The opening round from the 2013 Island Car Club (ICC) Hillclimb Championship, sponsored by Grimaldi Lines, was held recently in Ġnejna, limits of Mġarr.

The race attracted 53 entries with cars varying from standard road legal right up to single-seater Formula type racers.

Spectators were also numerous even though the weather was rather unfavourable, particularly in the morning sessions with gusting, cold winds.

The organisers again made sure that all aspects concerning the safe and efficient running of the race were in place. In fact, all drivers managed four timed runs on the day despite some hiccups due to a series of minor incidents.

At the end of the day, 2012 champion Zach Zammit placed first in his Urban Jungle Ralt with a best run of 35.27 seconds.

Veteran Hubert Camilleri steered his McLaren Garage Chevron to second place, with a run of 35.42 seconds, and Mark Micallef, at the wheel of his impressive Auto-Trader-Malta Radical Prosport, clinched third place in 36.08 seconds.

Sound driving skills were the order of the day but two outstanding performances were those of James Dunford (Radical PR6) and Jonathon Tonna, for the first time in his red Tattus.

Dunford placed fourth overall and Tonna sixth, just a tenth of a second behind Jason Muscat’s supercharged Radical Clubsport.

John Zammit was the fastest rear-wheel car driver in his Turbo Lotus Elise and Didier Bugeja won the front wheel drive in his Peugeot 106. Steve Buttigieg was the no.1 racer in the four-wheel drive category on board his Cosworth-powered Ford Escort Mk1.

The next championship race is scheduled for March 24 at Mtaħleb, limits of Rabat.