PETIT BOT hill was a concoction of thrills and spills as riders and records tumbled in the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club’s last speed event of the season. Two riders required hospital treatment on Saturday morning – and that was just on the practice runs up the half-mile course.

Michael Beausire was the 12th person up the hill when he came off his 450cc Honda motorcycle and officials and competitors feared he had had broken his coccyx.

Eyewitnesses said he wobbled from side to side and ‘high-sided’ before hitting a bank and coming off his machine.

Just as news broke that he had been released from hospital after an X-ray and was back home, Craig Thoume had an accident on a quad bike and had to be hospitalised.

‘It’s the first time I have done the hill and it’s a bit deceiving – I think this is usually wet,’ said Stefan Moherndl, 22, racing on Beausire’s Honda.

‘It was not too bad but it was a bit slippery and I nearly came off on the first corner.’

Young Robert Stanford, 17, went up the hill for the first time, just days before taking his proper driving test on Thursday.

‘It was a bit slippery and a bit over the place but it’s not too bad up there,’ he said, after a practice run in a Toyota Celica he had borrowed from a friend.

‘It’s easier and harder than the Val des Terres. It’s easier because it’s basically just a start with a few corners, but harder because I don’t know the route. The Val des Terres I know now like the back of my hand but I only saw this hill for the first time yesterday.

‘I nearly had an accident – the rear end was sneaking and when you are close to a bank, you know you are very likely to hit it.

‘It’s a fast course with a lot of trees around and a lot of greenery on the roads, which makes it a hard drive,’ said Stanford.

GK&MC committee vice-president Peter Jory, who was driving his Chevrolet Special, said: ‘It’s as perfect as you will get it at this time of year. People are trying hard because they know the conditions are good and they know the records are there to be got.’

Records were expected to be beaten as the day went on, with 43 entries and dry conditions, and there were even rumours the all-time best of 26.87 seconds by Colin Le Maitre in 1996 could be eclipsed.

Records went in practice but events were held up by the crashes.

‘This is a tricky hill but today it’s a lot easier because it’s dry,’ said meeting treasurer Roger King.

Others were happy with proceedings.

‘We have had a good year and we have had hardly any rain,’ said timekeeper John Robert.

Meeting secretary Heather Robilliard added: ‘The season has been very good and we are picking up new competitors all the time.’