Cars descend on Camperdown for 55th Mount Leura Hill Climb

Th 55^th Mount Leura Hill Climb has attracted 90-plus entries this weekend.

Ballarat Light Car Club president Wayne Drew said different classes would test themselves up the town's iconic landmark.

He said the circuit was unique and gave competitors contesting the Victorian hill climb championships a challenge.

It is a speed test.

"On the Saturday and Sunday competitors will get to do three runs each," Drew said.

"The field is split into three because there's no return road, so we can only hold about 30-odd cars up the top on the side of the road.

"They come up the start line and when they trip the beam and the light goes green the cars can commence their run at their leisure and as the wheel goes through the beam, it contacts again and starts the timing.

"When they get to the finish they break another beam and that's their timed run."

Drew said the Camperdown round was a highlight on the calendar.

"It's all uphill so that's a bonus," he said.

"The Victorian hill climb championship this year consist of seven rounds. Four of those rounds are at a purpose-built facility called Bryant Park close to Morwell which goes up and down and can run in different configurations.

"Then we've got Rob Roy which is run by MG Car Club. It is probably the oldest, continuously-used hill climb in Australia.

"Here is an 803-metre all uphill venue, there's One Tree Hill at Ararat but it has a restricted licence and there's a flat hill climb at the TAFE facility at Albury-Wodonga.

"Each venue brings its own little things, some have longer straights, some are a bit tighter. It gives classes the ability to do better at certain places than others."

Drew said the Mount Leura climb was a drawcard for Camperdown.

"It is great for the local economy and there's a great variation of vehicles and competitors," he said.

"We have everything from sedans and road-registered type cars to open-wheelers, from formula Vs, formula Fords, purpose-built formula Libras which are a Formula 1 look-alike with a motorbike engine.

"That would be what would take the outright win on the day normally."

Competition at Mount Leura will start at 11am on Saturday and 10am on Sunday.

MORE SPORT:

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.