Emma Serjeant clinched second place overall in the SCCA Hill Climb Series to Join Sam Holwill, Rebecca Richardson and Ian Coe who secured their first places in category last week.
County medals and trophies will be handed out at the SCCA Presentation on 27th November at Ellerdine Village Hall. Club runs arrive from 11am onwards for a social, hot food and drinks before the presentation takes place at noon. Hopefully the club will be supporting this and putting on a club ride, news to follow
Full Race report – Courtesy of Dave Fletcher SCCA
Newport Shropshire CC Bridge Road Hill Climb
Riders heard the Clarion call for the final event of The Coaching Revolutions Hill Climb Series with members of the National Clarion Cycling Club joining in to make it a record entry and a carnival atmosphere for Newport Shropshire CC’s climb of Bridge Road. Starting outside D’Arcy’s on the Broseley side of the Ironbridge, the 44 rider field tackled the tricky 3/4 mile climb towards Broseley, with Rhino Velo RT’s Matt Garthwaite posting a huge winning margin of 25 seconds.
Garthwaite has been runner-up three times in this Series but finally took a maiden win at the death in a fine time of 3 minutes 13 seconds – and after an early start had an agonising wait for a big part of the field to finish before he could be sure. He explained: “I am really pleased to finally take a win in the Series. I had a nail biting wait as I left the event to do the Hafren Cyclo-Cross in Newtown. I was very surprised to win by such a margin, so I must have paced it well. Thanks to Newport CC for putting on the best round of the Series“.
But little did Garthwaite know the event had been in some doubt the previous evening with a road closure notice appearing at the foot of the climb. After a morning’s torrential rain contractors evidently thought better of it removing the sign – just before the sun broke through in time for the 11am start.
Garthwaite’s closest challenge came from Wolverhampton Wheeler Matt Morris in 3:38, but of the County’s riders it was Garthwaite’s team mate Chris Pook who made it a County 1-2 for Rhino Velo, a feature of this Series. Pook made a late decision to ride as the weather cleared and stopped the watch in an excellent 3:42. He commented: “It was my first time up the climb and it had a nasty sting three-quarter’s of the way up. I almost didn’t come due to the poor weather, so chuffed I made the effort as the sun came out. Congrats to Kirk for Series win and Matt for taking the win by a big margin“!
Pook’s comments were about team mate Kirk Vickers, who sealed the Series in round 7 a week earlier – one of only three from 12 medals settled before this final event. Garthwaite captured overall Silver on the strength of his fine effort, but like Pook another rider who almost didn’t turn up had double reason to celebrate. Hafren CC’s Ian Coe had already sealed Veteran’s Gold, but made it a brace by adding overall Bronze to his palmarès. Coe was fastest County Veteran on the day with a fabulous effort of 3:44, which also earned him 16 points for third County rider overall.
Coe explained the reason for his potential absence in a Series he has thoroughly enjoyed, entering all eight rounds: “I so nearly didn’t take part following a puncture on a descent in training on Wednesday resulting in a crash and a heavy fall. This was my favourite climb of the Series and a great turn out. Having taken Bronze overall I’m now pleased to have made the effort. Hafren CC’s team effort throughout the categories is the biggest reward though. Thanks to Newport for a great event“.
Coe’s comments about his team mates shows the level of participation from his club in this Series. With Rebecca Richardson already having earned Ladies Gold in the minimum five rounds thanks to dominant performances the destination of Junior Gold was also heading West with 12 year-old Sam Holwill squeezing out Devon Round into the Junior Silver position by four points. When told of his win Holwill stated: “I am very pleased to have won the Junior Hill Climb Series because it is my first year riding hill climbs. I am proud to have been one of the three Hafren CC members to have won a category and I will try to defend my title next year”.
