MENZIES AND SUMMERS GO TOETO-TOE FOR HILLCLIMB CROWN
British battlers ready to ramp up the action in Loton Park showdown
The season-long contest between Wallace Menzies and Alex Summers for the British Hillclimb Championship will be decided in this weekend’s season finale at Loton Park.
Defending champion Menzies (Gould GR59M) goes to the Shropshire hill with a fivepoint lead over Summers (DJ Firestorm). Once dropped scores are factored in, Menzies has 230 points to the 225 of Summers.
If both score well on Sunday, Menzies has to drop two eights while Summers will drop two sevens, effectively reducing Menzies’ lead to just three points. Importantly, there is an extra point available in each runoff for anyone bettering the hill record standing at the start of the meeting.
Menzies said: “It’s anything but a foregone conclusion. Alex is super quick and he’s really good at Loton. We’ve just got to beat him in each runoff, wherever he finishes. I think it’ll go down to the last run of the year. There’s nothing in it.”
Summers said: “Our personal bests at Loton are about eighthundredths different, so it’s very exciting. I have to beat him and I have to beat him comprehensively in both runoffs. It’s unlikely, but it’s possible and that’s what’s exciting. I always said that if I got beaten I’d be fine with that because I like Wallace and I have a massive amount of respect for his talents and what he’s done for the sport.”