Swindon Road Club Hill Climbs - 2011

Marc Allen has been in action throughout the end of the season racing hill climbs far and wide in the name of Swindon Road Club. His season's results are summarised below.

Newbury Road Club Hill Climb, Club Event
Walbury Hill, Berkshire, 4.4 miles

Friday 15^th July 2011

The Newbury Road Club Summer Hill Climb started in the village of Kintbury with 4.4miles of climbing with an average gradient of 3.9%, but at the half way point, 1 mile was at 12.2%. A warm evening (17 degrees) with light rain at the top of the hill, but blustery headwind faced the 9 riders who braved the hill and all achieved good times in testing conditions.

There were 9 entries on the line.

Pos	Rider	Cat	Time	Club
1	Marc Allen	1^st Vet	15min 19.4sec	Swindon Road Club
2	Mark Shepherd	2^nd Vet	15min 54.9sec	Newbury RC
3	Rachael Elliott	1^st Lady	16min 27.9sec	Newbury RC

CORINIUM HILL CLIMB
Sapperton, Gloucestershire

Thursday 1^st September

The Corinium Cycle Club's season ending hill climb was held in the

small Gloucestershire Village of Sapperton on the 0.5 mile 10% climb.

The event took place on a lovely sunny and warm evening.

There were 11 entries on the line.

1. Simon James CC 2.09 1^st Vet

2. Steve Yates CC 2.20

3. Marc Allen SRC 2.23 2^nd Vet

Mid-Devon Hill Climb,
Hay Tor, 3.1 miles, Bovey Tracey, Devon

Saturday 24^th September 2011

The event was held on a sunny warm day at 11am, with a very strong headwind a mile from the finish. It’s a tough 3.1 mile climb, which rises up to a height gain of 335metres with a maximum of 12%. A good field took to the climb, including the 2006 & 2007 National Hill Climb Champion James Dobbin and because of the windy conditions no one came close to beating the course record of 12min 44secs set by Jeff Williams in 1979 at the National Hill climb.

There were 18 entries on the line.

1 Tavis Walker ADEO CADENCE RT 13.59.6

2 James Dobbin ADEO CADENCE RT 14.05.4

3 Paul Jones BRISTOL SOUTH CC 14.38.9

8 Marc Allen SWINDON ROAD CLUB 16.15.3 2^ndVet

Reading CC Open Hill Climb
Streatley, Berkshire, 0.5 mile 16%

Sunday 25th September 2011

At 10am on a sunny and warm morning with no wind, saw a small turnout of riders tackle Streatley Hill on the Oxfordshire/Berkshire border near Reading. The 0.5 mile hill with a height gain of 130m is an infamous climb in the region and was included in the 2008 Tour of Britain. Robert Gough did a fantastic ride to win and achieve a new course record. He was pushed all the way by 2^nd placed 41-year-old Vet Peter Tadros and another Vet, John Storms in 3^rd place.

There were 9 entries on the line.

1	Robert Gough	Adeo Cadence RT	2.16.7 New Course Record
2	Peter Tadros	In Gear Quick Vit Trainsharp RT	2.24.3 1^st Vet
3	John Storms	Kingston Wheelers	2.36.3 2^nd Vet
7	Marc Allen	Swindon Road Club	3.09.3 4th Vet

Severn RC Open Hill Climb
Hinton Hill, Hinton, South Gloucestershire

Saturday 1^st October 2011

Hinton Hill was the venue for the Severn Road Club’s Annual Hill Climb event. Cyclists young and old from around the region gathered on Hinton Common to prepare for the gruelling race against the clock to see who was the fastest on two wheels to go from the start at The Bull’s car park to the top of Hinton Hill.

It was a glorious day, with still conditions and temperatures up to 29 degrees saw a great turn-out to tackle the half mile climb, including the 2006 & 2007 National Hill Climb Champion James Dobbin.

It was a great atmosphere, with the competitors being urged on by the spectators and cow-bells ringing them on their way up the hill. A great New Course Record was set by Robert Gough with a time of 1.47.8 beating last year’s course record of 1.50.8 by Michael Smith.

There were 34 entries on the line.

