Recordman Zammit on top

The third round from the ICC hill climb championship was held on Sunday at Xagħra, Gozo.

Zach Zammit, 20, had a perfect comeback to the racing scene after winning the day's honours in fine style.

The Grimaldi Team Malta driver, in his Ralt Honda, established a new record for the hill climb to stave off the challenge of 63 other competitors, particularly second-placed overall Paul Deguara.

Deguara, driving his home-built Motoflash Yamaha, led after the second practice run and in his last run topped his class's winning time, which, incidentally, was also below Joshua Anastasi's previous record set last September.

Third overall was multi-time champion Hubert Camilleri, currently on top in the 2009 championship. He was leading proceedings at the half-way stage, driving his Chevron Cosworth 2000.

Racing started in sweltering heat and competition in all classes was as hot as the weather itself.

As is always the case at Gozo events, there was again a good number of local competitors, Domenic Zammit driving a Group 1 Alfasud and taking the honours as quickest Gozitan with a fine 22nd place overall.

The honours for fastest production touring car again went the way of Nikolai Degiorgio who put in a superhuman effort on his last run to put his potent Lancia Delta Integrale in among the dozen or so single-seaters with an excellent eighth place overall.

'Flying doctor' Anthony Bernard (Mitsubishi Evo 6) ended up an excellent 10th overall while driving in Group 2.

Back at the sharp end, fourth overall was young Alan Curmi, driving the same JBR3 Kawasaki that was used to win at Xagħra last September.

Johan Spiteri, fifth overall on Sunday, has had a few podiums already, and is hovering close to the top step as is sixth overall driver Steve Zammit Cutajar.

Curmi, Spiteri and Zammit Cutajar, along with seventh-placed Joshua Anastasi, will be joining the other Grimaldi Team Malta drivers at Racalmuto in Sicily for the second round of the Campionato Siciliano Velocità in Circuito.

This race will be held at the end of June.

Jamie Sammut is also getting used to his new single-seater but could only place ninth in Gozo after accidentally triggering his car's fire extinguisher all over the engine on his last run.

Other excellent placings were those of Charlie Cutajar, 11th with a 1300 Escort, Joseph Serpina (Escort), Didier Bugeja (Peugeot 106), Andrew Cassar (Toyota Celica GT), Duncan Cassar Wheelan (Westfield) and new boy Fabio Baldacchino (Mitsubishi EVO 6).

The next appointment for the championship is on June 14 at Ta' Qali.