If we were to punctuate the way a year rolls in Knysna there are some things on the calendar that you cannot miss, such as Easter ... and then just as autumn makes way for winter, the Simola Hillclimb happens.
Simola Hillclimb has grown over the years, survived challenges like Covid-19 lockdown and, from humble beginnings, is now considered one of the premier motoring sport events in Africa — certainly the premier motoring event in SA.
It’s thrilling and it’s also deafening. Earplugs for the day are important.
The actual course is only 1.9km, but it is so fast, with top cars doings speeds of more than 200km/h from a standing start, it’s a nail-biting affair.
Simola Hillclimb is the success story of three local men who had a dream of racing cars up the Simola Hill in Knysna.
Founder Ian Shrosbree explains that in conjunction with Francis Cusens and Chick Ramsay, their fantasy became a reality.
Avril Kaschula of Simola Hotel bought into the idea, the municipality gave permission and that was 14 years ago.
They started in 2009 with a R100,000 budget and in 2015 the event was raking in millions of rand for tourism in Knysna.
The first event in 2009 was such a hit that the organisers decided to turn it into the country’s top motorsport event — something they have more than succeeded in doing.
The name Knysna Hillclimb changed to Simola Hillclimb and a brand was born.
That first year there were about 1,500 spectators, there were 4,500 in 2010, 7,500 in 2011 and more than 11,000 people in 2014, proving that there was indeed an appetite for this adrenaline-pumping event.
In 2015, they had 51 entries from drivers across the country for the Classic Car Friday event and 80 entries for the second day’s King of the Hill.
Spectators come out in their thousands now.
They’ve had blue-chip sponsors including Jaguar — media coverage grew from a few articles in local media to more than R30m worth of media exposure, including international coverage.
In 2015, Shrosbree said: “Looking back over the five events hosted, we have been blessed with some of the finest drivers and cars in the country — and beyond — taking part.
“These include legends such as Sarel van der Merwe (winner 2009), Geoff Mortimer (winner 2010), Ian Scheckter, Robbi Smith, Jaki Scheckter, Frenchman Jean-Michel Bayle (World Motocross champion and MotoGP racer), Mike Briggs, Deon Joubert, Duncan Vos, Wilhelm Baard (winner 2011), Jade Gutzeit (winner 2012), Leeroy Poulter, Franco Scribante (winner of both CCF and KOH in 2014) and Peter Lindenberg.”
The beautiful cars that have participated include classics such as the Porsche 956, Porsche 917 and a 1961 LDS Formula 1 and more modern machinery including a variety of Ferraris, the new McLaren MP4-12C and 650s, Lamborghini Gallardo and Aventador, Porsche GT3RS, Nissan GTRS, Jaguar XKRs Coupe and F-Type, and an Ariel Atom.
There have been a lot of highlights over the years for the Simola Hillclimb team.
The event grew from two days to three, international competitors were hosted and international media started covering the event.
And it received recognition from the FIA (international controlling body of motorsport), being nominated on numerous occasions as a finalist in the SA Sports Awards, having a former world champion rallyist and a former Formula 1 driver compete.
The Covid-19 lockdown nearly killed the event, but thanks to the support of some key sponsors and loyal competitors the shareholders just managed to survive by the skin of their teeth, Shrosbree said.
In 2023 the event saw a record crowd, was streamed live and the TV broadcast reached a record audience.
Former international Formula 1 driver Mika Salo and Norwegian driver Petter Solberg were VIP participants.
This year will see the likes of Deon Joubert, Enzo Kuun, Franco Scribante, Reghard Roets, Andre Bezuidenhout, Robert Wolk, Silvio Scribante, Paige Lindenberg, Farouk Dangor, Clint Weston, Lee Thompson, Peter Zeelie, Graeme Nathan.
And for those in the know it’s every reason to come to Simola Hillclimb 2024.
New cars on the scene will include a BMW iX5 Hydrogen and i5 M60 and Mercedes hybrid GT63 and C63.
There are 65 drivers in Classic Car Friday and 84 speed freaks coming for King of the Hill, a total of 149 drivers in the line-up.
The event is always over-subscribed, so participating drivers are selected and invited.
There will be the general VIP tent and corporate boxes at Simola, but also the lovely spectator space on the banks where families picnic and just enjoy the day.
For those who don’t get to go the actual event, they can look forward to the parade through town which draws thousands of people.
