Date: 2026-02-08

Hoare Dominates Valentine Slalom with Commanding Performance

Graham Hoare delivered a masterclass in precision driving to claim victory at the B&DCC Valentine Slalom 2026, completing the nine-test course in 801.3 seconds. The Renault Clio driver established his authority early and maintained his advantage throughout the event to finish ahead of family rival Oliver Hoare, who took second place just 3.2 seconds behind in the same car.

Shane Parry rounded out the podium positions in his Ford Puma, finishing 8.5 seconds off the pace after challenging strongly throughout the competition. The battle at the front was particularly intense during the opening tests, with Parry actually setting the fastest time on the first test before the Hoares established their dominance.

The event featured a thrilling family duel at the top, with Graham and Oliver Hoare trading competitive times across all nine tests. Graham’s consistency proved decisive, as he gradually extended his lead through the middle portion of the event before managing his advantage in the closing stages.

Clive Evans put in a stellar performance in his Mini Cooper S to secure fourth overall and the Class B victory, finishing just ahead of Matt Bennett’s Mazda MX5 by a mere three-tenths of a second after over 13 minutes of competitive driving.

In Class A for cars up to 1300cc, Ari Sibley emerged victorious in his Mini with a time of 864.2 seconds, comfortably ahead of Richard Bailey’s Ford Ka. The class featured a fascinating battle between the Christopher family in their shared VW Polo, with Archie ultimately besting Alan by 15.6 seconds.

The Cherrington family also shared a car in Class A, with Luke outpacing Brett in their Nissan Micra by 17.4 seconds after a consistent performance across all tests. At the other end of the class, Jari-Matti Sibley struggled with his Smart Car, finishing over three minutes behind his class-winning relative.

Class B saw a tight contest between Clive Evans and Chris Mathers, with Evans’ Mini Cooper S eventually prevailing over Mathers’ Mazda MX5 by just 3.9 seconds. Ronan Quinn completed the class podium in his Suzuki Swift, putting in a solid performance throughout the day.

The largest class of the day was Class C for cars over 1601cc, where the Hoare family dominated proceedings. Behind them, Shane Parry’s Ford Puma secured third in class, while Matt Bennett led a strong contingent of Mazda MX5 drivers in fourth.

Louise Wren impressed in her Ford Puma to finish fifth overall and seventh in class, demonstrating remarkable consistency across all nine tests. The Thompson family shared their Mazda MX5, with Daniel outpacing Paul by nearly 48 seconds over the course of the day.

The Valentine Slalom provided a stern test for all competitors, with the nine-test format requiring both speed and endurance. The event highlighted the importance of consistency, with those able to maintain their pace throughout the day reaping the rewards in the final standings.

Overall Results

Overall Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Graham Hoare	Renault Clio	801.3
2	Oliver Hoare	Renault Clio	804.5
3	Shane Parry	Ford Puma	809.8
4	Clive Evans	Mini Cooper S	824.9
5	Matt Bennett	MAZDA MX5	825.2
6	Chris Mathers	Mazda MX5	828.8
7	Louise Wren	Ford Puma	831.7
8	Adam Roberts	Mazda Mx5	843.6
9	Ronan Quinn	Suzuki Swift	850.6
10	Ari sibley	mini	864.2

Class A: Cars up to 1300cc Results

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Ari sibley	mini	864.2
2	Richard Bailey	Ford Ka	903.6
3	Archie Christopher	VW polo	904.0
4	Luke Cherrington	Nissan Micra	916.7
5	Alan Christopher	VW polo	919.6
6	Brett Cherrington	Nissan Micra	934.1
7	Colin Stewart	Vw polo	938.6
8	Jane Higgs	Peugeot 106	944.3
9	Mike dunning	Peugeot 106	957.7
10	Jack Turner	Renault Clio	1077.9
11	jari-matti sibley	smart car	1171.4

Class B: Cars between 1301cc and 1600cc Results

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Clive Evans	Mini Cooper S	824.9
2	Chris Mathers	Mazda MX5	828.8
3	Ronan Quinn	Suzuki Swift	850.6
4	Kev Mathers	Mazda MX5	961.7
5	Thomas Holland	Renault Clio	1007.0
6	Henry Clulee	Renault clio	1020.1
7	Mike Barham	Ford Fiesta 1.6	1084.4

Class C: Cars over 1601cc Results

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Graham Hoare	Renault Clio	801.3
2	Oliver Hoare	Renault Clio	804.5
3	Shane Parry	Ford Puma	809.8
4	Matt Bennett	MAZDA MX5	825.2
5	Louise Wren	Ford Puma	831.7
6	Adam Roberts	Mazda Mx5	843.6
7	Mike Legg	Volvo V40	883.2
8	Paul Seels	Mazda MX5	890.2
9	Daniel Thompson	MAZDA MX5	902.4
10	Dave Walbrin	Mazda mx5	940.6
11	Brendon Badley	Mazda mx5	946.1
12	Paul Thompson	Mazda MX5	950.0
13	Yazan Al-Wreikat	Mazda MX5	1013.3
14	Jayden Elikyah-Wald	Renault clio 182	1026.0
15	Phil Chapman	Masda MX5	1026.9
16	Marius Cociorba	BMW 5 Series	1130.5