MATT RYDER
Paul Lawrence
2022 was the year that Matt stepped up to the unlimited class
I had never won one before, and moving up into that most competitive class I had had some good results, a few podiums, but I was only just starting to build up some momentum. There was still a handful of competitors who were consistently beating me every weekend because they were in that type of car, or that competitive situation, for many years and this was my breakthrough into that. It showed I could compete at that level so it really meant a lot to me – and everybody could feel the energy!
Hill climbing has a fantastic community spirit, and it was lovely to be able to share the moment with some of those competitors as well. The paddock makes those moments special, when people you have just beaten for the first time come over and say well done and almost want to join you in the celebrations because they know how much it means to you. We definitely had a few drinks to celebrate before thinking about packing up and coming home as normal!
That is what is so great about hill climbing. The paddock environment is like no other form of motorsport I have ever been involved with or seen. The friendly culture, camaraderie; it is very accessible, and people want to help. It is also unique because you can do it in any car – a fourlitre V8 custom-built single-seater like the Gould is one
Revolution- December 2025 end of the spectrum, but equally you can come in your road car, a hatchback, or something much smaller, which allows you to get into motorsport more easily and means there is a huge range of people involved.
I think those two things are what make hill climbing particularly good for younger people, too. I don’ t do this professionally – I have a job outside of it – but that still feels manageable to do as a competitive hobby, and you can take it as seriously as you want to! It is a massive commitment, there is a huge amount of prep to do, lots of weekends away travelling up and down the country, so it’ s definitely not easy, but equally it does not have to take up your full life to do it.
That win at Harewood definitely gave me a confidence boost and since then, the last three years have been really special. I have had consistent good results, wins and records at other hills, and obviously, I was over the moon to win my first championship last year, and my second this time. That first title was a really special moment too – and I wondered whether that might be the one I should talk about, because it meant an awful lot – but the first win and record at Harewood took the top spot because it was the start of that journey; it set that ball rolling for what came next.
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