Throughout the Series Coe has had close battles with Ian Coupland and Stuart Proctor, and it was those two riders who took the remaining medals in the Veteran’s Series with Coupland taking Silver and Proctor the Bronze. Both riders put in excellent efforts on the Bridge Road climb with Mid Shropshire Wheelers’ Coupland just stretching his advantage over Proctor to six points thanks to a 3:58 effort with Proctor on 4:04. Coupland stated: “It has been an enjoyable Series, thanks to all the clubs and helpers. A great climb and a good atmosphere with other clubs from around the Country taking part. I was pleased with the extra bonus of picking up Veteran’s Silver“.
Proctor was effusive in his post-race comments adding: “It is a wicked climb, but incredible support all the way up helped so much! I’m chuffed with Bronze, chapeau again to both Ian’s on such a great Series. An amazing morning out there, especially considering what we woke up to! The Climb was actually okay, it helped that I’d been out in the week, although I hit the first corner far too fast and had to brake, losing loads of momentum. Still, I paced it enough to give it some at the top. The whole Series has been fantastic, it has been really great to be a part of it, and I’m so pleased to get Veteran’s Bronze. Thanks to everyone at SCCA and all the clubs involved for the organisation, I will definitely be back next year“.
This left three medals to resolve, with Newport’s Charlie Fisher helping himself to Junior Bronze thanks to a fine climb of 4:06 – but it nearly wasn’t so. Fisher had a spill scoping out the climb and was sore and battered, but still able to compete. He explained: “I was really pleased to even be able to start! I got knocked off my bike by a child after trying out the hill. A pure accident, but I was a bit knocked about. Not sure if it affected my ride, maybe the adrenalin helped“!
Meanwhile in the Ladies it was a tie for the Silver medal with Ludlow Brewery RT’s Heulwen Gilbert level with another Hafren CC rider, Emma Serjeant. When told of their win Gilbert commented: “I really enjoyed doing hill climbs, I’ll definitely do the whole league next year, as it’s good fun and really good training for my MTB racing and keeping fit at the end of the season”. Serjeant added: “A nice surprise coming joint second. I love/hate hill climbs! Great support and encouragement from Hafren CC. I will definitely look to do more of the Series next year”.
Result:
| Pos’n | Name | Club | Cat | Time | Points |
| 1 | Matt Garthwaite | Rhino Velo RT | S | 3:13 | 20 |
| 2 | Matt Morris | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 3:38 | |
| =3 | Chris Pook | Rhino Velo RT | S | 3:42 | 18 |
| =3 | Joseph Cadwallader | Bury Clarion | V | 3:42 | |
| =5 | David Stammers | Bury Clarion | S | 3:44 | |
| =5 | Ian Coe | Hafren CC | V | 3:44 | 16 |
| 7 | Francis Woodcock | Bury Clarion | J | 3:49 | |
| 8 | Mark Spruce | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 3:51 | |
| 9 | Matt Gibbons | Nova Raiders | S | 3:53 | 14 |
| 10 | David Grindley | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 3:55 | |
| 11 | Ian Coupland | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | V | 3:58 | 12 |
| 12 | Jack Levick | Tuxford Clarion | S | 4:00 | |
| 13 | Stuart Proctor | Paramount CRT | V | 4:04 | 10 |
| 14 | Charlie Fisher | Newport Shropshire CC | J | 4:06 | 8 |
| 15 | Richard Sadyer | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 4:10 | |
