Date: 2025-12-07

Hoare Claims Victory in Thrilling Christmas Cracker Slalom

Olly Hoare emerged triumphant at the B&DCC Christmas Cracker Slalom 2025, showcasing remarkable consistency across nine challenging tests to secure overall victory with a cumulative time of 1141.9 seconds in his Renault Clio.

The event featured a close battle at the top, with Shane Parry’s Ford Puma finishing just 17.2 seconds behind after nearly three hours of competitive action. Graham Hoare, sharing the winning Renault Clio, completed the podium positions with a time of 1186.1 seconds.

From the opening test, Olly Hoare established his intent, setting the fastest time of 107.8 seconds to take an early lead over Parry by just four-tenths of a second. This narrow margin between the front-runners would characterise much of the day’s competition, with positions constantly shifting throughout the early tests.

The middle section of the event saw a fascinating three-way tussle develop. After the fourth test, Graham Hoare briefly took the overall lead with Steven Candy’s Ford Escort GT also in contention, sitting just 3.9 seconds off the pace. However, Olly Hoare’s metronomic consistency through tests five and six proved decisive as he regained the advantage and gradually extended his lead.

In the Class C battle for cars over 1601cc, the Hoare family dominance in their shared Renault Clio was evident, with Olly and Graham claiming first and third positions respectively. Shane Parry’s Ford Puma split the pair, while Matt Bennett’s Mazda MX5 finished a creditable fourth in class.

The Class B contest for cars between 1301cc and 1600cc saw Steven Candy’s Ford Escort GT deliver a commanding performance, finishing nearly four minutes ahead of Thomas Winwood’s Peugeot. Candy’s impressive driving not only secured class honours but also placed him fifth overall, demonstrating the competitiveness of his classic Ford against more modern machinery.

Mike Legg claimed Class A honours for cars up to 1300cc in his Citroen Saxo, establishing an early lead in the category that he never relinquished. His final time of 1323.9 seconds placed him tenth overall, ahead of Mike Dunning’s Peugeot 106 and Gilles Tardy in the diminutive Honda Beat.

The Mazda MX5 proved to be the most popular choice among competitors, with five examples contesting the event. Dave Walbrin’s MX5 was the best of the bunch, finishing seventh overall with a time of 1266.1 seconds.

As the event progressed through its nine tests, the gaps between competitors gradually increased, highlighting the cumulative effect of small errors and the importance of maintaining concentration throughout the lengthy competition.

Overall Results

Overall Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Olly Hoare	Renault Clio	1141.9
2	Shane Parry	Ford Puma	1159.1
3	Graham Hoare	Renault Clio	1186.1
4	Matt Bennett	MAZDA MX5	1200.5
5	Steven Candy	Ford Escort GT	1208.8
6	Louise Wren	Ford Puma	1237.8
7	Dave Walbrin	Mazda MX5	1266.1
8	Brendon Badley	Mazda MX5	1296.5
9	Adam Roberts	Mazda MX5	1314.5
10	Mike Legg	Citroen Saxo	1323.9
11	Mike Dunning	Peugeot 106	1386.4
12	Phil Chapman	Mazda	1388.7
13	Gilles Tardy	Honda Beat	1449.6
14	Thomas Winwood	Peugeot	1456.6
15	Jane Higgs	Peugeot 106	1478.1
16	Ian Hill	Mazda MX5	1509.1
17	Sky Rikards	Peugeot	1666.7
18	Piotr Guzdziol	Suzuki Swift Sport	1704.0

Class A: Cars up to 1300cc

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Mike Legg	Citroen Saxo	1323.9
2	Mike Dunning	Peugeot 106	1386.4
3	Gilles Tardy	Honda Beat	1449.6
4	Jane Higgs	Peugeot 106	1478.1

Class B: Cars between 1301cc and 1600cc

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Steven Candy	Ford Escort GT	1208.8
2	Thomas Winwood	Peugeot	1456.6
3	Sky Rikards	Peugeot	1666.7
4	Piotr Guzdziol	Suzuki Swift Sport	1704.0

Class C: Cars over 1601cc

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Olly Hoare	Renault Clio	1141.9
2	Shane Parry	Ford Puma	1159.1
3	Graham Hoare	Renault Clio	1186.1
4	Matt Bennett	MAZDA MX5	1200.5
5	Louise Wren	Ford Puma	1237.8
6	Dave Walbrin	Mazda MX5	1266.1
7	Brendon Badley	Mazda MX5	1296.5
8	Adam Roberts	Mazda MX5	1314.5
9	Phil Chapman	Mazda	1388.7
10	Ian Hill	Mazda MX5	1509.1