1	Robert Gough	ADEO Cadence RT	Sen	1.47.8 New Course Record
2	Glyndwr Griffiths	Bristol South CC	Sen	1.57.8
3	James Cartridge	ADEO Cadence RT	Sen	2.02.7
16	Marc Allen	Swindon Road Club	Vet 45	2.25.8 3^rd Vet PB

Chippenham Wheelers Open Hill Climb
Bowden Hill, Lacock, Wiltshire, 1.2 mile

Saturday 2^nd October 2011

At 10am on Bowden Hill, just outside the beautiful National Trust Village of Lacock, Chippenham Wheelers hosted their Annual Hill climb. It was a warm morning with clear skies and little to no wind. A reasonable turn out of riders and spectators took to the hill. Robert Gough won the event with a time of 4min 38seconds, only 7seconds shy of last year’s course record set by Steven Allen.

There were 12 entries on the line.

1	Robert Gough	Adeo Cadence RT	Sen	4.38.28
2	Tom Yeatman	Team Zappi	Sen	4.59.57
3	Glyndwr Griffiths	Bristol South CC	Sen	5.05.75
7	Marc Allen	Swindon Road Club	2^nd Vet	5.26.23 PB

Catford CC ‘Classic’ Hill Climb,
Sunday 9^th October 2011, 0.4 mile

York’s Hill, Goathurst Common, Sevenoaks, Kent

'The oldest continuing cycle race in the world'

At 10am on a damp Sunday morning, this Classic Hill Climb got under way. Early morning rain made the 0.4mile course very slippery under wheel, but when the event started the sun came out and was even warm.

This prestigious event goes back to 1887 and, with the exception of the war years, has been run ever since. Before the formation of the RTTC It was considered to be the ‘Hill Climb Championship of All England’ and still attracts the leading 'Hill-Climb' riders from all over the country. The climb of York’s Hill is 707yards with an average gradient of 12.5%, with two stretches of 25% and a height gain of 92metres. The current record of 1min 47.6 was set by Phil Mason in 1983 and has not been broken in 28 years! This is a sporting spectacle viewed by hundreds who line the route cheering on the efforts of the riders.

There were 103 entries on the line.

1	Robert Gough	Adeo Cadence RT	Sen	1.54.5
2	Glyndwr Griffiths	Bristol South Cycling Club	Sen	2.00.6
3	Matthew Sean Pilkington	Progressive Cycle Coaching Develop	Sen	2.01.1
58	Marc Allen	Swindon Road Club	10^th Vet	2.45.8 PB

Weston Wheelers Open Hill Club
Westclose Hill, Priddy, Somerset, 1.2 miles

Saturday 14^th October 2011

At 2pm on a Saturday afternoon, Weston Wheelers held their Annual Hill Climb event on Westclose Hill, deep in the Mendip hills of Somerset. It was a sunny day, with still conditions and warm temperatures. The event attached 16 riders from around the area including the 2006 & 2007 National Hill Climb Champion James Dobbin. The 1.2 mile hill is tough as the gradient is constantly changing with a couple of 16% sections and a height gain of 172 metres.

Tejvan Pettinger won the event with time of 5min 28sec, but was 28secs off the course record set by Jim Henderson of 5mins in the 2000 National Hill Championship, when the event was held on Westclose Hill.

There were 14 entries on the line.

1	Tejvan Pettinger	Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team	Sen	5.28.3
2	James Dobbin	Adeo Cadence RT	Sen	5.54.7
3	Paul Jones	Bristol South CC	Sen	6.00.7
6	Marc Allen	Swindon Road Club	2nd Ve t	7.01.3 PB

Bristol South CC Open Hill Climb
Burrington Combe, Somerset, 2 miles

Sunday 16^th October 2011

On a bright, warm, sunny morning with a little to no wind saw a good field of riders take to the Hill at Burrington Combe in Somerset near Weston-super-Mare, including the 2006 & 2007 National Hill Climb Champion James Dobbin.

At great New Course Record was set by the winner Tejvan Pettinger in the time of 6min 51secs, beating the previous record by Danny Axford in 2004 of 7min 2secs.

There were 48 entries on the line.

1	Tejvan Pettinger	Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team	S	06:51.0 New Course Record
2	James Dobbin	Adeo Cadence RT	S	07:10.1
3	Tavis Walker	Adeo Cadence RT	S	07:10.2
10	Marc Allen	Swindon Road Club	3^rd Vet	08:20.7 PB

National Hill Climb Championship, 30/10/2011, 4.4 miles
Long Hill, Whaley Bridge, Cheshire

There were 150 entries on the line.

Position	Rider	Club	Time	Cat
1	Gunnar Gronlund	RST Racing Team - Trigon	12:49.0	Sen
2	Richard Handley	Team Raleigh	12:56.1	Sen
3	Matt Clinton	Mike Vaughan Cycles	12:57.5	Sen
83	Marc Allen	Swindon Road Club	15:51.3	20^th Vet

Swindon Road Club