The Beacon Message Board

RESULTS Hill Climb Championships 9th Semptember 2012

Almost perfect conditions and a fantastic turnout, with some very good times. Well done Paddy the new Hill Climb Champion.

Good times from Carl and John and from our younger members: Ed, Greg and Harry

Thanks to Brian Botfield for organising the event; to Neil Hotchin and Ann Cole for help with the timkeeping and John Notter for pushing off.

Great to see so many spectators

Dave

Rider Club time
Paddy Allaway Beacon RCC 00:03:22 .7
Carl Williams Beacon RCC 00:03:35 .6
John Hitchcock Beacon RCC 00:03:38 .5
Ed Siverton Beacon RCC 00:03:49 .8
Bryan Healy Halesowen ACC 00:03:51 .0
Greg Dighton Beacon RCC 00:03:53 .5
Simon Dighton Beacon RCC 00:03:56 .8
John Bills Solihull CC 00:04:04 .4
Nic Vipond Beacon RCC 00:04:04 .6
Martin McGowan Beacon RCC 00:04:07 .8
Gary MacKintosh Beacon RCC 00:04:08 .8
Neil Compton Beacon RCC 00:04:12 .0
Mark Farley Private 00:04:27 .5
Oliver Dighton Beacon RCC 00:04:28 .6
Richard Leaper Beacon RCC 00:04:30 .2
Harry Gardner Beacon RCC 00:04:30 .5
Laurence Cooley Beacon RCC 00:04:36 .1
Steve Morton Beacon RCC 00:04:58 .0
Brian Botfield Beacon RCC 00:04:59 .3
Chris Hudson Beacon RCC 00:05:04 .7
Sam Dighton Beacon RCC 00:05:14 .3
Simon Walker Beacon RCC 00:05:49 .0

The end of an era.

Congratulations to all.

Congratulations to all, especially Paddy and Carl. Condolences to John Hitchcock who came third after dominating this event for 17(?) years - an astonishing record that may never be repeated

Well done Paddy (and Carl); it took 2 cracking times to depose John from the top.
And well done to Ed, Greg and Harry for some great times too - there might be a future winner in amongst those three (and not just of the hill climb).
Thanks to Dave, John, Brian and everyone else who helped out, and the rest of you for a great Championships.
And thanks to the "weather gods" for a beautiful morning!
I understand Nic and maybe 1 or 2 others were delayed by a car heading down the route, and Harry missed his starting point through no fault of his own - anyone on here know more?

Thanks everyone - organisers, competitors and spectators - for making what was my first ever time trial this morning so much fun. I was just aiming to break 5:00, so was really pleased with my 4:36 time. Having studied previous years' results, it seems to have been quite a fast event overall this year!

laurence_cooley wrote:Thanks everyone - organisers, competitors and spectators - for making what was my first ever time trial this morning so much fun. I was just aiming to break 5:00, so was really pleased with my 4:36 time. Having studied previous years' results, it seems to have been quite a fast event overall this year!

It's amazing how quickly we forget the pain isn't it?
Well done, and to Martin for getting close to the 4-minute barrier! Yeah lots of people have improved a lot this year, most notably Ed who's seen a lot of hard work pay off, and not just at the hill climb. Hard to believe the same rider did a 6:24 last year!

My first one too, great photos via the link, it really captures the moment, possible when some shouted 'dig deep', I though 6ft feels about right. It wasn't the length or gradient of the hill that was the problem more the width as I wobbled from side to side. Nevertheless, great fun, I'm now looking for some replacement lungs and the wife thinks I have become a secret smoker, still hacking away periodically. Thanks to Brian, Dave and other helpers and Vince for leading the post cafe, 'cool down' 30 mile run.

rdleaper wrote:It's amazing how quickly we forget the pain isn't it?

I do remember thinking half-way up that I never wanted to ride that hill ever again, and the post-climb cough is a good reminder.

laurence_cooley wrote: I do remember thinking half-way up that I never wanted to ride that hill ever again, and the post-climb cough is a good reminder.

Yeah and how many people have vowed not to drink ever again during a hangover? You'll be back for more next year, and so will I! Our memories are too short

Some great times all around this year, congratulations to all - especially to Paddy on the win. The support on the climb really does make you dig that bit deeper than you thought you could. Thanks to all, especially the organisers & helpers.

Thanks to all involved for a great but painful morning, I'm glad I'm not the only one still coughing. Thanks to Ed for some quality photography!

