Hill climb: The fastest of La Roche - La Berra 🎥

Just like at the season opener in Hemberg, Eric Berguerand made everything clear in the first run of the second weekend of the 2022 Swiss Mountain Championship. The Valais native rode up the 3.5-kilometer course from La Roche to La Berra in a fabulous 1:39.721 min. Not only was he almost four seconds faster than in his personal record run in 2015 (1:43.553 min), he distanced his two biggest rivals Robin Faustini and Marcel Steiner (center gallery, photo: Hänggi) by two and a half and more than three seconds respectively.

The garage owner from Martigny (VS) was also the fastest in the second run. In 1:42.698 min, however, the six-time Swiss mountain champion took it very easy by his standards. Nevertheless, this run was also enough to finish half a second ahead of Steiner and Faustini.

Asked about his secret, the Lola driver explained, "It's the result of work and discipline. The car really drives very well. I'm very satisfied. And, like now in La Roche, I can also drive without any stress in a second run."

Successful trio remains at the top
The fact that the third race run could not be held for more than half of the field due to time constraints (including an oil spill shortly before the end of the event) is regrettable. But had no influence on the day's victory. The day's victory was secured by Berguerand in the addition of the first two runs sovereign before Robin Faustini and Marcel Steiner. So it was the same three riders at the top as last time in Hemberg.

Comeback for Joël Grand and Joël Volluz
Behind the top 3, Joël Grand (gallery left, photo: Cornevaux) secured fourth overall. The Valais native had already put in a strong performance at Hemberg, driving his Osella PA21 powered by a 999 cc motorcycle engine up the mountain in 1:48.548 and 1:49.916 min respectively. For him it was the best result in the overall classification so far. As a week earlier in Toggenburg, he was a touch faster than Michel Zemp on his 2-liter Norma.

Joël Volluz also made a comeback. However, the winner of the last hill climb from La Roche to La Berra in 2015 for the time being had to pack it in after just one run because a clutch problem arose on his Osella FA30. "And this one," says Volluz, "I couldn't solve before!"

Final accounting of the touring car drivers
In the formula cars up to 2000 cm3, victory went to Christian Balmer. The Bernese had laid the foundation for this with two very solid runs and nestled himself in the final standings between the fastest touring car drivers Reto Meisel (Mercedes SLK 340) and Roger Schnellmann (Mitsubishi Evo 8). Behind the two fastest touring car drivers Meisel and Schnellmann, Romeo Nüssli (gallery right, photo: Cornevaux) took 3rd place on his Ford Escort Cosworth.

... and here the winners of the other classes
In the Interswiss up to 1600 cm3 Christoph Mattmüller won on VW Scirocco. In the class up to 2000 cm3 Jürg Ochsner (Opel Kadett C) secured the biggest trophy. In the 2.5-liter class, it was Armin Banz (also Opel Kadett C) who came out on top. And in the highest-displacement IS cars, Christoph Zwahlen (Porsche GT3 Cup) came out on top.

The E1 up to 1600 cm3 was once again dominated by Martin Bürki. Victory in the field with the largest number of participants, the E1 up to 2000 cm3, went to Sébastien Coquoz (Opel Kadett C) ahead of Reto Steiner (Ford Escort) and Daniel Kammer (Honda Civic).

In the Renault Classic Cup, Denis Wolf (Renault Clio 3) triumphed as in Hemberg. Jürg Brunner prevailed in the older 2 Series models. Speaking of Wolf and Bürki: After two runs, the two are the only drivers with the maximum points in the Mountain Cup.

The video of the Hunwiler Racing Team from the second race round shows which route the drivers had to master from La Roche to La Berra.

This is how it continues:

• July 23 and 24 Ayent - Anzère
• 19 to 21 August St.Ursanne - Les Rangiers
• August 27 and 28 Oberhallau
• September 10 and 11, Gurnigel

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