There is the addition of a new class for street-legal tuned or modified cars, further broadening the appeal and interest in this thrilling event
The epic Modified Saloon Car fight for King of the Hill glory has to rank among the fiercest and mightiest automotive battles of them all, where millimetre precision and as little as hundredths of a second decide the winners and losers, the organisers said.
This event features the wildest, most powerful and fastest tin-top racing cars in SA.
This year Scribante is to face intense onslaught once again from rivals, including 2023 runner-up Roets.
The organisers say there is arguably no more intense and engaging tussle than the ongoing needle-match between Franco Scribante in his time attack-inspired and carbon fibre-bodied 2018 Nissan R35 GT-R, known as “The Sheriff”, and the menacing BB Motorsport “Armageddon” 2014 R35 GT-R driven by Roets.
There was little to separate the two leading protagonists at the 2023 Simola Hillclimb as they continued to push the envelope of performance, but it was Scribante who won his fifth Modified Saloon Car title.
To say that fans can look forward to an epic battle between these two leading protagonists in 2024 would be a huge understatement.
Class B3 is for unlimited four-wheel drive four-cylinder beasts.
Anton Cronje is likely to be a front-runner again for the class title and the Top 10 Shootout in his hot 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX STi, along with Lee Thompson (Honda-powered 2022 VW Polo R) and Pierre Bester (2014 Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG).
An exciting new addition to the line-up is class B10 for modified street cars.
It is open to a wide range of production-based two- and four-wheel drive cars, irrespective of engine size.
However, they have to be street-legal and maintain the original vehicle manufacturer’s configuration with regard to body dimensions, drivetrain, engine type, number of cylinders and aspiration (normally aspirated, turbocharged or supercharged).
Open-tread semi-slick competition tyres can be used, but full slicks and tyre warmers are not permitted.
The long and short of it is that the town comes alive to the sound of engines for this event.
Like it or not, it’s impossible to not notice the fancy cars in town, the buzz of Simola Hillclimb coming up from May 2-5.
There is loads of information on the drivers and the various events. For more information and online ticket sales go to: www.simolahillclimb.com
Weekender
Knysna’s Simola Hillclimb promises to be better than ever
Event still attracting hordes of competitors and spectators after 14 years
Image: MARK TAYLOR
If we were to punctuate the way a year rolls in Knysna there are some things on the calendar that you cannot miss, such as Easter ... and then just as autumn makes way for winter, the Simola Hillclimb happens.
Simola Hillclimb has grown over the years, survived challenges like Covid-19 lockdown and, from humble beginnings, is now considered one of the premier motoring sport events in Africa — certainly the premier motoring event in SA.
It’s thrilling and it’s also deafening. Earplugs for the day are important.
The actual course is only 1.9km, but it is so fast, with top cars doings speeds of more than 200km/h from a standing start, it’s a nail-biting affair.
Simola Hillclimb is the success story of three local men who had a dream of racing cars up the Simola Hill in Knysna.
Founder Ian Shrosbree explains that in conjunction with Francis Cusens and Chick Ramsay, their fantasy became a reality.
Avril Kaschula of Simola Hotel bought into the idea, the municipality gave permission and that was 14 years ago.
They started in 2009 with a R100,000 budget and in 2015 the event was raking in millions of rand for tourism in Knysna.
The first event in 2009 was such a hit that the organisers decided to turn it into the country’s top motorsport event — something they have more than succeeded in doing.
The name Knysna Hillclimb changed to Simola Hillclimb and a brand was born.
That first year there were about 1,500 spectators, there were 4,500 in 2010, 7,500 in 2011 and more than 11,000 people in 2014, proving that there was indeed an appetite for this adrenaline-pumping event.
In 2015, they had 51 entries from drivers across the country for the Classic Car Friday event and 80 entries for the second day’s King of the Hill.
Spectators come out in their thousands now.
They’ve had blue-chip sponsors including Jaguar — media coverage grew from a few articles in local media to more than R30m worth of media exposure, including international coverage.
In 2015, Shrosbree said: “Looking back over the five events hosted, we have been blessed with some of the finest drivers and cars in the country — and beyond — taking part.
