Linc's King of the Hill!
By TMX Archives on 15th Jul 10
The annual WOR Events hillclimb at Berwyn Leisure Park, near Oswestry, ran on Saturday evening and attracted a full entry of riders.
The quarter-mile climb looks steep from the bottom but even steeper from the top, or even half-way up, where most of the brave spectators gathered. Riders were allowed three practice runs followed by two marked attempts. It was scheduled for three attempts but a sudden and brief downpour made just two tries a sensible option.
A qualification point had to be reached to get into the final run-off and riders were stopped short of the final section of the hill, to keep it in the best possible condition for the final proper. Steve Ireland was on the microphone and his commentary had the many spectators in stitches.
Riders begin beneath the WOR arch and faced a sweeping right-hander on grass, off-camber uphill approach to the climb. Gaining momentum was the name of the game and more than a few riders failed to make the start of the climb, new tyres certainly helped as many riders who didn't bother with new rubber found to their cost.
For those who did manage to gain enough momentum to reach the base of the hill a short, sharp kicker caught out the unwary and snatched momentum from them. A few brave riders hit it full belt and were on their way to a decent result – but only a few!
Gary Daniels was one of the first to shine and he set the standard early on by reaching the qualification point with ease but as more riders hit the hill the ground loosened up and things became more difficult with each attempt.
A third of the way up the hill the main rut kicked left slightly and many of the more successful entrants chose this point to leave the rut and hit the flattened ferns and grass, which provided more grip – until the rain came.
Lincolnn Brewster decided to try a bog-standard WOR Events Kawasaki KLX450F, hugely different to his KTM 200, but got to grips with the big green machine immediately.
Once qualification was over and the serious part of the event got underway Brewster was the only rider to crest the peak and he took the £50 prize money once his vertigo had subsided. Passing a ‘make or break point' at the three-quarter mark he rode the final quarter with ease, much to the delight of the crowd, as he took the title ‘King of the Hill' title for 2010.
This annual event always attracts a good entry and a large crowd and this year the entry was bigger and the crowd much more enthusiastic, cheering what can only be described as an amazing spectacle.