CROYDON — The new Widowmaker fell. Once. And, surprisingly, not to the biggest, most powerful, most experienced motorcycle hill climber.
In the early morning hours Sunday, at the base of a 1,000-foot hill almost too steep to walk up, Jason Smith of Farmington, age 17, running in the lesser zero-to-700 class, conquered Widowmaker.
Of the more than 500 entries, he was the only rider to see the flat spot at the top of the hill and the finish. Most riders were stopped way short, between the 200- and 300-foot marks.
And, as the day wore on, it was this initial section that became the impassible obstacle course powder-like dirt and knee-deep trenches, which, no doubt, stopped others.
By the time the 70 riders began lining up for the unlimited class, the one class where it was felt there was enough power and experience to reach the top, the hill was back in control.
Again, not surprisingly, it was Smith, ranked No. 8 in the world, putting in the highest run — 700 feet — with about half the field yet to run. Dusty Beer of Columbus, Mont., the No. 1 hill climber in the world topped 577 feet. Travis Whitlock, formerly of Salt Lake City but now living in Colorado, and ranked No. 2, made it to the 540 mark, and Harold Waddell of Omaha, Neb., ranked No. 25, was stopped at 487.
On his early run, Smith was riding a 650 cc Yamaha, which runs on pure nitromethane.
It is an engine that is difficult to fine tune and is notorious for breaking. But not today, said Jeff Smith, Jason's father. "It ran perfectly. We have four nitro-burning engines and this is the first. Today, on this hills, this was the engine. It just keeps going," he explained.
Jason got a good start, passed through the most difficult area near the bottom, and made it to the first dogleg turn to the right near the 600-foot mark.
"All the sudden, I was around the turn and going pretty good," he said as he looked up the hill and pointed out areas.
"The sagebrush is huge up there. I was headed for one big bush and it stopped me. But then, all of the sudden, I was moving again. About 100 feet from the top I realized I was going over Widowmaker. It was the coolest run of my life."
No one, not even Jason, believed anyone would top the new Widowmaker.
Some, including Kerry Peterson, who topped the old Widowmaker five times and was the five-time World Champion, believed if metal paddles had not been banned some years ago, more would have climbed to the top.
The rubber paddles, attached to the rear tire, begin breaking loose, he explained, and all traction is lost.
Peterson was there, as was Mel Kimball Sr., the first rider to climb the old Widowmaker in Draper back in 1968, were there watching sons and grandsons climb.
The old Widowmaker became recognized around the world as the hardest, most difficult hill to climb.
In 1988, the year Mel Kimball Jr., was the only rider of more than 300 entered to top the hill and the last winner. Political and financial difficulties stopped climbing after 1988.
Jordy Smith of Bountiful began looking for a replacement hill a few years back and came up with the Croydon slope. It was, he said, a hill most like the old Widowmaker that he'd seen.
A couple of thousand people showed up Sunday to watch the return of Widowmaker. Those who came a little late missed Smith's memorable run. But, plans are to continue with the old Widowmaker in the coming years.
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