Knysna Speed Festival, organiser of the iconic Simola Hillclimb, has partnered with Monarch, a leading e-sports eventing company to launch the 2021 Virtual Simola Hillclimb starting with a full-blown series of four qualifiers and culminating in final virtual shoot-outs on 8 and 9 May.
Ian Shrosbree, MD of Knysna Speed Festival, said it had become very clear in the weeks and months of discussions which led finally to the 2021 postponement, that levels of disappointment amongst competitors and fans alike were extreme.
“We realised that while the pandemic continues its impact on our lives we would have to create a meaningful substitute to run up untill and through that original Hillclimb Weekend.
The launching of the 2021 Virtual Simola Hillclimb by ourselves and Monarch ticks all these boxes,” says Shrosbree.
“I am super excited that together with Monarch we are going to be able to offer our competitors and fans a great experience that is extremely close to the real thing and at the same time introduces a whole new audience to the Simola Hillclimb.”
The Virtual Simola Hillclimb started with the opening round on Monday 22 March running through to Saturday 27 March. Round two is from Monday 29 March to 3 April. Round three will run from 5 – 10 April, and Round Four – the final qualifying round, from 12 – 17 April.
The scores from all four rounds will produce the Top 10 competitors qualifying for the finals on 8 and 9 May and the winner after those two days of competition will be crowned the Virtual King of the Hill that Sunday evening.
“After cancelling ‘The Hill’ entirely last year, it was doubly disappointing to have to postpone the 2021 Simola Hillclimb to September and we were determined that if we were forced into another postponement our competitors and fans would have a virtual Simola Hillclimb to participate in on that weekend,” explains Shrosbree.
“This virtual version also allows anyone who has dreamt of competing in the Hillclimb to now have a shot at racing against not only other players, but also the record times set in real life by real drivers, and do all of this virtually.’
- View the Virtual Simola Hillclimb introductory video here: https://youtu.be/W50kz1neTRs
Subscribe to the Virtual Simola Hillclimb competitor database at www.speedfestival.co.za
