SUMMER NIGHTS TARMAC SPRINT SATURDAY
Virgin Atlantic BRC Championships resume after mid-season break
Competitors will come under starters' orders for the second half of the 2009 Barbados Rally Club (BRC) Virgin Atlantic Driver's and Class Championships this weekend, when they gather for the BRC Summer Nights Tarmac Sprint on Saturday evening (July 25).
After a concentrated month of competition in May, during which the Automotive Art Shakedown Stages, Shell V-Power King of the Hill and Sol Rally Barbados 2009 offered them four points-scoring opportunities in the space of five weekends, competitors have been enjoying a welcome mid-season break.
While some have taken the chance for family holidays, others have been working to repair or upgrade their machinery in readiness for a full attack on the remaining six Championship rounds.
The Summer Nights Tarmac Sprint, round 7 of the Virgin Atlantic Championship, is slated to start at 7.00pm; special permission has been obtained by the BRC to use Pickerings Plantation as a spectator area, which will be floodlit - spectators are asked to be in place not later than 6.30pm, to allow for a prompt start. There will be one practice run, followed by three official timed runs.
The St Lucy course, popularly known as Pickerings, features a combination of challenges, offering something for everyone - the mixture of rough winding roads, tricky corners and high-speed sections means drivers are really tested, particularly at night, and particularly if the surface is slippy. Over the past two years, this event has attracted many hundreds of fans, the chance to see competition cars in action at night combining with generally cooler conditions to make for an unmissable occasion.
Paul Bourne has won the equivalent event for the past two years, with John Powell and Roger Skeete second and third in 2007, Skeete and Roger Hill occupying those positions last year. Sean Gill's Suzuki Swift was the highest-placed two-wheel-drive car in both years, with Jonathan Still's BMW M3 and the Swift's new driver Ian Warren also well into the top 10.
Competitors will be based in the car park of St Lucy's Parish Church, where they must arrive for scrutineering by 5.15pm. With 70 competitors having already scored points in the Virgin Atlantic Championships this year, the BRC expects the entry to approach the maximum of 40 starters. Entries are now open at Motorsport Services, located at DC Security Inc, Haggatt Hall, St Michael and will close at 6.30pm on Thursday (July 23).
Virgin Atlantic BRC Driver's Championship
- after Round 6
1st Paul Bourne (M8-WRC Subaru Impreza WRC S9), 82 points
2nd Roger Hill (M8-WRC Toyota Corolla WRC), 81pts
3rd Neil Armstrong (M8-A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 54pts
4th Trevor Manning (M8-WRC Ford Escort WRC), 49pts
5th Barry Gale (M8-WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 43pts
6th Geoffrey Noel (P4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), 40pts
7th Ian Warren (SM10 Suzuki Swift), 35pts
8th Roger Skeete (M8-WRC Subaru Impreza WRC S9 & S12), 31pts
9th, Jonathan Still (SM11 BMW M3), 28pts
10th equal Harold Morley (P4 Subaru Impreza N14) & Michael Worme (M8-A & P4 Subaru Impreza STi), 19pts
etc
Virgin Atlantic BRC Class Championship
- after Round 6
Modified 8-WRC: 1st Bourne, 84pts; 2nd Hill, 82pts; 3rd Gale 61pts; etc
M8-A 1st Armstrong, 96pts; 2nd Kirk Watkins (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V), 61pts; 3rd Worme, 39pts; etc
Production 4: 1st Noel, 111pts; 2nd Morley, 79pts; 3rd Dean Serrao (Subaru Impreza N12), 57pts; etc
SuperModified 11: 1st Still, 105pts; 2nd Nicholas Gill (Mazda 3), 66pts; 3rd Justin Campbell (BMW M3), 39pts; etc
SM10: 1st Warren, 102pts; 2nd Rhett Watson (Ford Escort MkI), 83pts; 3rd Ralph White (Toyota Starlet), 30pts; etc
SM9: 1st James Betts (Opel Corsa), 98pts; 2nd Josh Read (Toyota Starlet), 66pts; 3rd Stuart White (Toyota Starlet), 43pts; etc
M7: 1st Adrian Linton (Vauxhall Astra GSi) & Freddie Gale (Toyota Corolla RunX), 87pts; 3rd Kyle Catwell (Volkswagen Golf GTI), 46pts; etc
M6: 1st Edward Corbin (Daihatsu Charmant), 98pts; 2nd Danny Williams (Ford Fiesta), 76pts; 3rd Jamal Brathwaite (Mitsubishi Mirage), 37pts; etc
M5: 1st Sean Cox (Suzuki Swift), 79pts; 2nd Dave Sealy (Toyota Starlet), 20pts
P3: 1st Sean T Field (Peugeot 306), 55pts
P2: 1st Fabien Clarke (Suzuki Ignis Sport), 55pts
Monday, July 20, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Learning to Surf in Barbados
Barbados is a great place for surfing, whether you are a beginner or an intermediate. Our aim is for our surfing instructors to provide our clients with a high quality introduction to surfing that is safe, professional and fun! There is nothing we like more, than seeing the thrill people get, when they stand up for the first time! This is why we provide our clients with easy to use techniques, low student to instructor ratios and the ideal location.
