Newly-crowned Boss of Blueberry, Sam Prestcherer has declared his entry in the Casterton Hill Climb “the best decision I ever made” – and not just for the $3000 prize money.
Just four days out from the event, Casterton’s adopted home-town hero, Andy Wilksch, phoned Pretscherer and told him the event was a ‘must-do’ and despite a commitment to be in Sale the following day for another event, the 18-year-old set off from his home-town of Gol Gol at 2.30am Saturday morning – and never looked back.
“What an awesome day, what an awesome event, best decision I ever made,” Pretscherer said.
“I cannot believe that you can have something like this, right on the edge of town, the road closed so you can have the crowd right there where the action is, you have got the food right there … it’s just crazy!
“The organisers, the town, the crowd for coming out, it’s just all unbelievable.
“I’m so grateful there’s something like this happening … I have heard of it before, but it always clashes with something else and Andy messaged me a couple of days ago and said ‘you really have to do this’, I thought, ‘why not’ … best decision ever.”
Despite sitting at the top of the leaderboard for the E3s in the Australian Off-Road Championships, the 18-year-old rising star said the Blueberry Hill track offered a truly unique experience and challenge for riders, unseen at other events.
“You have got those sections there where it’s just straight-up and this morning it was a bit slippery … from overnight, but as it dried out, it went really well,” he said.
“To have the crowd right here where you’re riding … I loved it!”
Casterton Sporting Motorcycle Club hosted the weekend’s event which saw more than 70 riders from as far away as Queensland, head to the hill for the chance to be crowned Boss of Blueberry.
Held in 250cc and Under, 250cc and Over, Ag Bike, Junior and Women’s classes, winners are crowned in each section, but the fastest rider to make it over the top is officially crowned King of the Hill.
With defending champion Wilksch out of the competition this year, due to injury, all bets were off and more than 700 spectators headed through the gates on Saturday to watch the time-honoured Blueberry Hill challenge.
President Shane Foster said while there were a few disappointments at the end of the day, there were also plenty of laughs, thrills and spills to give both riders and visitors, value for money.
“You do not want the track to be too easy … it’s not a competition if anyone can just roll up and ride a bike up over the hill and I think this year’s track was the perfect amount of challenge for the riders,” he said.
“And it’s also a track and event where anyone can win … it’s all about the fastest time and Sam got it on his last run … it’s anyone’s until that last run.”
This year’s run also saw the return of the Ag Bikes and again – for only the second time in the history of the event – it was local Scott Farquharson who took line honours, his Kawasaki Stockman chewing up the hill to be the only rider in that class, over the top.
“There was a point … I needed another gear but on an ag bike in riding boots, you just cannot get it, so I did not know if it was going to make it,” he said.
New to the event this year was the junior class and the up-and-comers did not disappoint, with Casterton’s Axl O’Brien, Naracoorte’s Will McInnes and Lucindale’s Charles Ingham all giving the hill a red-hot go and by the end of their three runs, each had conquered the hill.
In the locals, crowd favourite Morgan McNicol took out the best ride, topping the hill three times in the 250cc & Under class in a best time of 26.771 seconds.
Mr Foster thanked the hundreds of both local and visiting spectators who lined Noss Road to cheer the riders on – and groan at the falls – as well as the businesses who sponsored the event.
“Everyone knows, we cannot do this without the support of those sponsors and we certainly could not hand out a $3000 cash purse for first prize, without that support,” he said.
