Dust off your engines hillclimb lovers, because the Paddon Rallysport Group is reviving an old favourite and launching another — both in Central Otago.
Its new motorsport event, the Ben Nevis Station Golden 1200 Hillclimb, will run March 7-8 over a 6km stretch of the Nevis Rd, a remote high-country route between Bannockburn and Kingston.
“Every time I drive over that road, I love it. It’s a magical part of the world with the landscape and amazing road. When the farm owners jokingly said they would love to see an event there, I took that to the next level ... I didn’t need too much encouragement,” Paddon said.
He has also been pushing for the return of the popular Race to the Sky hillclimb in the Cardrona Valley, and his Paddon Rallysport team is working hard to bring it back to life in 2021. The Golden 1200 Hillclimb is intended as a sister event to the Snow Farm access road race.
“I hope we can see these two fantastic Central Otago hillclimb events alternating with each other, but there’s a lot of work to do yet, as well as plenty of support for the idea of running Race to the Sky again,” Paddon said.
Next year, Paddon is funnelling his energy into the Golden 1200 Hillclimb — named as a reference to the Nevis Valley’s goldmining history and the finish line’s 1200m elevation. It will be a two-day event, with three runs for all competitors each days. The fastest time from each day will count towards the competitor’s final results. All competitors will wait at the top of the
route when they have completed their runs and travel back to the start and service area in a controlled group.
“I can’t wait to drive it at full speed,” Paddon added, confirming his intention to compete in the event.
Paddon’s event team is working on the regulations and aims to have them available before Christmas.
“We would love to have internationals, but it will be tough with the tight time window before the event. The main focus is to attract several of the fastest gravel/hillclimb cars from around the country here. It will be a good event for all classes of cars and drivers and we are making sure the event is structured so that everyone has an enjoyable and fair weekend.’’
Spectator access will be free and the spectator zones take in “some of the most breath-taking scenery anywhere in the world”, Paddon said.
The Eastern Southland Car Club (ESCC), Queenstown Car Club and Central Otago Car Club have all been enlisted to run the event. The ESCC’s Roger Laird, who was Clerk of the Course for several editions of the Race to the Sky, will take on that role for the Golden 1200 Hillclimb.
Expressions of interest are open and can be sent to info@paddonrallysport.co.nz
- Catherine Pattison
Photo: Supplied
