Craigantlet Hillclimb, a speed event organised by the Ulster Automobile Club, was first held in 1913. It is the only such venue in Northern Ireland to host a round (latterly two rounds) of the British Hill Climb Championship, which started in 1947.

The current course is 1,460 yards (1335 metres) in length, and unlike hillclimbs in the rest of the UK is laid out on closed public roads. Sections of the course are named for past winners, in order of ascent: Howe, Hall, Hadley, Mays Cross, Allard, Wharton Straight, Pringle.See

Tragedy struck at Craigantlet in 1995 when Mark Colton was killed in practice for the event. The meeting was abandoned.

The hill record currently stands at 39.63 seconds, set by Scott Moran on 2 August 2008, driving a Gould GR61.

Craigantlet Hillclimb past winners

YearDriverVehicleTimeNotes1913Harry FergusonVauxhall 25 h.p.103 secT.R. Nicholson, Sprint – Speed Hillclimbs and Speed Trials in Britain: 1899–1925, David & Charles, 1969, Page 252. course.1925G. C. CathieStar106.2 secBrendan Lynch, Green Dust: Ireland's Unique Motor Racing History 1900-1939, Portobello Publishing, 1988, Page 158.1929Earl HoweMercedes 98.8 sec1930Earl HoweMercedes98.4 secMotor Sport, September 1930, Page 17. course.1931R.G.J. NashFrazer Nash litre s/c89.2 sec RMotor Sport, September 1931, Page 521. For an interview with R.G.J. Nash see Motor Sport, December 1958, Pages 825–826.1932W. SullivanLea-Francis95.8 secThe Observer, 17 July 1932, Page 9; Motor Sport, September 1932, Page 504.1933E.D. HallM.G. Magnette 1,086 c.c. s/c86.6 sec RThe Irish Times, 28 August 1933; The Autocar, 1 September 1933, Pages 381, 384. 26 Aug.1934Eddie HallM.G. K387.4 sec1935Eddie HallM.G. Magnette83.2 secThe Autocar, 6 September 1933, Page 477; Motor Sport, September 1936, Page 445. 31 Aug.1936H.L. HadleyAustin 747 c.c. sidevalve82.2 secMotor Sport, September 1936, Page 445.1937H.L. HadleyAustin Seven82.4 secMotor Sport, December 1937, Page 521.1938Bert HadleyAustin Seven83.0 secThe Autocar, 2 September 1938, Page 407. 27 Aug.1939 Cancelled.The Autocar, 5 May 1939, Page 773.1946K.W. BearBugatti 3-litre85.6 secMotor Sport, October 1946, Page 228; Motor Sport, June 1949, Page 211: Obituary. 31 Aug; Wet.1947Sydney AllardSteyr-Allard87.0 secMotor Sport, October 1947, Page 286. 30 Aug; Hot.1948Raymond MaysE.R.A.75.8 secMotor Sport, October 1948, Page 341. 28 Aug; Course shortened 50 yards.1949Sydney AllardSteyr-Allard73.4 secMotor Sport, October 1949, Page 402.1950Sydney AllardSteyr-Allard75.0 secMotor Sport, July 1950, Page 320.1951Sydney AllardSteyr-Allard73.0 sec RMotor Sport, September 1951, Page 434. 11 Aug; 1,833 yards.1952Ken WhartonCooper 1,000 s/c80.2 secMotor Sport, September 1952, Page 396.1953Ken WhartonCooper s/c70.6 sec RThe Autocar, 14 August 1953, Page 219; Motor Sport, January 1954, Page 7. 8 Aug; 1,833 yards; Sunny.1954Ken WhartonE.R.A R4D70.11 sec RThe Autocar, 20 August 1954, Page 271.1955Ken WhartonE.R.A. s/c70.3 secThe Manchester Guardian, 8 August 1955, Page 2; Motor Sport, September 1955, Page 520. 