This article first appeared in the Mini Cooper Register Magazine
Circuit of Ireland Mini Run – 1999
We arrived at Swansea having had a leisurely drive down the M4 at about 7.30 p.m. only to be greeted by "what happened you!" "We’re waiting for you!" etc. from the 7 other crews with Hugh Wyllie and Paul Wilson. Well the instructions said from or by 7.30 and we were only a couple of minutes late. We joined the queue for the ferry, and were directed onto one of the upper floors – it would have been much easier if they had asked us to park using handbrake turns!
On board we settled for a meal, with Hugh, Paul, Don and Roger. Then it was down to Paddy’s Bar for a night-cap!
Despite being almost the last car on to the ferry we managed to be first off and once out of the ferry port we were greeted by Jan and Emma Wyllie. It was then the drive in convoy up to the Quality Hotel to join the Irish competitors and other mainland crews who had opted for other ferry crossings.
All of a sudden it was time to start, I think most of us who had come on the overnight ferry wished we could stay at The Quality Hotel to catch up on some much needed sleep. 2pm had crept up on us and we were off, at 30-second intervals. On the route up to Westport we used two classic Circuit of Ireland stages, Finny and Partry Mount. Given that even on this leg we had regularity and had route checks to find as well kept us awake. Having checking into the Hotel, freshened up it down into the Bar and the evening meal and to meet friends from past events – previous Circuit of Ireland runs, Minis In Northern Ireland and Mini Montes. Of course to make new ones as well.
Day two dawned with the results from the previous day issued, with 12 crews sharing first place. Before we stopped for lunch at Leenaun there was another regularity, we managed to go straight on rather than turning left, it didn’t take us long to find our mistake and consequently we had to get a move on to make up the time. We felt we had arrived within the correct time and the results at the end of day confirmed this, despite our best attempts in the afternoon with yet another wrong slot. Immediately after the lunch break there was another non-competitive loop returning to Leenaun. Upon leaving there was the afternoons regularity, on leaving we are discussing something or other about the timings and missed the first junction. It felt as we had gone some distance before we turned round and retraced our steps. But we gradually started to make time up and finished the section within our minute. One good thing at least for us there was no intermediate controls! Once back at the Hotel there was a couple of tests in the car park – reverse up to a pole and move forward one revolution of the wheels. The results for day two now showed 8 crews in first place!
Sunday morning was all non-competitive, it did see us run over the Lough na Fooey stage. With a short break in Ashford Castle, (double rooms for the night in excess of £500!) we left via the castle drawbridge. It was onto Corr na Mona for lunch. Hugh had scheduled the afternoon restart for 1pm, but hadn’t counted on the pub having a television showing the Italian Grand Prix, so the restart was put back to half past. Leaving the lunch stop it was straight into another regularity. Thinking that was the last one, we approached the petrol halt to find Hugh and his team had another one up his sleeve. This was up to the Alcock and Brown memorial at 15mph, and was to be timed to the second! This finally sorted out the results! It was then the run back to the Hotel and the awards dinner. Don has already mentioned the winners in his article. Congratulations to the award winners. We finished 7th equal.
For us on Monday morning we had to head to Rosslare to catch the fast ferry to Fishguard and the drive back home. Not before exploring Westport for gifts, compensation for letting us go out to play! On the ferry home we were joined by another crew, Geoff and Elspeth Humphries who we had finished 7th with!
Congratulations to Hugh and his team for another excellent event - can we come back next year! And thanks to John for navigating and our wives and families for letting us go without too much grief!