“These include legends such as Sarel van der Merwe (winner 2009), Geoff Mortimer (winner 2010), Ian Scheckter, Robbi Smith, Jaki Scheckter, Frenchman Jean-Michel Bayle (World Motocross champion and MotoGP racer), Mike Briggs, Deon Joubert, Duncan Vos, Wilhelm Baard (winner 2011), Jade Gutzeit (winner 2012), Leeroy Poulter, Franco Scribante (winner of both CCF and KOH in 2014) and Peter Lindenberg.”
The beautiful cars that have participated include classics such as the Porsche 956, Porsche 917 and a 1961 LDS Formula 1 and more modern machinery including a variety of Ferraris, the new McLaren MP4-12C and 650s, Lamborghini Gallardo and Aventador, Porsche GT3RS, Nissan GTRS, Jaguar XKRs Coupe and F-Type, and an Ariel Atom.
There have been a lot of highlights over the years for the Simola Hillclimb team.
The event grew from two days to three, international competitors were hosted and international media started covering the event.
And it received recognition from the FIA (international controlling body of motorsport), being nominated on numerous occasions as a finalist in the SA Sports Awards, having a former world champion rallyist and a former Formula 1 driver compete.
The Covid-19 lockdown nearly killed the event, but thanks to the support of some key sponsors and loyal competitors the shareholders just managed to survive by the skin of their teeth, Shrosbree said.
In 2023 the event saw a record crowd, was streamed live and the TV broadcast reached a record audience.
Former international Formula 1 driver Mika Salo and Norwegian driver Petter Solberg were VIP participants.
This year will see the likes of Deon Joubert, Enzo Kuun, Franco Scribante, Reghard Roets, Andre Bezuidenhout, Robert Wolk, Silvio Scribante, Paige Lindenberg, Farouk Dangor, Clint Weston, Lee Thompson, Peter Zeelie, Graeme Nathan.
And for those in the know it’s every reason to come to Simola Hillclimb 2024.
New cars on the scene will include a BMW iX5 Hydrogen and i5 M60 and Mercedes hybrid GT63 and C63.
There are 65 drivers in Classic Car Friday and 84 speed freaks coming for King of the Hill, a total of 149 drivers in the line-up.
The event is always over-subscribed, so participating drivers are selected and invited.
There will be the general VIP tent and corporate boxes at Simola, but also the lovely spectator space on the banks where families picnic and just enjoy the day.
For those who don’t get to go the actual event, they can look forward to the parade through town which draws thousands of people.
There is the addition of a new class for street-legal tuned or modified cars, further broadening the appeal and interest in this thrilling event
The epic Modified Saloon Car fight for King of the Hill glory has to rank among the fiercest and mightiest automotive battles of them all, where millimetre precision and as little as hundredths of a second decide the winners and losers, the organisers said.
This event features the wildest, most powerful and fastest tin-top racing cars in SA.
This year Scribante is to face intense onslaught once again from rivals, including 2023 runner-up Roets.
The organisers say there is arguably no more intense and engaging tussle than the ongoing needle-match between Franco Scribante in his time attack-inspired and carbon fibre-bodied 2018 Nissan R35 GT-R, known as “The Sheriff”, and the menacing BB Motorsport “Armageddon” 2014 R35 GT-R driven by Roets.
There was little to separate the two leading protagonists at the 2023 Simola Hillclimb as they continued to push the envelope of performance, but it was Scribante who won his fifth Modified Saloon Car title.
To say that fans can look forward to an epic battle between these two leading protagonists in 2024 would be a huge understatement.
Class B3 is for unlimited four-wheel drive four-cylinder beasts.
Anton Cronje is likely to be a front-runner again for the class title and the Top 10 Shootout in his hot 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX STi, along with Lee Thompson (Honda-powered 2022 VW Polo R) and Pierre Bester (2014 Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG).
An exciting new addition to the line-up is class B10 for modified street cars.
It is open to a wide range of production-based two- and four-wheel drive cars, irrespective of engine size.
However, they have to be street-legal and maintain the original vehicle manufacturer’s configuration with regard to body dimensions, drivetrain, engine type, number of cylinders and aspiration (normally aspirated, turbocharged or supercharged).
Open-tread semi-slick competition tyres can be used, but full slicks and tyre warmers are not permitted.
The long and short of it is that the town comes alive to the sound of engines for this event.
Like it or not, it’s impossible to not notice the fancy cars in town, the buzz of Simola Hillclimb coming up from May 2-5.
There is loads of information on the drivers and the various events. For more information and online ticket sales go to: www.simolahillclimb.com
Weekender
Image: MARK TAYLOR
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