6 Aug.1956Malcolm TempletonLotus-Climax 1,098 c.c.87.13 secThe Motor Year Book 1957, Temple Press, Page 204; See also: Wharton Withdraws From Climb, The Manchester Guardian, 20 August 1956, Page 2. 18 Aug; 1,833 yards.1957Dick HendersonCooper-J.A.P.69.26 secMotor Sport, January 1958, Page 22.1958David Boshier-JonesCooper-J.A.P.69.99 secMotor Sport, January 1959, Page 31.1959David Boshier-JonesCooper-J.A.P.68.74 secMotor Sport, January 1960, Page 20.1960Arthur OwenCooper72.41 secThe Autocar, 19 August 1960, Page 285. R. Fielding, Cooper-Climax, No. 79, was first in the R.A.C. Championship class in 79.61 sec. 13 Aug.1961John PringleCooper-Climax 2,495 c.c.67.24 sec RMotor, 23 August 1961, Page 112; Motor Sport, January 1961, Page 32. R. Fielding, Emeryson 1,460 c.c., was first in the R.A.C. Championship class in 72.47 sec. 19 Aug, dull but dry.1962John PringleCooper-Climax65.97 sec RThe Autocar, 24 August 1962, Page 323; Motor Sport, September 1962, Page 683. 18 Aug.1963Peter WestburyFelday-Daimler s/cMotor Sport, September 1963, Page 680.1964Peter WestburyFerguson P99 4-W-D61.70 secMotor Sport, September 1964, Page 712. 15 Aug.1965Peter MeldrumLotus 20-Allard s/c62.52 secMotor, 28 August 1965, Page 50; Motor Sport, September 1965, Page 745. 14 Aug.196613 Aug.1967Bryan EcclesBrabham-Oldsmobile12 Aug.1968Peter Lawson57.98 sec10 Aug.1969Martin BrainCooper T86B-BRM 3-litre60.78 secMotoring News, 14 August 1969, Page 20. 9 Aug.1970Brian NelsonCrosslé F2-FVARThe Autocar, 13 August 1970, Page 21. David Hepworth, Hepworth FF 4wd 5-litre, was first in of the R.A.C. Championship class (Round 7).1971Brian Nelson15 Aug.1972Brian NelsonCrosslé 22F-Hart55.72 sec RAutosport, 17 August 1972, Pages 38–39.1973Nelson ToddCrosslé 22F-Hart57.50 secAutosport, 23 August 1973, Pages 5.1974Tommy ReidBrabham BT381975Patsy McGarrityChevron1976Patsy McGarrityChevron B29 (Formula Atlantic)55.34 sec RAutosport, 19 August 1976, Page 57.1977Alister Douglas-OsbornPilbeam P2 DFV51.64 sec RAutosport, 18 August 1977, Page 57.1978Alister Douglas-OsbornPilbeam MP31/002 3-litre54.62 secAutosport, 10 August 1978, Page 47.1979 3-4 Aug.1980Round 11 : Chris CramerMarch 782 2.5-litre51.03 sec RAutosport, 14 August 1980, Page 61. 2 Aug.1981Round 11 : James ThomsonPilbeam MP40K50.39 sec RAutosport, 6 August 1981, Page 57. 2 Aug.1986Round 11 : Martyn GriffithsPilbeam MP53/04-Hart 2.8-litre50.14 secAutosport, 14 August 1986, Page 61. 2 Aug.1988Round 13 : Martyn GriffithsPilbeam MP53 2.8-litre49.65 sec RAutosport, 18 August 1988, Page 59. 6 Aug.1989Round 12 : Ray RowanRoman-Hart 2.8-litre50.58 secAutosport, 10 August 1989, Page 59. 5 Aug.2005Round 25 : Willem ToetPilbeam MP88 Judd 4.0-litre40.36 sec FTDAutosport, 11 August 2005, Page 101. 6 Aug.Round 26 : Roger MoranGould-NME GR61X 3.5-litre41.14 sec2008Round 23 : Scott MoranGould GR6140.57 sec 2 Aug.Round 24 : Scott MoranGould GR6139.63 sec R2009Round 25 : Scott MoranGould-NME GR61X 3.5-litre40.95 sec 1 Aug.Round 26 : Trevor WillisOMS CF06 Powertec 2.8-litre40.99 sec20107 Aug. Key: R = Course Record; FTD = Fastest Time of the Day.

References

External links Ulster Automobile Club