Favourable conditions and superb athletes combined to make the course records tumble at the 2018 edition of the Velo Club Walcot Hill Climb.
The largest ever turnout of competitors fought it out on the half-mile hill between the village of Claverton and the American Museum, Bath on the afternoon of Sunday 30th September 2018. Now in its tenth year, the event is organised under the rules of Cycling Time Trials (CTT) for all categories legal to race on the open road. Which means there were riders in Juveniles from age 14, Juniors from 16, Seniors, Veterans and club teams, all for both men and women.
Results
Juvenile Girls’ podium
1st – Laura Curle – Liv CC Halo Cycles – 3:14.9
2nd – Ellie Wallbaum – Avid Sport – 3:25.6
3rd – Isobel Crowther – Avid Sport – 3:46.5
The girls’podium (left to right) 3rd Isobel Crowther, 2nd Ellie Wallbaum, 1st Laura Curle
Juvenile Boys’ podium
1st – Jenson Harris – Avid Sport – 2:44.1
2nd – Dylan Cherruault – Avid Sport – 3:02.0
Avid Sport with Jenson and Dylan first and second in Boy’s Juveniles
Women’s Team Prize
Avid Sport (Lauren Johnston and Kate Baker) – 5:51.1
And the Women’s Team with Lauren and Kate was won by Avid Sport, too
Men’s Team Prize
Bristol South CC (Joe Norledge, Rob Borek and Adam Whitehead) – 6:34.5
The victorious men’s senior team from Bristol South CC
Fastest VC Walcot member for the Angus McKendrick Trophy
Charles Coleman – 2:25.6
Charles Coleman won the Angus McKendrick trophy for fastest Walcot member
Fastest Veteran
Glyndwr Griffiths – 2:04.5
VC Walcot Chairman John Lakin (left) hands Glyndwr Griffiths the cash for first veteran
Fastest Junior
Morgan Curle – Giant CC Halo Films – 2:08.6
Morgan Curle won fastest Junior Male
Students’ podium
1st – Daniel Colman – Pembrokeshire Velo – 2:13.5
2nd – Charlie Lacaille – St Pauls CRT – 2:20.7
3rd – Michael Beech – Matlock CC – 2:21.0
The students’ podium
Women’s podium
1st – Emily Slavin – University of Bath CC – 2:46.6 (NEW COURSE RECORD by 7.2 seconds)
2nd – Lauren Johnston – Avid Sport – 2:53.3
3rd – Kate Baker – Kate Baker – 2:57.8
Left to right, Lauren Johnstone 2nd, Emily Slavin 1st, Kate Baker 3rd
Men’s podium
1st – Andrew Feather – BCR Racing – 1:59.8 (NEW COURSE RECORD by 4.8 seconds)
2nd – Glyndwr Griffiths – 73 Degrees – WestSide Coaching – 2:04.5
3rd – Josh Coyne – Okehampton CC – 2:05.0
Full and official CTT results are here, and for the Under 15s here
Organiser Felix Young of Avid Sport was fulsome in his praise for the standard of competition and the general turnout on a magnificent autumnal Sunday afternoon, “Thanks to all who raced and to the spectators for creating an awesome atmosphere as ever. Records were tumbling all over the place, so congratulations to the leaders and the standard of competition throughout the field has never been higher.”
A little lie down is inevitably needed after a little over two minutes of maximum effort up Claverton Hill
VC Walcot is grateful to Cadence Bike Shop on Chelsea Road, Bath for providing superb prizes of Moon premium LED/USB bike lights, High5 sports nutrition products and Cadence drinking bottles and cycling caps across all the categories.
Also a huge thank-you to the official CTT timekeepers Dennis Davis and and Andy Greatwood.
Thanks also to these great photographers whose pics are available below, free to use with credit:
The University of Bath Sports Hall cafe terrace provided the HQ venue, Anthony Grimley took the picture.
