

This Gallery displays some of the atmosphere and action...
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2020 SEAFRONT SUNDAY

The weather forecast isn't always to be trusted when planning your day.

After the event it's always easy to be wise about things. At the time of decision we all have to make a judgement based on known 'facts' combined with instinct and gut feeling.

This was the position competitors faced early on Sunday morning as they had to decide if it was worth making the effort to get the kit down to Vale Castle for the GMC&CC Sprint. If they checked the various weather forecasts the predictions varied wildly and a quick look out of the window would have revealed rain clouds looming.

It turned out that the bikers played it safe... and who can blame them as a wet Vale Castle road is a treacherous place. A few of the car drivers also made the early choice to stay safe and keep their vehicles in one piece for another day. These were wise choices... If of only the forecasts had been accurate!

But technology got it wrong this time and by the start of racing the clouds had blown over and the road had dried. I imagine the absent bikers and several car drivers regretted their decision as the Vale Castle Sprint road dried to perfect condition after only a couple of timed runs.

So the result was that those who had turned up had lots of fun and loads of runs and I needn't of packed and carried all my wet weather kit (including an umbrella) around all day!

My pics are online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2020 VALE CASTLE SPRINT MEETING

I've just completed the upload of my latest picture Gallery.

The 2020 Hillclimb Gallery is the smallest that I've produced during the eleven years that I've been covering these events professionally.

None of us need reminding why that is the case as the Covid 19 lockdown in 2020 has lodged strong, personal memories in all our minds.

The Motorsport UK 2020 Hillclimb season started in Guernsey on 01-08-2020 when the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club organized the first Hillclimb in 2020 that was run without any Covid 19 restrictions in place.

We all have to say well done to the officials and helpers who organizing the meeting.

Guernsey leads where others can only hope (and wait) to follow!

The hillclimb ran very smoothly allowing every competitor to have a practice run and seven timed runs!!

What did that mean for this photographer... well LOADS of pics!!

As this was a special Hilclimb I've uploaded more pics than usual. I hope you enjoy them.

If you like my work please support me by buying a pic or two. Like so many of us my income has been hit by the lockdown and I promise to invest it well in a couple of beers!

Follow this link to view the extensive Gallery:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE FIRST FULL HILLCLIMB IN 2020

I fear that I'll probably never quite catch up with the backlog of editing from last year.... but I'll keep trying.

Last year wasn't quite a 'normal' one. There were quite a few distractions taking large chunks out of my work time. By far the most demanding was overseeing the modernization of our new home. This is now nearing completion but I think I was a bit naive regarding how much chasing and management would be required in getting the 'trades' to complete their work.

However we have now settled into the new place and the move has worked out brilliantly. We have renewed everything from ceilings, heating, electrics and networking to 65" TV's, flooring, driveway.... well just about everything! Oh, and I mustn't forget the great new kitchen too!

Whilst all that was underway I found myself emergency medivaced to the UK after Doctors found blood clots on my brain and I had a mild stroke. Thankfully the outcome has been much better than first feared and I've nearly made a full recovery.

So that's the excuses for the missed edits!

But I continue with the catch-up. This link takes you to a missed Autocross Banger event from last March. More will follow:
CLICK TO VIEW THE AUTOCROSS CATCH-UP

Last week was book-ended by two major sporting events... leading to two major edits. Oh what fun!!

The first event (weekend) was the February Fury boxing at Beau Sejour. With TWENTY bouts the number of pics taken topped 500! I'm glad to say that the final edit is complete and all the Galleries are now online.

The second of the weekends featured the Resolution-IT Guernsey Rally. As you will see from the previous Blog that event edit was turned around in super-fast time and pics can now be viewed.
CLICK TO VIEW THE FEBRUARY FURY GALLERIES
CLICK TO VIEW THE RESOLUTION-IT GUERNSEY RALLY GALLERIES

Well it just shows that if you put your back into a job you can finish it in record time!

I decided that the Resolution-IT Guernsey Rally pics had to be edited as soon as possible to clear the deck for a busy week ahead.

So I'm pleased to say that the jobs a good 'un. Over 300 pics of the action together with a 'Rally Scene' Gallery for good measure.

Click the link below to view all the pics.

It was enjoyable looking through my pics of the Rally. I've mentioned before that sometimes it's like seeing the action for the first time as the actual shoot can be intense and non-stop.

In this case it was amusing to recall the 'Star of the Rally' or at least the one that entertained the spectators the most. Sorry Dale, it wasn't you this time!

No, the star was definitely the death defying chicken who seemed oblivious to the speed of a rally car at full chat. If it's true that a cat has nine lives this chicken tops that with at least thirty!!

I also noted that the App on my phone that records my steps put my mileage over the day and evening at nearly seven miles. This was traveled with a very weighty backpack and three cameras slung around my neck. It's not surprising I feel fatigued today.
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2020 RESOLUTION-IT RALLY

It was nearly third time lucky for the local crew of Dale Crowsley and co-driver John Vaudin in the 2020 Resolution-IT Guernsey Rally.