Our Surf Instructor
Christian Neville Boos (Boosy) is the founder of Boosy’s Surf School and is the only instructor for the surfing lessons and surf tours. Christian has been a surf instructor for 4 years. Since then he has taught well over a thousand people how to surf. Christian offers some great surfing tips and has a high success rate of getting people to stand in their first lesson. He has loads of experience and patience which has been developed from many years of instruction. He is also the father of one son, Gabriel, who is two years old and eager to get in the surf too.
St John, Tuach & Simmonds rule the Suzuki Makka Pro
2009 Suzuki Makka Pro Jamaican Surfing Assn. Thousands turn out for 09 Suzuki Makka Pro Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 July, 2009 : - - Barbadians Lewis St John and Chelsea Tuach along with local boy Shane Simmonds shared the championship honors at the 2009 SUZUKI MAKKA PRO surf contest which went off without hitch at the “Makka” surfing beach in Southaven, Yallahs St Thomas on the 4th and 5th of July in 4’-5’ waves. The event which featured top Caribbean pro surfers attracted 16 pro men, 5 pro women and 12 junior pro surfers along with thousands of patrons to the south coast’s premiere surf contest venue. The event, now in its third year, has taken on the title of “Biggest surfing contest in the English speaking Caribbean and attracted a diverse demographic of spectators from babes in arms to great grandmothers from all sectors of the society. There was much excitement as Jamaica’s top surfers matched up against the best from Barbados and showed that the Jamaicans are a force to be reckoned with. JSA President Billy Wilmot provided lively commentary throughout the day with help from CSN Director Nic Donawah. There were loud cheers and whistles from the crowd on the beach each time a surfer executed an impressive maneuver and by the end of the day the patrons had become expert surf judges themselves. Jamaica’s top performers this year were Shane Simmonds who successfully defended his junior title while nabbing a second place in the open men division. Other top finishers in the open men included last years runner up in the men’s open Inilek Wilmot, Luke Williams, Ackeam Phillips, Icah Wilmot and Michael Panton who all finished in the money. In the women’s division Imani Wilmot and Jessica Williams made it to the money round with Eneson Lightbourn finishing in the prizes in the pro juniors. “This event is another step towards the JSA realizing the association’s mandate of making surfing a sport of choice for all Jamaicans” said Mr. Wilmot. “The fact that our event has by far the most spectator support of any surf event in the region is proof of the interest this spectator friendly sport generates here in Jamaica. Combined with the possibilities in alternate tourism we see surfing doing for Saint Thomas what Reggae and Tourism have done for Jamaica.” The event was made possible through the kind sponsorship of Suzuki, Ipath, Xtrak, The SDF, MENS DIVISION (US$) JUNIOR DIVISION The JSA would like to thank our partners who made this event possible. Suzuki, Caribbean Surf Network, The Sports Development Foundation, Insight, Xtrak, Magma, Ipath, Mailpac, The JSA and the citizens of Southaven. |
Thursday, July 2, 2009
WHITE AND WARREN CLAIM 'JUNE' HONOURS
WHITE AND WARREN CLAIM 'JUNE' HONOURS
Shelbury Safari "a fantastic event"
Darrin White added his name to the roll of honour of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) oldest event at the weekend (June 27/28), when he and navigator Robert Warren - claiming a second win - triumphed in the Shelbury Construction June Safari.
Route-setter Stewart Gill, himself a former winner of 'The June', had devised a challenge worthy of the 53rd running of Club's premier navigational event, as Mud Dogs chairman Leslie Alleyne noted: "Stewart used great skill in developing tricks throughout the event which caught competitors off guard - in many instances, they were several kilometres away before they realised that they had been tricked. The competitors were very appreciative of the effort that was put into setting a fantastic event."
