17th Regis Rally 2009 final report

The final round of the HRCR Richard Egger Insurance Clubmans championship, The 17th Regis Rally was run on 24th October 2009. Based for the first time at The Brookfield Hotel at Emsworth, this allowed Clerk of the Course, Mick Briggs to open up some challenging new roads around Portsdown Hill.

The morning started very wet, as the final field of 50 cars left the packed hotel car park to head into the lanes driving rain ensured that the stalwart marshals all got a good soaking. Navigation for Regularity 1 was handed out 30 minutes before the start time with Herringbones and via only the following spotheights which was sorted by the majority of crews. The next handout was a “Jogularity” section causing very few problems leading the crews to a swift and delicious coffee and cake halt at Fishbourne Roman Palace. The Riley 1.5 of Cliff and Paul Doe was leading at this point. The next regularity – tulip roadbook finished on the Festival of Speed finish line.

The first two tests were in the carparks at Goodwood Racecourse where one of the tests had to be shortened due to the appearance of a marquee and runners (not advised to the organisers). The final test of the morning was at Ides Wood where club member David Brooks hosted a very wet and slippery test in his woodland. The rain was still heavy as the crews took the short drive to The George Inn, at Eartham for a well deserved lunch. At this point the field had sorted themselves out with Brighton’s Hancox/Lambley in the Triumph TR4 1st, Crammond/Raeburn – Mercedes 280 2nd, the Essex 1275GT Mini of Griffiths/Howell 3rd, consecutive three times Regis winners Hughes/Gibson – MG Midget 4th from Kent, followed by BRMC member Twigg and navigator Blackett in 5th.

By the time the crews had all driven the next set of four tests at Tangmere airfield nurseries the rain had stopped and bright, warm sunshine was the order of the afternoon. They returned to Goodwood for a repeat of two tests. The next regularity section was plot and bash. However, at the finish, the organisers subsequently found an error in the navigation and two control penalties were cancelled. Regularity five was a coloured marked map at 1:50000 scale, this caused problems when several crews missed the right turn after Hyden Farm taking them towards the white road at Coombe Wood, resulting in large penalties. Regularity 6 handout was a plot and bash grid line and tulip section in narrow lanes proved challenging with a swollen ford at the back of Portsdown Hill causing drowned out engines to several of the top crews! Photographer Tony Large commented on the various methods used by the drivers to cross this obstacle – some very surprising ones from very experienced crews with the inevitable results! The last test of the day was using a cone-layout used at Southdowns College by Southsea MC who had run an Autosolo earlier in the day. The marshals and competitors stayed on to man the test with much amusement!