By Staff Reporter

The King of the Swifts showdown at the 2026 Simola Hillclimb delivered a close and competitive finish, with Sam Da Fonseca emerging on top after a strong final day performance.

Held on the 1.9 km Simola Hill under clear skies, the final runs saw all four drivers push hard in identical Suzuki Swift models. Da Fonseca steadily built pace throughout the weekend and delivered when it mattered, securing the top spot with a committed final run.

Avon Middleton finished second after a consistent weekend, improving his times with each run and closing the gap to the front. Despite missing out on the win, his steady progress and overall pace stood out across the event.

Yolanda Lukhele also showed strong improvement, breaking into the 1:05 bracket and gaining confidence as the weekend progressed. Her performance highlighted the learning curve many drivers faced on the demanding hill.

Ziphorah Masethe’s run ended early after an off-track moment during qualifying, which brought her weekend to a close. Despite the setback, the incident highlighted both the intensity of the event and the resilience of the car.

While the Swift models were not able to challenge for overall class honours against more powerful machinery, the King of the Swifts contest remained one of the more engaging parts of the event, showing how driver skill and consistency can still shape the outcome.

The 2026 Simola Hillclimb wrapped up with the Swift drivers showcasing steady progression, close competition and a clear focus on extracting the most from the cars across the weekend.