White and Warren (Flyin' Fish Nissan Frontier) finished the event with 720 penalties, beating ARMAG March Safari winners Dominic Brooker and Stephen Dear (SDRR Hydraulics/Next Generation Electrical/Joe Brooker's Building Toyota Hilux) by just 72 penalties; third were the 2008 Novice Champions, Damian Brooker and Derek Edwards (Joe Brooker's Building Toyota Hilux), another 88 penalties behind.
With two routes on Saturday and a third on Sunday, crews faced the hardest challenge of the four events comprising the 2009 Mud Dogs BRC Safari Championship, and the first route was to prove crucial. Warren, who won 'The June' in 2002 with brother Ian, recalls: "I think the master trick was the end of route 1, where we drove past Chefette, could smell the food (which smelled real good after five hours of driving) and most of us made what we thought was the last turn only to get an off-route d-check!! Well most people did not know what happened and went back to Chefette, some knew what they had to do, which was drive another five kilometres to Weston! Those of us who put off eating for a while (which was hard to do!) got CP4! Classic."
Alleyne agrees: "That last check point of the first route was a rally-winning control. Only three crews went to this control on Speightstown by-pass road, White and Warren among them, which helped them bank enough of an advantage to weather the storm."
That, however, was not his most apt choice of phrase, as the one 'complaint' voiced by many was, indeed, the weather. Warren said: "Its just unfortunate it was so dry! I think it has been the driest in my memory, thankfully we had the mud hole at Castle so at least when done there it looked like an off road rally!" His thoughts were echoed by 2008 winning navigator, Neil Barnard: "it was the driest June that certainly I have ever been in. What kept it interesting was of course the quality of the actual route, but also the fact that the rally moved very quickly from location to location, so you never felt as if you were going around in circles in one geographical area."
As they settled down for their well-earned supper, White and Warren had attracted just 212 penalties on the first route. Paul Farmer and another former winner, Peter Bradshaw, were second (Hankook Tyres/Starfish Designs Isuzu LS) on 430 penalties, with the impressive Novice pair of Luke Gittens and Gary Mendes (LG Trading/K&N Equipment/Lunatics Inc Suzuki Samurai) third, on 440 penalties.
While different crews come to the fore on route two, Warren and White's early advantage saw them in good stead. Brooker and Dear were the route winners with 94 penalties, 28 ahead of the most successful crew entered in terms of 'June' history, Chris Armstrong and Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux) - as well as two wins together (2000 & '01), Clarke had also won twice as navigator to Don Hunte (1991 & '93). Just another 12 penalties behind were Brooker and Edwards, with White and Warren fourth.
As competitors gathered at Automotive Art, Welches for Sunday's final route, White and Warren had increased their advantage to just over 300 penalties, with Brooker/Dear second, Brooker/Edwards third and Farmer/Bradshaw now fourth.
While no-one looked likely to catch the leaders, there was an intense battle for the places, just 30 penalties covering those crews at the start of the day. Alleyne, acting as 'Sweeper' said: "We had live results at every control that we went to and we watched positions literally changing before our eyes. Four controls before the finish we saw a one penalty point difference between the then second-placed team of Farmer and Bradshaw, and third Brooker and Dear. At our very next control, we saw Brooker/Dear and Brooker/Edwards take over second and third respectively. It was exciting stuff."
While the overall battle was being watched by Alleyne, different crews again impressed on route three: by finishing second and third to Brooker and Dear, Wayne Manning and Yosuf Patel (Black Bess Quarry/Citgo Oils Toyota Hilux) and Kirk and Tricia King (K & N Equipment Suzuki Samurai) hauled themselves into the top 10 overall by the finish.
Everyone involved gathered once more for the Prizegiving at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association Clubhouse at Searles on Tuesday evening (June 30), where Alleyne reports "a very positive and jovial atmosphere, and a fitting conclusion to a weekend of hard-fought battles and many position changes. Chris Armstrong of Shelbury Construction was full of praise for the event, and pledged his continued support in 2010. In thanking him, I can pledge that we will raise the bar yet again next year."
In addition to the Shelbury Construction awards, Tricia King received a trophy donated by Biddy Barber as the highest-placed female competitor, and winning Novices Adrian Sinckler and Andre Murrell (Suzuki Samurai) a trophy presented by Richard Daniel of Neptune Tours.