They were straight on the pace at the start of this years one-day Rally and topped the leader board before being hunted down by the vastly experienced Jersey crews of Ros la Noa with co-driver Domonic Volante and Jeremy Baudains with co-driver James Ollivro.

The visiting duo were both racing more powerful Ford Escort MK2's and ultimately they showed a bit more speed. Maybe next time Dale?

Whilst I proceed to edit nearly 500 pics that I took during the twelve hours of coverage I made at the 2020 Resolution-IT Rally follow this link to view the submission I had to make over-night to the Guernsey Press for Monday's paper.

Full coverage will be added to this website over the next couple of days...
CLICK TO VIEW THE FIRST PRESS EDIT OF THE 2020 RESOLUTION-IT RALLY

It's not unknown for Motorsport events to be cancelled due to the weather conditions.

Sometimes the race track is simply too wet. Sometimes the lack of clear visibility makes it unsafe as Marshals cannot see clearly.

But one motorsport discipline seems almost immune to the elements. In fact the Trials riders even competed a fortnight ago when the conditions were so bad that the Autocross racing was cancelled!

So it was always a near certainty that the Trials riders would be out on Sunday afternoon... even though heavy drizzle and high winds made things quite uncomfortable.

I also 'bit the bullet' to capture a few pics. They are online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST TRIALS PICS

'Twas a bleak and wet and windy morn....

....as I break into a poetic moment I'm attempting to dry out after spending a couple of hours down on an exposed Chouet beach. All the wet weather clothing was out to play for the final Round of the Guernsey Autocross Club Winter Championship.

This meeting had been postponed the last time is was due to be raced. That Sunday morning the weather was even worse!

In the end it was acceptably comfortable to run the meeting this time and there was an element of fulfillment felt after 'braving' the onslaught to get a few shots in the can.

Some of the pics rewarded the effort with added drama. You can view my work here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE FINAL ROUND OF THE AUTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

With most of the festive events and the New Year celebrations behind us the GMC&CC Trials section had one last party during their first Trials event of 2020.

Tradition has it that the day starts with a handicap event for the Seniors. This is combined with the Juniors riding their own sections in Fauxquets Valley.

A timely break is made for the competitors and family to have a social lunch. Then in the afternoon... probably carrying a little more weight... the Seniors complete a number of Sections in and around St Andrews.

I managed to make two short visits either side of other assignments. You can view my pics by following this link:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE FIRST TRIALS EVENT IN 2020

The Guernsey Motor Cycle and Car Club Trials section recently organized a training session for their Junior bikers.

There was a relaxed atmosphere down on Lance's land below the reservoir with parents mingling with a few senior riders and enjoying a cuppa whilst the youngsters looked for anything to traverse.

Many of the Junior bikes are battery powered making them near silent so I literally had to have eyes in the back of my head as they were approaching from all angles!

Seeing the miniature riders taking on obstacles without fear was quite impressive. It looks like the time invested in training is paying off and will hopefully ensure that there is a new generation of competitors ready to enter the senior championship.

I have added a small gallery of pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE JUNIOR TRIALS TRAINING SESSION

Following on from a recent Blog I'm once again considering how the seasons impact my photography.

Today I had to put down the paint brush (yes I still seem to have acres of wood and walls to decorate at Malander) to head out into the wilds of the Islands finest seasonal weather to take some pics.

On autumn days like this the conditions can change by the minute. Strong winds meant that the rolling heavy showers arrived and departed without warning and half of the fun was had from attempting to find some form of shelter when the heavens opened... or suffer the soggy consequences.

I didn't have much left in the my photography diary today as two of the booked assignments had been cancelled due to the week-long heavy rain.

This just left me with the GMC&CC bike Trials event. So it was to Bordeaux Harbour that I headed to take a few pics. I soon found the trials sections with the resilient observers dutifully on station awaiting competitors as they completed their four circuits.

The entry size had been depleted (probably due to the weather). Guernsey trials often include sections on coastal rocks. These are always challenging even in perfect conditions but they quicly become a slippery and unforgiving terrain when wet.

However it was worth the effort made by riders and photographers as the seasonal skies and moody light added a bit of added drama.

You can view my pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW TRIALS PICS FROM BORDEAUX HARBOUR

With a seasonal chill in the air it was still a very nice place to be down on Chouet beach for the Autocross racing.

It was Round-3 of the Guernsey Autocross Winter season and the race wins were shared around the pits a bit more than usual. This resulted in some entertaining races for the spectators who wrapped up against the cold breeze.

I've added pics of the racing here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF ROUND-3 OF THE AUTOCROSS WINTER SEASON

The 2019 edition of the GK&MC Petit Bot Hillclimb was, as usual it seems, damp. Happily it wasn't as saturated as last year's hill but it was still a shame as it spoilt the chance of chasing the records.

