Last hooray for hill climb
Usual suspects: Long time competitors in the Hill Climb include (from left) Adam Dean (15 years competing), David Fleming (past winner), Kevin Gray (only missed one event) and Nick Gardiner.
RIDERS took on Knox’s Hill for the last time on Sunday.
Over 200 hopefuls took off up the hill over the day in their final chance for victory in the 37th and final Knox’s Hill Climb.
Long time member of the Leongatha Motorcycle Club Frank Krause said the club was happy with how the day went.
“It was a fantastic day,” he said.
“We had no injuries, it was a good day, always is when no one hurts themselves.”
At 63 Krause was the oldest competitor to attack the hill on Sunday but was impressed with the passion shown by the younger riders.
“We had that many juniors’ riders this year,” he said.
“It’s great to see them just having a go, a lot of them don’t have much of an idea they just point and shoot but we have the parents up the hill making sure they are okay.”
Over the past 37 years thousands of motorbike riders have taken to the hill with only a select few claiming they have beaten it.
Due to the quarry over the crest of the hill it will be soon no longer safe enough to ride on.
“Why it’s gone so long is because someone always wants to have a crack at the hill, the hill is indestructible,” Mr Krause said.
“As it is only ridden on once a year by the next year you can barely see a mark where anyone has been.
“It will be very difficult to find another hill that can stand that kind of pounding on a hill on a day.”
Mr Krause said even though it was the end of an era a new event will replace it in the future.
“We will find somewhere else however and continue doing our club events,” he said.
“We will have a big head think and see what we can conjure up.”
Nick Bloye of Warragul took out the Kevin Cook Memorial Trophy winning the hill climb outright.
Bloye made it to the top twice on his YZ 450 and pipped fellow Warragul rider Rick Miles by two metres to get the win.
Jake Newton took out the Jake Kavanagh Memorial Trophy for the Under 15 years 80 – 100cc.
Newton made 60 metres on his RM85 to take out the trophy.
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