Shelbury Construction June Safari - June 27/28
Mud Dogs BRC Safari Championship, round 2
Results - overall
1st Darrin White/Robert Warren (Flyin' Fish Nissan Frontier), 720 penalties
2nd Dominic Brooker/Stephen Dear (SDRR Hydraulics/Next Generation Electrical/Joe Brooker's Building Toyota Hilux), 792pens
3rd Damian Brooker/Derek Edwards (Joe Brooker's Building Toyota Hilux), 880pens
4th Paul Farmer/Peter Bradshaw (Hankook Tyres/Starfish Designs Isuzu LS), 985pens
5th Barry Gale/Neil Barnard (Gale's Agro Products/Redlinefuels.com Mitsubishi L200), 1148pens
6th Paul Marshall/Courtney Holder (Mitsubishi L200), 1184pens
7th Michael Ward/Willie Hinds (Niccolls & Edghill Construction/EZ Sign Shop Suzuki Samurai), 1247pens
8th Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux), 1284pens
9th Wayne Manning/Yosuf Patel (Black Bess Quarry/Citgo Oils Toyota Hilux), 1362pens
10th Kirk King/Tricia King (K & N Equipment Suzuki Samurai), 1686pens
etc
Novice class
1st Adrian Sinckler/Andre Murrell (Suzuki Samurai), 1818pens - 13th overall
2nd David Brewster/Damien Bradshaw (Marks Auto Parts/Champion Auto Wrecker Serice Suzuki Samurai), 1851pens - 14th o/a
3rd Hadley Green/Adrian Crane (Automotive Art/Hunte's Auto Spares Toyota Hilux), 1923pens - 15th o/a
etc
Route 1
1st White/Warren, 212pens; 2nd Farmer/Bradshaw, 430pens; 3rd Luke Gittens/Gary Mendes (LG Trading/K&N Equipment/Lunatics Inc Suzuki Samurai), 440pens; etc
Route 2
1st Brooker/Dear, 94pens; 2nd Armstrong/Clarke, 112pens; 3rd Brooker/Edwards, 124pens; etc
Route 3
1st Brooker/Dear, 118pens; 2nd Manning/Patel, 130pens; 3rd King/King, 212pens; etc
Shelbury Safari "a fantastic event"
Darrin White added his name to the roll of honour of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) oldest event at the weekend (June 27/28), when he and navigator Robert Warren - claiming a second win - triumphed in the Shelbury Construction June Safari.
Route-setter Stewart Gill, himself a former winner of 'The June', had devised a challenge worthy of the 53rd running of Club's premier navigational event, as Mud Dogs chairman Leslie Alleyne noted: "Stewart used great skill in developing tricks throughout the event which caught competitors off guard - in many instances, they were several kilometres away before they realised that they had been tricked. The competitors were very appreciative of the effort that was put into setting a fantastic event."
White and Warren (Flyin' Fish Nissan Frontier) finished the event with 720 penalties, beating ARMAG March Safari winners Dominic Brooker and Stephen Dear (SDRR Hydraulics/Next Generation Electrical/Joe Brooker's Building Toyota Hilux) by just 72 penalties; third were the 2008 Novice Champions, Damian Brooker and Derek Edwards (Joe Brooker's Building Toyota Hilux), another 88 penalties behind.
With two routes on Saturday and a third on Sunday, crews faced the hardest challenge of the four events comprising the 2009 Mud Dogs BRC Safari Championship, and the first route was to prove crucial. Warren, who won 'The June' in 2002 with brother Ian, recalls: "I think the master trick was the end of route 1, where we drove past Chefette, could smell the food (which smelled real good after five hours of driving) and most of us made what we thought was the last turn only to get an off-route d-check!! Well most people did not know what happened and went back to Chefette, some knew what they had to do, which was drive another five kilometres to Weston! Those of us who put off eating for a while (which was hard to do!) got CP4! Classic."
Alleyne agrees: "That last check point of the first route was a rally-winning control. Only three crews went to this control on Speightstown by-pass road, White and Warren among them, which helped them bank enough of an advantage to weather the storm."
That, however, was not his most apt choice of phrase, as the one 'complaint' voiced by many was, indeed, the weather. Warren said: "Its just unfortunate it was so dry! I think it has been the driest in my memory, thankfully we had the mud hole at Castle so at least when done there it looked like an off road rally!" His thoughts were echoed by 2008 winning navigator, Neil Barnard: "it was the driest June that certainly I have ever been in. What kept it interesting was of course the quality of the actual route, but also the fact that the rally moved very quickly from location to location, so you never felt as if you were going around in circles in one geographical area."
As they settled down for their well-earned supper, White and Warren had attracted just 212 penalties on the first route. Paul Farmer and another former winner, Peter Bradshaw, were second (Hankook Tyres/Starfish Designs Isuzu LS) on 430 penalties, with the impressive Novice pair of Luke Gittens and Gary Mendes (LG Trading/K&N Equipment/Lunatics Inc Suzuki Samurai) third, on 440 penalties.
