he MSA has issued an event organising permit to Truro and District Motor Club for a new closed-road hill climb at Watergate Bay in Cornwall, due to run on 15-16 September.

The Truro club is organising the Watergate Bay Speed Hill Climb in conjunction with Newquay Auto Club and Plymouth Motor Club. Competitors will tackle a section of the B3276, the coast road linking Padstow and Newquay, with the North Cornwall coastline to their right. A maximum of 90 cars will be allowed to participate on each day.

Dave Brenton, Competition Secretary at Truro DMC and Deputy Event Director of the Watergate Bay Speed Hill Climb, said: “We’ve had great help over the past five years from Ian Davis, the MSA’s Regional, Rallies and Cross Country Executive, and excellent support for the event from local businesses and landowners. We hope the event will provide a real end-of-tourist-season boost to the local economy.”

The Watergate Bay Speed Hill Climb is the third event to be organised under new legislation facilitating closed-road motor sport in England; the Corbeau Seats Rally Tendring & Clacton is scheduled for 22 April, while the MotoFest Coventry sprint takes place on 2-3 June.

Simon Blunt, MSA General Secretary, said: “Within a year of announcing the success of our campaign for closed roads, we’ve been able to issue a permit for the third event, the Watergate Bay Speed Hill Climb, which shows a really encouraging early uptake from our event organising clubs.

“What’s particularly exciting is that the three events represent different types of motor sport in various parts of the country. We look forward to being part of each one, and to receiving even more applications for new events in other areas of England and also in Wales"