| 16 | Steven Butterworth | Saddleworth Clarion | V | 4:11 | |
| 17 | Andy Maxwell | Nova Raiders | S | 4:12 | 6 |
| 18 | Matt Hacker | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 4:16 | |
| 19 | Mark Primmer | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 4:18 | |
| 20 | Steven White | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 4:27 | |
| 21 | Amy Ogden | Tuxford Clarion | L | 4:30 | |
| 22 | Ian Clarke | Tuxford Clarion | V | 4:31 | |
| 23 | Lachlan Hacker | North Cheshire Clarion | J | 4:34 | |
| 24 | Paul McClearey | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 4:35 | |
| =25 | Grace Lister | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | LJ | 4:36 | |
| =25 | Robbie Cooper | Ironbridge Clarion | J | 4:36 | |
| 27 | Alex Berg | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | S | 4:47 | |
| 28 | Paul Evans | Newport Shropshire CC | V | 4:49 | 4 |
| 29 | Gaby Homer | Team 22 | LJ | 5:01 | |
| =30 | Alan Price | Newport Shropshire CC | V | 5:02 | 2 |
| =30 | Robert Wade | Ironbridge Clarion | V | 5:02 | |
| =30 | Tim Evans | Newport Shropshire CC | V | 5:02 | 2 |
| 33 | Sebastian Grinbury | North Cheshire Clarion | J | 5:06 | |
| 34 | Jeff Cooper | Ironbridge Clarion | V | 5:10 | |
| 35 | Ian Kilroy | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 5:13 | |
| 36 | Nigel Hodgkinson | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 5:15 | |
| 37 | Tim Nelson | Newport Shropshire CC | V | 5:26 | 2 |
| 38 | Adam McClearey | North Cheshire Clarion | J | 5:44 | |
| 39 | Avril McClearey | North Cheshire Clarion | LV | 6:19 | |
| 40 | Claire Whitworth | North Cheshire Clarion | LV | 6:23 | |
| 41 | Tom May | North Cheshire Clarion | J | 6:43 | |
| 42 | A Southern | London Clarion | S | 7:01 | |
| 43 | Martin Perfect | London Clarion | V | 7:24 | |
| 44 | James Roberts | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 8:27 |
Veteran’s Result:
| Vets Pos’n | Name | Club | Cat | Time | Vets Points |
| 1 | Matt Morris | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 3:38 | |
| 2 | Joseph Cadwallader | Bury Clarion | V | 3:42 | |
| 3 | Ian Coe | Hafren CC | V | 3:44 | 20 |
| 4 | Mark Spruce | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 3:51 | |
| 5 | David Grindley | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 3:55 | |
| 6 | Ian Coupland | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | V | 3:58 | 18 |
| 7 | Stuart Proctor | Paramount CRT | V | 4:04 | 16 |
| 8 | Richard Sadyer | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 4:10 | |
| 9 | Steven Butterworth | Saddleworth Clarion | V | 4:11 | |
| 10 | Matt Hacker | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 4:16 | |
| 11 | Mark Primmer | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 4:18 | |
| 12 | Steven White | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | V | 4:27 | |
| 13 | Ian Clarke | Tuxford Clarion | V | 4:31 | |
| 14 | Paul McClearey | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 4:35 | |
| 15 | Paul Evans | Newport Shropshire CC | V | 4:49 | 14 |
| 16 | Alan Price | Newport Shropshire CC | V | 5:02 | 12 |
| 16 | Tim Evans | Newport Shropshire CC | V | 5:02 | 12 |
| 16 | Robert Wade | Ironbridge Clarion | V | 5:02 | |
| 19 | Jeff Cooper | Ironbridge Clarion | V | 5:10 | |
| 20 | Ian Kilroy | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 5:13 | |
| 21 | Nigel Hodgkinson | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 5:15 | |
| 22 | Tim Nelson | Newport Shropshire CC | V | 5:26 | 8 |
