The southern hill climb season kicked off with Reading CC’s open 2-stage event in the neighbouring villages of Goring and Streatley and won by James Hayward
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Result: Reading CC 2 Stage Hill Climb
The southern hill climb season kicked off on Sunday with Reading CC’s open 2-stage event, held on the Berkshire and Oxfordshire borders in the neighbouring villages of Goring and Streatley.
The quality of rider in this event is always high, with the top 3 from last year all making the top 10 in the end of season national. This 2-stage event is an excellent test of all-round hill climbing ability. Richard Gildea (Didcot Phoenix CC) took first blood with the only sub 5 minute ride on the roadman’s climb of Goring Hill, stopping the clock at 4.59. James Hayward (Woolwich CC), event runner up from 2016, was 6 seconds behind with 5.05.
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Streatley Hill, the toughest climb in the area and one of the toughest in the south of England, was the venue for the second stage. James Hayward took revenge, winning in a time of 2.22. His advantage over Richard Gildea was 12 seconds, and with this he took first place overall in a combined time of 7.27.
Thomas Robb (Bedfordshire Road RT) was fastest veteran, whilst Matt Grey (Spokes BPC Racing) won a close-fought battle with Jacques Coates (Performance Cycles CC) for the junior award. Oliver Bridgewood (Spokes BPC Racing), aka Mr ‘Project 49’, commenced his ‘Project hill climb’ riding a super-light road bike to 8th place. He would certainly have won the prize for the lightest bike and looks determined to climb up the result boards with more hill climbing experience behind him.
Event organiser Stewart House (Arctic Tacx RT) grovelled up the Goring climb with his team-mate and tandem partner, Paul Gaida, in a time of 6.31, to set a benchmark tandem time.
Tandem
1 Stewart House Arctic Tacx RT (tandem) 06:31.0 06:31.0
1 Paul Gaida Arctic Tacx RT (tandem)
Solo
1 James Hayward Woolwich CC 05:05.0 02:22.0 07:27.0
2 Richard Gildea Didcot Phoenix CC 04:59.0 02:34.0 07:33.0
3 Joe Norledge Bristol South Cycling Club 05:23.0 02:34.0 07:57.0
4 David Ross LFGSS 05:22.0 02:41.0 08:03.0
5 Daniel Watts Royal Air Force Cycling Association 05:20.0 02:48.0 08:08.0
6 Tom Fricker Farnham RC 05:30.0 02:43.0 08:13.0
7 Tom Bolton Cowley Road Condors CC 05:28.0 02:51.0 08:19.0
8 Oliver Bridgewood Spokes BPC Racing 05:31.0 03:04.0 08:35.0
9 Thomas Robb Bedfordshire Road RT 05:40.0 03:00.0 08:40.0
10 James Scrivener Reading CC 05:52.0 02:52.0 08:44.0
11 Tom Haines East London Velo 05:42.0 03:08.0 08:50.0
12 Matthew Grey Spokes BPC Racing 05:39.0 03:11.0 08:50.0
13 Andy Hibberd North Hampshire RC 05:52.0 03:00.0 08:52.0
14 Ian Middleton Reading CC 05:44.0 03:14.0 08:58.0
15 Jacques Coates Performance Cycles CC 05:46.0 03:17.0 09:03.0
16 Matt Harvey Walden Velo 05:54.0 03:17.0 09:11.0
17 Richard Parrotte Shaftesbury CC 06:28.0 03:29.0 09:57.0
18 Scott Nielsen Cleveland Wheelers CC 06:54.0 03:32.0 10:26.0
19 Philip Watts North Hampshire RC 06:43.0 04:02.0 10:45.0
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