The size of entry was disappointing... at one time it seemed that holding the event was at risk of cancellation.

In the end the Club went ahead with the long running hillclimb and the small entry meant that every racer had a chance to hit the hill multiple times. It is hoped that next year there is a bit more interest shown to race this quirky hill as if it gets dropped from the calender it may well be the end of this end of season tarmac event.

I only had a couple of hours down Petit Bot as I was booked on another job later in the afternoon however the short entry list and speed of turn-around meant I was able to cover most of the photographic vantage points.

My pics can be viewed here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2019 PETIT BOT HILLCLIMB

Following the action photographers mantra of getting close enough... then taking one step closer I paid the price for doing this on Saturday at Vazon Bay, Guernsey.

The occasion was the 2019 Condor Ferries International Sand Ace ACU British Championships. The chosen venue for this prestigious event is the white sands of one of Guernsey's finest beaches.

The problem this year was the knock-on effect of the weather... the same weather that put a question mark over whether the competitors would even make it over for the racing.

Mother nature had brewed up strong gale force winds making the ferry an uncomfortable journey for the visiting racers. But once over here that was forgotten and they all seemed to enjoy the change of track surface from the more usual grass track or Speedway arena.

But I have digressed. What I was going to say was that the wind was still strong enough to be a nuisance - even to a photographer.

It was quite a challenge to capture great pics as when I got right in close the spray off the wet sand covered my camera and lens. And for the longer shots using my Nikon 180-400mm (reaching 560mm with the built in 1.4x converter) the buffeting wind made composing tight shots difficult.

Ultimately it's nice to be tested and I left the sands with a good set of action pics. You can view the galleries here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2019 SAND ACE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Where has this year gone? Already we have seen the last of the Val des Terres Hillclimbs leaving just the Petit Bot special on the Hillclimb calendar. Blimey that means it must be September already!!

The completion of the tarmac hill events doesn't mean my own diary is thinning out as all you local motorsport followers know that when one season ends another starts up to fill the gaps!

But the final hills of the year are a reminder that Autumn is on the way. In theory this should give me longer nights to catch up with the persistent backlog of editing. Time will tell if I can pull off that target by Christmas!

I've just added my Gallery of pics of the GK&MC Hillclimb here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE LAST GK&MC HILLCLIMB

The 2019 GK&MC 2-Day Inter-Island Motocross Event took place in (mostly) fine and dry conditions. The track had been well prepared and probably benefited from the heavy shower on the second day which damped down the dust. We all needed a soak in the bath after the several hours spent in the dust storm!

It was great to see a good sized entry which included many riders who had made the trip over from Jersey. There were also several locals who had been missing from recent events. Hopefully that wasn't just a 'one-off', it would be nice to see them back competing in the Club's regular championship.

Racing was very competitive across all Classes and a good sized crowd enjoyed two days of excitement. There was plenty to look at in the pits between races and even a bar to take a well earned pint once competition had finished.

This gallery features some of my action pics....
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2-DAY MOTOCROSS EVENT

I'm getting back into the swing of picture editing after a very busy period since the New Year.

This year has seen Carol and myself moving from our family cottage home of over forty years. We had to move into temporary holiday accommodation for several months. It is that which was so disruptive!

We are now in our new place - which is still far from finished. We have swapped that nearly 200 year old cottage for a bungalow which, whilst being built in the sixties, can now been considered brand new after the huge amount of building work and re-refurbishment that has been done.

All this upheaval has meant my attention has been distracted from my work. But, slowly, I'm sorting out a few of the edits and adding picture galleries to this website.

This Blog announces two new updates in the Sandracing Galleries. Pics of Rounds 7 & 8 are now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF ROUNDS 7 & 8 OF THE SANDRACING CHAMPIONSHIP

Darren Warwick has received a sponsorship deal from Zef Eisenberg's MADMAX Race Team allowing Darren to race the last three rounds of the 2019 FIA European Hillclimb Championship.

This Championship series is very expensive to compete in as the Hills are spread across many European countries. The overall cost has meant that currently no British driver takes part.

There is also the added challenge that Darren will be competing against many big budget teams and drivers.

However we have our hopes raised that Darren does enough during this short run of events to attract a big headline sponsor in 2020 to allow him a real opportunity to try for his Class title.

As well as the MADMAX logos Darren's car also features Zef's new ITV4 series 'Speed Freaks'.

This gallery features my pics of Darren and Zef shaking on the deal.
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF DARREN WARWICK & ZEF EISENBERG

Whilst it was a shame to see a reduced number of racers signed on to compete in the latest Guernsey Kart & Motor Club Hillclimb at Le Val Des Terres this did mean that those who turned up enjoyed a packed day of racing.

This was also helped by the Club's Motocross Section taking responsibility to man most of the Marshall posts.

The result proved what can be achieved if all Club members play their part in running a successful event.

My pics of the day are now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST GK&MC HILLCLIMB PICS