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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127583
eHILLCLIMB e Hillclimb Series: Round 4 Canadian Ted Wilkins powered to the 540ccclass win ab oard h~ Rotax snowmobile engined-hillclimber. For the third National in a row, defending champ Tom Reiser topped the 800cc class. Ralph Kreeger had trouble controlling his motorcycle and had a spectacular loop out. Wilki ns (left) and Reiser celebrated in the rut that formed at the bottom of the hill. Wilkins, Reiser over the to at Avoca By Jay Hern do n AVOCA, NY, JUNE 20 ed Wilkins and Tom Reiser were the big winners at Avoca, as they na bbed the 540 and SOOcc class wins, respectively, with their second runs up the drag strip-style hill. For Wilkins, it was his second win of the series aboard his single-cylinder Rotaxpowered machine, while defend ing SOOcc National Champion Rei ser enjoyed his third win in a row aboard his Harl ey-Davidson. Th e Hornell M.C-promoted ev en t marked the first time in three years that the National Championship Series visited the hill, as problems with the local community had kept competitors off the rocky hill. The hill began hosting climbs r 16 in 1929, and with the exception of the past three years, had been an annual stop on the circuit. An estima ted 3000 spectators showed up to wa tch riders challenge the hill that is known as one of the smoother ones on the circuit, and is . often referred to by riders as a drag strip. One small kicker greets rid ers at the 50-foot mark, w hil e tw o smaller swells challenge the climbers at the 150and 205-foot marks. The lights that stop the clocks are placed at the 300- foo t mark, and an additional 50 feet of runoff allows the rid ers to slow down before cresting the hill. Just prior to the start of the contest, the hill was widened from 20 feet to 25 feet. "The rule book states that the width should be between 20 and 30 feet," said eve n t refe ree Harold Whit e. "And we have room on this particular hill to widen the course." Many riders were anxious to get to the startin g pad. "I like this, this should be fast a nd fun - a straight-lin e run," said 540cc class competitor Paul Lowe . The 540cc.class riders were the first to a ttack the hill, and Scott McNeeley was first up ab oard hi s Honda. McNeeley stopped the clocks at 7.S95 seconds on his first run, and would end up eighth on the da y after a slow er second run of S.404. Entering the event, Scott Everett led the series poin ts chase, but left in a tie for first with Paul Pinsonnault, winner of the previous National. Everett slamm ed to a time of 7.334 on his first attempt, and looked to better his score on his second run. Un for tuna tely , he lost his ride up at the 2SD-foot mark and was forced to settle for third . Pinsonna ult finish ed second after a pair of respectable runs. Pins onnault's first run checked in a t 7.519, but the Honda pilot bettered that with a kickand-bounce technique on his second run of 6.791. Wilkins ' ,flrst run yielded a 7.030, but the Canadian raced to a better, classwinning 6.463 in his second att empt.