| 23 | Avril McClearey | North Cheshire Clarion | LV | 6:19 | |
| 24 | Claire Whitworth | North Cheshire Clarion | LV | 6:23 | |
| 25 | Martin Perfect | London Clarion | V | 7:24 | |
| 26 | James Roberts | North Cheshire Clarion | V | 8:27 |
Junior Result:
| Junior Pos’n | Name | Club | Cat | Time | Junior Points |
| 1 | Francis Woodcock | Bury Clarion | J | 3:49 | |
| 2 | Charlie Fisher | Newport Shropshire CC | J | 4:06 | 20 |
| 3 | Lachlan Hacker | North Cheshire Clarion | J | 4:34 | |
| =4 | Grace Lister | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | LJ | 4:36 | |
| =4 | Robbie Cooper | Ironbridge Clarion | J | 4:36 | |
| 6 | Gaby Homer | Team 22 | LJ | 5:01 | |
| 7 | Sebastian Grinbury | North Cheshire Clarion | J | 5:06 | |
| 8 | Adam McClearey | North Cheshire Clarion | J | 5:44 | |
| 9 | Tom May | North Cheshire Clarion | J | 6:43 |
Ladies Result:
| Ladies Pos’n | Name | Club | Cat | Time | Ladies Points |
| 1 | Amy Ogden | Tuxford Clarion | L | 4:30 | |
| 2 | Grace Lister | Wolverhampton Wheelers CC | LJ | 4:36 | |
| 3 | Gaby Homer | Team 22 | LJ | 5:01 | |
| 4 | Avril McClearey | North Cheshire Clarion | LV | 6:19 | |
| 5 | Claire Whitworth | North Cheshire Clarion | LV | 6:23 |
Final cumulative standings after eight rounds
Overall Top 10:
| Position | Name | Club | Cat | Best 5 |
| 1 | Kirk Vickers | Rhino Velo RT | S | 96 |
| 2 | Matt Garthwaite | Rhino Velo RT | S | 90 |
| 3 | Ian Coe | Hafren CC | V | 76 |
| 4 | Matt Davies | Rhino Velo RT | S | 68 |
| 5 | Chris Roberts | Hafren CC | S | 64 |
| 6 | Ian Coupland | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | V | 62 |
| 7 | Devon Round | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | J | 52 |
| 8 | Stuart Proctor | Paramount CRT | V | 42 |
| 9 | Daniel Watts | SCCA Private Member | S | 38 |
| =10 | Chris Pook | Rhino Velo RT | S | 30 |
| =10 | Rebecca Richardson | Hafren CC | L | 30 |
Veteran’s Top 10:
| Position | Name | Club | Best 5 |
| 1 | Ian Coe | Hafren CC | 100 |
| 2 | Ian Coupland | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 90 |
| 3 | Stuart Proctor | Paramount CRT | 84 |
| 4 | Mike Holwill | Hafren CC | 62 |
| 5 | Tim Evans | Newport Shropshire CC | 48 |
| 6 | Ian Pollard | Nova Raiders | 34 |
| 7 | Bryn Davies | Hafren CC | 28 |
| =8 | Richard Kay | North Shropshire Wheelers | 20 |
| =8 | Simon Ward | Ludlow Brewery RT | 20 |
| =10 | Andy Rose | Nova Raiders | 16 |
| =10 | Neil Coles | Oswestry Paragon CC | 16 |
| =10 | Tim Nelson | Newport Shropshire CC | 16 |
Juniors Top 10:
| Position | Name | Club | Best 5 |
| 1 | Sam Holwill | Hafren CC | 84 |
| 2 | Devon Round | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 80 |
| 3 | Charley Fisher | Newport Shropshire CC | 20 |
| =4 | Matthew Redworth | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 18 |
| =4 | Max Gibbons | Ludlow Brewery RT | 18 |
| =4 | Sam Morris | Revolutions Racing | 18 |
| =7 | James Satoor | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 16 |
| =7 | William Jones | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 16 |
| =9 | Ben Vernon | Wrekinsport CC | 14 |
| =9 | Jack Young | Oswestry Paragon CC | 14 |
| =9 | Lewis Page | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 14 |
| =9 | William Hints | Ludlow CC | 14 |
Ladies Standings:
| Position | Name | Club | Best 5 |
| 1 | Rebecca Richardson | Hafren CC | 100 |
| =2 | Heulwen Gilbert | Ludlow Brewery RT | 18 |
| =2 | Emma Serjeant | Hafren CC | 18 |