ANDY SEMMENS was the 'Mini Marvel' of Gurston Down's 2000 Hill Climb season.

During the hotly-contested Championship campaign, regulars at the popular old Wiltshire hill climb venue warmed to the Southampton driver's record-breaking performances behind the wheel of his distinctive blue Mini.

From one meeting to the next, Semmes nibbled fractions of a second off the record for the sports production class for up to 1400cc cars.

But his performance in the final meeting capped the lot.

Gurston Down press officer, Simon McReath, described it as "absolutely outstanding," and it will be long remembered by the Gurston Down faithful.

Semmens needed a near-miracle to overhaul Phil Cooke's lead in the bogey time-based Gurston Down Championship - and the Mini pilot duly delivered two sub-record climbs.

The first was not quite good enough to take the Championship lead but, under maximum pressure, the second climb saw Semmens take a further huge three-quarters of a second from the record, leaving it at 36.80secs.

Cooke ran later in the programme and couldn't match the pace he needed to wrest back the title, and Semmens deservedly took the Gurston Championship.

Such was Semmens' pace that second in class Derek Mullis, a former champion at Gurston, was 1.70 secs behind in his Mini.

The final top three positions in the Gates of Brockenhurst Gurston Down Championship were: 1, Andrew Semmens, 25.35pts; 2, Phil Cooke, 25.02pts; 3, Paul Crocker, 23.42pts.