Record crowd and 78% livestream growth for the 16th Simola Hillclimb
The World’s Fastest Hillclimb drew its largest crowd to date to Knysna, and 960 000 livestream views across more than 120 countries.
The Simola Hillclimb, The World’s Fastest Hillclimb, recorded the largest attendance in its history at its 16th Edition, held in Knysna from 30 April – 3 May 2026. A record 20 926 total admissions across the three days of competition were matched by the event’s strongest digital performance to date, with livestream viewership up 78 percent year-on-year and an almost even split between South African and international audiences.
Comprising four days of spectator and family-friendly activities, displays, demonstrations and intense competition for the Classic Conqueror and King of the Hill titles, the Simola Hillclimb has firmly cemented its status as South Africa’s premier motorsport and lifestyle event.
The Simola Hillclimb is credited with the fastest average speed recorded at any hillclimb on earth. The outright Simola record of 34.161 seconds is held by six-time King of the Hill winner André Bezuidenhout, set in his Gould GR55 at an average speed of 200.228 km/h – from a standing start.
That figure is a record rather than a typical result, and it is what makes the tight, twisty 1.9 km course above Knysna such a demanding challenge for drivers and cars – and such a spectacle for spectators on the hill and audiences following online.
“We are exceptionally proud of the continued growth the Simola Hillclimb has achieved, and the record attendance in 2026 confirms that our formula is working. Our team is dedicated to making this event better and more rewarding for our competitors, spectators and partners every year,” says Ian Shrosbree, Managing Director of Knysna Speed Festival (Pty) Ltd, which owns and runs the Simola Hillclimb.
Record attendance
Widely regarded as the must-attend motoring and motorsport event of the South African calendar, Simola Hillclimb spectator numbers continue to grow year-on-year. The 16th Edition recorded 20 926 total admissions across the three days of competition, up from 20 244 in 2025. As in previous years, the figure is calculated on total admissions across the three competition days, and includes two- and three-day pass holders, competitors and crew, and hospitality guests.
A further estimated 5 000 fans lined the Fan Fest street parades adjacent to the Knysna Waterfront, held on the Thursday for the Classic Car Friday field and on the Friday for the King of the Hill field, with public roads closed for entertainment, demonstration runs and burnouts.
The 2026 competition drew the maximum number of 160 entries across both formats. Ian Schofield claimed the Classic Conqueror title in 40.881 sec. There are three separate categories for King of the Hill: Pieter Zeelie (37.216 sec) won the Modified Saloon Cars, and Clint Weston (42.616 sec) secured the Road-Going Saloon & Supercars title. Robert Wolk, who tragically passed away last week, took the Single Seater and Sports Cars honours with a winning time of 35.024 sec.
Digital reach
The Simola Hillclimb has built a substantial presence across its digital platforms, which have been key drivers of the event’s growth. The event’s Facebook page reached a peak of 208 000 viewers and more than 887 000 views, from a following of over 30 000. On Instagram, Simola Hillclimb passed 14 600 followers and 1.8-million views, while the event’s YouTube channel has recorded a total of over 400 000 views to date.
Between January and May 2026, the Simola Hillclimb website recorded 87 000 unique visitors and more than 130 000 visits.
The partnership with HillClimb Monsters has further expanded the event’s international visibility and engagement. To date, Simola Hillclimb content has recorded more than 27-million views on the HillClimb Monsters YouTube channel, and over 40-million views of Simola Hillclimb-related videos on its Facebook page.
Full-coverage livestream
The Simola Hillclimb broadened its reach to enthusiasts across South Africa and around the world when it introduced live streaming in 2017, changing the way motorsport events are broadcast in South Africa. The platform has been a key driver of the event’s growth across the past nine editions, while adding significant exposure and measurable value for competitors, partners and sponsors.
With full coverage of all three days of competition – Classic Car Friday and the two-day King of the Hill challenge – the Simola Hillclimb is broadcast live to audiences in more than 120 countries. The 2026 event recorded over 960 000 livestream views, up 78 percent on the 539 463 recorded in 2025, with an almost equal split between South African viewers and fans elsewhere in the world.
More than 8.6-million minutes were viewed on the 2026 livestream, up more than 55 percent on 2025, as the action was captured by 22 cameras covering the pit lane and the full 1.9 km course. An expert panel of presenters kept viewers informed throughout from the onsite studio, including regular pit lane interviews with local and international drivers.
“Our digital channels have been crucial in expanding our reach to a global audience, and our livestream viewership increased 78 percent compared to 2025,” Shrosbree says. “The work continues to raise the bar higher for 2027, as we aim to make the Simola Hillclimb the best event of its kind in the world.”
A showcase of automotive excellence
As a strictly invitational event, the Simola Hillclimb has become a showcase of automotive engineering, with individual owners, private teams and manufacturers raising the benchmark each year across road cars old and new, and a range of thoroughbred race cars – many built specifically for this event.
The calibre of drivers on the honours roll is no less impressive, and includes many of the biggest names in local and international motorsport. International competitors to have contested the Simola Hillclimb include World Rally and double World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg, seven-time World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson, Formula 1 driver Mika Salo, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb class winner Cole Powelson, two-time 24 Hours of Daytona class winner and SCCA Hall of Fame inductee Randy Pobst, and German GT endurance racer Jens Klingmann.
Partners
The 16th Edition of the Simola Hillclimb was made possible by the continued support of major partners Simola Golf & Country Estate, Suzuki, BP, Castrol, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Knysna Municipality, whose brands reached the record audience detailed above across the event’s on-site, broadcast and digital platforms.
The 17th Edition
The 17th Edition of the Simola Hillclimb takes place in Knysna from 29 April – 2 May 2027.
About the Simola Hillclimb
The Simola Hillclimb is held annually on Simola Hill in Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa. Established in 2009, it is known as The World’s Fastest Hillclimb and runs across two competition formats: Classic Car Friday and King of the Hill. The 2026 event was the 16th Edition, staged 16 times across 18 years. The event is owned and run by Knysna Speed Festival (Pty) Ltd.
