Biwabik, Minnesota. A town nestled in the Iron Range that I know nothing about besides the fact that contains my most favorite hill of all time. I was able to visit that hill again April 4-5 for the WSA Hillcross race that took place there.
Since the race in Portage, Wisconsin was cancelled due to lack of snow the previous weekend, Biwabik became a double points weekend. As a result, a full weekends worth of racing was completed on both Saturday and Sunday.
Scott Haala, on his Ski-Doo finished the day strong in the Semi-Pro classes on Saturday. The Sleepy Eye, Minnesota native was on a run all day as he claimed victory in Semi-Pro 600, Semi-Pro 700 and Semi-Pro Open. Adding to his wins were second place finishes in Semi-Pro 800 and Semi-Pro King of the Hill.
The Pro classes were dominated by brothers Kurt and Paul Bauerly, both on Ski-Doo’s. With Paul taking the checkered in Pro 600, 700 and 900, and Kurt doing the same in Pro 800, Open and King of the Hill the two swept every Pro class of the day, with the exception of Matt Pichner, on his Arctic Cat, who won Pro 600.
With the Portage race points taken care of, racers looked to another full day of racing on Sunday.
After seeing the success of Haala the previous day, the rest of the Semi-Pro drivers stepped their game up for Sunday racing. Brennen Plaisted, on his Ski-Doo, claimed his first win of the weekend in the Semi-Pro 500 class. He went on to finish second in both Semi-Pro 600 and 700. Also getting their first wins of the weekend were Dustin Grausam, in the Semi-Pro 600 Stock class, on his Arctic Cat and Tyler Halverson on his Ski-Doo in the Semi-Pro Open class.
Alex Roufs, of Hermanton, Minnesota, proved he was on a mission to win from the very beginning of Sunday. On his Ski-Doo, he flew to victories in Pro 900, Pro Open, Jackson X and the Big Air Competition. Paul Bauerly was still on a run from the previous day and won both Pro 600 and Pro 800 as well as tying with his brother Kurt for third place in the Big Air Competition. Pichner was able to get the win in Pro 600 Stock for the second day in a row and also placed second in the Big Air Competition.
The next WSA Hill X event is scheduled to take place April 10th and 11th at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, Minnesota.
