Multiple Hill Climb Champion Hubert Camilleri reminded the hundreds of spectators at Mizieb on Sunday that he still means business, when he won the first round of the ICC’s 2009 Hill Climb and Sprint Championship. Hubert won the exciting event driving his faithful Chevron powered by a two litre Cosworth engine.

The weather didn’t appear too co-operative early Sunday morning but once the sun was out the hill soon dried, enabling the organisers to start proceedings at 10.30. A recent competition rule update has streamlined the groups down to 4.

Forty five cars were entered for this first hill climb of 2009, of which 16 were in Group 1 for standard production cars, 10 were in group 2 for modified production cars, 7 were in the exciting group 5 for highly modified silhouette cars, with the remaining 12 all being group 6 single seater racing cars. This latter number must surely constitute a new record for Malta.

Clerk of the course, managing the event was Robert Calafato who gave a short drivers briefing prior to the start of the event, also taking the opportunity to introduce the other officials, namely chief marshall Alfred Sant, scrutineer Barry Owen, secretary of the meeting Duncan Barbaro Sant who is also the club chairman, and Mr. Hugh Arnett who was the Chief Steward for the day’s event.

The hill climb followed the established format of two practice runs followed by two timed runs, and at the end of it all airline pilot James Dunford driving his Subaru Impresa took the honours in Group 1 with a very respectable 20th place overall from young Terrence Vella driving a Honda CRX, and Andrew Cassar’s smart Toyota Celica GT.

Malta hill climb champion from the 70s, rallyman, autocrosser, musician, yachtsman and very busy surgeon Dr. Anthony Bernard found time to have another go with his potent Mitsubishi EVO and promptly planted it into 13th place overall and fastest runner in Group 2. He was followed by an on form Charles Cutajar who on three consecutive runs broke his own Mizieb record with his potent 1300 Escort, with Ivan Deidun’s quick Alfa 33 also performing well for third in group.

Group 5 has taken on an even more exciting flavour with the advent of the recent rule changes and at Mizieb on Sunday the man to beat in this group was young David Libreri driving his quick Mitsubishi Evo 8. David planted his EVO in the midst of a gaggle of single seater racing cars, finishing the day an incredible seventh overall. Mark Galea was second in group with his constantly improving Subaru Impreza WRX, and David Anastasi was third driving his Mini Doda Honda with care and precision in the knowledge that he had to preserve it for his first forray in Italy in less than two weeks.

And so to group 6 where there were also a number of exciting new things happening, not least of all two first timers in the group namely Alan Curmi, now the proud owner of the ex Joshua Anastasi 2008 championship winning JBR-3 Kawasaki, and Jamie Sammut who has just bought an interesting Reynard Cosworth 2 litre which has had a number of seasons of very successful hill climbing in England.

Those with a careful eye will have noticed the attention to aerodynamic detail on this interesting car. Also brand spanking new was champion Joshua Anastasi’s JBR-4, with which the current champion will be competing in the Sicilian circuit racing championship throughout this year.

In fact Joshua’s excellent 4th place overall was way above expectations and augers well for the future. Perhaps the biggest surprise in Group 6 however was the performance of young Gordon Farrugia and his pretty little OMS Honda Turbo.

Gordon has been persevering with this car for the last two seasons but on Sunday at Mizieb all the grovel and hard work seemed to suddenly become worth while with Gordon placing an excellent sixth overall.

Fifth overall, after another bout of bad luck – some kind soul must have stepped on his front wing and didn’t have the decency to tell him – was young Steve Zammit Cutajar whose promising performance in his smart Tatuus Hyabusa came to nill when he lost a front wing on leaving the start, with the resultant loss of front end grip.

Another driver on who lady luck certainly wasn’t shining on Sunday was the winner of the last edition of the Mizieb Hill Climb last October, young Paul Deguara with his Motoflash Yamaha. Poor Paul had all manner of problems on Sunday and didn’t manage a single troublefree run.

And so to the top three. I can’t say I was surprised to see Johan Spiteri and his smart and nippy little Jedi Yamaha in the top 3 for with every outing Johan has been getting more and more confident with the car and that 3rd place overall was certainly well deserved.

Two years ago and nearing the age of 60, 2006 Champion Lino Brincat told me he was seriously thinking of hanging up his helmet. It didn’t happen. At the end of last season the old boy was having similar thoughts, yet now a pensioner he is still performing right up there at the highest level and last Sunday he drove his immaculately prepared Dallara Alfa Romeo to an excellent second place overall.

And of course the overall winner last Sunday was no spring chicken either. Multiple hill climb champion Hubert Camilleri was right on form all day, driving four masterly climbs to head the standings at the end of all four. Hubert was again driving his faithful Chevron Cosworth 2000 with which he has already won numerous championships - I believe it’s nine. Can he make it 10? His performance at Mizieb on Sunday is a pretty reliable indicator of his potential.

It’s certainly going to be a good season.