The 2012 hillclimb championship took place over 15 rounds at eleven venues. There were nine single-day meets, two two-day meets and two double-headers at the very best venues in the country.

For 2013 Bouley Bay is out due to the date of the last remaining moveable feast in the Christian calendar. The popular MIRA sprint is back in, one of six sprints which include a new venue, Blyton Park. This former airfield looks to be in total contrast to the event it replaces: the "Mother of all Hills" Doune which will become a biennial event as it is so far to travel for most competitors. The absence of Bouley and Doune in '13 means there will be no "foreign" events next year - unless you count Hethel. A thoughtful touch last year by the Series' Organiser was arranging to do only one day of the two day September Prescott, which saved everyone endless hanging around. Same deal next year.

The least-supported event last season was again Doune with just five "extreme" hillclimbers entering. Ironically, this is the only hillclimb supported by the local Area Groups! The July Lotons were massively popular with 28 entrants on Saturday and 29 on Sunday. We wonder if this is the largest one-make field ever assembled in a speed event? The Ferraris also made both Curboroughs viable events. It's a staggering thought that our 35 drivers made 258 entries which represents about a 25,000 quids worth of entry fees! A good dab of this went to the M.A.C. yet they persist in a bizarre running order based on engine capacity rather than the seeding offered by our Series Organisers. This may seem a trivial point but it can seriously affect results and therefore championship positions when the weather is changeable.

The average number of entrants per meeting was up slightly at 17.2. We welcomed James Spicer who finished seventh in the Championship and was "Newcomer of the Year". Keith Anderson would have been another contender for that accolade but only appeared in three rounds in his 360. He scared the establishment and hopes to do more next year. Caroline Cooper shared husband Jeff's 360 and took easily and well to hillclimbing. Former Scottish Hillclimb Champion Jim Campbell did 1.25 Lotons and series returnee David Hathaway practiced at Bouley but the weather was so vile he didn't want to risk bashing his Sunday Cruiser 430 and retired to the bar. Another welcome returnee was Sally Maynard-Smith, whose entry at the final Curborough was her first for 12 years.

Only Pauline Goodwin did all 15 rounds. 15 drivers did 8 or more. In addition to PG these were: Richard Prior, Mike Spicer, Andrew Holman, John Marshall, Phil Whitehead, Shaun Smith, Nick Taylor, James Spicer, Wendy-Ann Marshall, Chris Butler, Richard Allen, Rev. Richard Preece, Jeff Cooper and Peter Rogerson. The average number of meetings per driver was 7.4.

Ten tipi contested the series with the 355 the most popular with 12 of 'em. Favourite classic was the 328. It's interesting we saw just one 348GTC which is a multi-championship winner and where at one time we had half of the entire RHD production competing. This year all of the title contenders were in 355s. Nick Taylor gave it a good go in his 430 and took some outright wins, but no points maxima. This is clearly down to too harsh a PEP; if Nick can't do it no-one can. The Pininfarina 308 took two PEPs wins in the hands of young Jack Hargreaves and 308 Jedi Master Brian Jackson.

It is no hyperbole to say that the battle for this year's Championship represented hillclimbing at its very best. It was a fascinating struggle with three drivers with contrasting styles in contention all year. Some of Richard Prior's drives, particularly in the wet, were sublime and he came close to winning whilst saddled with the reigning Champ's +1% PEP. I'm sure he wouldn't mind me saying so, but Andrew Holman is not as natural a driver as Prior and Butler, but he's worked very hard at it, led the Championship and was in contention to the very last round. He overcame some of his wilder tendencies and his runs at Bouley, Loton 2 and the second Shelsley were inspired.

Chris Butler was the 2012 Champion and in winning demonstrated what a fierce and determined competitor he is. He only did nine rounds and had one or two rude shocks along the way. His focus, particularly at the second Prescott was immense. He also made the necessary financial investment in a set of new boots (see below) for the last round despite an imminent two-year sabbatical; maybe then he'll also get that leaky rear shocker fixed!

Mention must also be made of Nick Taylor who drove his 430 intelligently and hard and will surely do better next season when he's addressed its traction issues. Mike Spicer drove better than ever in his 328, taking a comfortable win in the Classic Cup and leading the championship overall at one point.

There were two teeny contentious issues last year. One is legal and French and black and round and the thing F1 drivers moan about most (apart from Romain Grosjean, also French), but we have been forbidden to mention the name. The other was the unfortunate lack of effective scrutineering until one competitor insisted upon it. The aftermath of this topic was blusteringly "reported" elsewhere, and "would have blushed" and "Comical Ali" are phrases that spring to mind about that version of events.

So onwards and upwards to another interesting year in prospect. This brief review inevitably focuses on the the championship and cannot hope to capture all of the battles throughout the field like Barrie Wood almost achieving a lifetime's ambition in winning a 308 duel with Brian Jackson at Curborough 1; or John Marshall setting the best ever GT4 time at Curborough 2. Also it cannot but touch upon the camaraderie and sheer good fun of the PFHC. This was strained a bit last year at the sharp end but the good stuff is something all should hold in the forefront of their minds. Long may it prevail.

Finally here are the stats*. Only one statistical manipulation this time: a Top Ten without PEPs. As always, make of them what you will....

Click here for full championship positions*.

How the Season unfolded for the Top Ten

click for pdf

* All results unofficial

Next up: North Weald : 19 March 2013.

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