While different crews come to the fore on route two, Warren and White's early advantage saw them in good stead. Brooker and Dear were the route winners with 94 penalties, 28 ahead of the most successful crew entered in terms of 'June' history, Chris Armstrong and Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux) - as well as two wins together (2000 & '01), Clarke had also won twice as navigator to Don Hunte (1991 & '93). Just another 12 penalties behind were Brooker and Edwards, with White and Warren fourth.
As competitors gathered at Automotive Art, Welches for Sunday's final route, White and Warren had increased their advantage to just over 300 penalties, with Brooker/Dear second, Brooker/Edwards third and Farmer/Bradshaw now fourth.
While no-one looked likely to catch the leaders, there was an intense battle for the places, just 30 penalties covering those crews at the start of the day. Alleyne, acting as 'Sweeper' said: "We had live results at every control that we went to and we watched positions literally changing before our eyes. Four controls before the finish we saw a one penalty point difference between the then second-placed team of Farmer and Bradshaw, and third Brooker and Dear. At our very next control, we saw Brooker/Dear and Brooker/Edwards take over second and third respectively. It was exciting stuff."
While the overall battle was being watched by Alleyne, different crews again impressed on route three: by finishing second and third to Brooker and Dear, Wayne Manning and Yosuf Patel (Black Bess Quarry/Citgo Oils Toyota Hilux) and Kirk and Tricia King (K & N Equipment Suzuki Samurai) hauled themselves into the top 10 overall by the finish.
Everyone involved gathered once more for the Prizegiving at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association Clubhouse at Searles on Tuesday evening (June 30), where Alleyne reports "a very positive and jovial atmosphere, and a fitting conclusion to a weekend of hard-fought battles and many position changes. Chris Armstrong of Shelbury Construction was full of praise for the event, and pledged his continued support in 2010. In thanking him, I can pledge that we will raise the bar yet again next year."
In addition to the Shelbury Construction awards, Tricia King received a trophy donated by Biddy Barber as the highest-placed female competitor, and winning Novices Adrian Sinckler and Andre Murrell (Suzuki Samurai) a trophy presented by Richard Daniel of Neptune Tours.
Shelbury Construction June Safari - June 27/28
Mud Dogs BRC Safari Championship, round 2
Results - overall
1st Darrin White/Robert Warren (Flyin' Fish Nissan Frontier), 720 penalties
2nd Dominic Brooker/Stephen Dear (SDRR Hydraulics/Next Generation Electrical/Joe Brooker's Building Toyota Hilux), 792pens
3rd Damian Brooker/Derek Edwards (Joe Brooker's Building Toyota Hilux), 880pens
4th Paul Farmer/Peter Bradshaw (Hankook Tyres/Starfish Designs Isuzu LS), 985pens
5th Barry Gale/Neil Barnard (Gale's Agro Products/Redlinefuels.com Mitsubishi L200), 1148pens
6th Paul Marshall/Courtney Holder (Mitsubishi L200), 1184pens
7th Michael Ward/Willie Hinds (Niccolls & Edghill Construction/EZ Sign Shop Suzuki Samurai), 1247pens
8th Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux), 1284pens
9th Wayne Manning/Yosuf Patel (Black Bess Quarry/Citgo Oils Toyota Hilux), 1362pens
10th Kirk King/Tricia King (K & N Equipment Suzuki Samurai), 1686pens
etc
Novice class
1st Adrian Sinckler/Andre Murrell (Suzuki Samurai), 1818pens - 13th overall
2nd David Brewster/Damien Bradshaw (Marks Auto Parts/Champion Auto Wrecker Serice Suzuki Samurai), 1851pens - 14th o/a
3rd Hadley Green/Adrian Crane (Automotive Art/Hunte's Auto Spares Toyota Hilux), 1923pens - 15th o/a
etc
Route 1
1st White/Warren, 212pens; 2nd Farmer/Bradshaw, 430pens; 3rd Luke Gittens/Gary Mendes (LG Trading/K&N Equipment/Lunatics Inc Suzuki Samurai), 440pens; etc
Route 2
1st Brooker/Dear, 94pens; 2nd Armstrong/Clarke, 112pens; 3rd Brooker/Edwards, 124pens; etc
Route 3
1st Brooker/Dear, 118pens; 2nd Manning/Patel, 130pens; 3rd King/King, 212pens; etc
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