Massive well done to Ed S. Last to 4th and nearly 4 min quicker in 12 months.

Well done Carl. I had to dig very deep because I knew you were just behind me!

I rode up the hill as quick as I could but victory is tinged with a little sadness. I didn't really want to be the one to beat Jon Hitchcock. Massive respect to a great rider and champion. I certainly am nowhere near good enough to win 17 in a row. Sorry John.
Paddy

Well I'm glad that's over with.
Paddy, huge congratulations on a time that to me is just unbelievable -massive respect.
Carl mate, brilliant time hugely deserved.

I'm so pleased for Ed. His hard work and dedication over the last year is evident in his appearance let alone his great time. I hope this success gives him the encouragement to carry on.

As for John I seriously think he should be allowed to keep the current trophy and we start afresh with a new one. Paddy's gracious words say it all.

Well done all and thanks for the shouts on the way up.

Well done Paddy and echoing many others, commiserations to John - you went down fighting. I never realised you'd held the trophy for that long; an incredible achievement. Ditto Nic's comment.
I turned myself inside out today and never thought I'd ride a 3:35. Oh well there's always next year…
And thanks for all the organisers today, and Ed's brilliant photos.

Well done to Paddy and Carl, John may have lost but he's still a Beacon hill climb legend. And great to see quite a few young riders taking part and producing really good times including the Dighton clan, how many are there ?

Grats to the new Hill Climb champ.

Was great having all the shouts of encouragement but racing up that hill is always a blur. As close to having an out of body experience as i can imagine.

Well done all, especially to the new champ and also the deposed one.

Thanks to everyone for their concern for me losing the hill climb championship and their congratulations for the numerous previous wins, I like the term "legendary status", but I have to congratulate both Paddy and Carl. It was a fast day yesterday, overall there were some good times, but Paddy's 3.22 on this the longest version of the course was a truly excellent time. Both he and Carl were clearly very determined to win, and both must have dug deep to produce the times that they did.

It was about time someone younger in the club took the championship from me, so well done Paddy.

So do I bow out gracefully, or do I try again next year? I have lost the championship many times before, but always come back. Is it the end of an era?

Scratch wrote:T

So do I bow out gracefully,

...certainly not. You'll be back for sure.

Great race yesterday, really fast and big congrats to Paddy (stunning time), John and Carl. Never seen or heard so much support either which really made it even more of an event than usual and of course many thanks to everyone that made it possible.

yeah john youll win it again you've just got to keep yourself fit like Ryan giggs, 40 yr old footballing legend stilling playing for man utd

Full marks to Ed with that incredible PB means he scoops maximum points on the hill climb. Paddy's monster effort yielded second place with the rest of us all lagging. Carl set a high hurdle on the previous week's HC which set his standard for this one.

HC1 09-Sep-12
Ed Silverton 3.49 2.00 1.49 40
Paddy Allaway 3.23 1.30 1.53 39
Nic Vipond 4.04 1.30 2.34 38
Martin McGowan 4.07 1.30 2.37 37
Neil Compton 4.12 1.20 2.52 36
John Hitchcock 3.38 0.45 2.53 35
Gary Mackintosh 4.08 1.14 2.54 34
Simon Dighton 3.56 1.01 2.55 33
Richard Leaper 4.30 1.30 3.00 32
Carl Williams 3.35 0.30 3.05 31
Brian Botfield 4.59 1.45 3.14 30
Steve Morton 4.58 1.30 3.28 29
Chris Hudson 5.04 1.10 3.54 28

Simon, I did a 5:04.9 last year; doesn't that count for handicaps?

Sorry Richard. You are quite right that should count, I had missed on my table from last year. Apologies and corrected scores which take you significantly up the table for the hill climb. Will also go and correct the final tables.

Ed Silverton 3.49 2.00 1.49 40
Paddy Allaway 3.23 1.30 1.53 39
Richard Leaper 4.30 2.04 2.26 38
Nic Vipond 4.04 1.30 2.34 37
Martin McGowan 4.07 1.30 2.37 36
Neil Compton 4.12 1.20 2.52 35
John Hitchcock 3.38 0.45 2.53 34
Gary Mackintosh 4.08 1.14 2.54 33
Simon Dighton 3.56 1.01 2.55 32
Carl Williams 3.35 0.30 3.05 31
Brian Botfield 4.59 1.45 3.14 30
Steve Morton 4.58 1.30 3.28 29
Chris Hudson 5.04 1.10 3.54 28