Current GB National Hill Climb Andrew Feather, the pre-race favourite for the annual Exeter Wheelers Hill Climb, duly delivered on a soggy morning for riders, supporters and organisers alike, as he splashed his way through the down-running surface water and up Stoke Woods hill in 4 minutes 23.77 seconds. He was, however, pushed close by Devon roadman George Kimber, who was just a week ago crowned winner of the 5-race Lloyds Bank National Road Series. Today George was only 8 seconds slower than Feather at 4 minutes 31.87 seconds for the 1.2 mile climb. Mid-Devon CC provided the third-placed rider, with young George Watch just three seconds slower than Kimber, on 4 minutes 34.1 seconds.
Highest placed Exeter Wheeler was Tristan Kelsall-Spurr, his 5 minutes 1.68 seconds putting him in 6th place.
Fastest woman was Oxford University CC’s Katrina Tse, with south-west rider Claire Pile (05/03) 18 seconds behind, 6 mins 25.6 versus 6 mins 43.8. Rounding off the podium places in the women’s category at 7 minutes 17.8 seconds was Rachel Goward of the University of Exeter Cycling Club, whilst Rachel’s club mates Libby Bruten and Jodeci Pugsley were 4th and 5th in the women’s rankings.
Today’s weather was . . . . very wet, and many riders noted that they went slower than last year. At sign on time the rain of early morning has dissipated somewhat, it just felt steamy, but unfortunately the rain returned a few minutes before the 10am start, and soon was coming ‘chats et chiens’ as they say at Le Tour de France. It became a challenge for competitors to stay ‘warmed up’ in such conditions. In addition everyone riding was carrying extra weight as clothes and shoes soaked up the warm autumn rain. EWCC’s Dave Wilkinson noted “my shoes now weigh more than my wheels !”.
Last year Dave had a lot of bad luck with illness, which didn’t so much disrupt as wipe out his racing for 2023. His luck now, however, looks to be changing – today it wasn’t his body but his bike that fell ill, as he punctured a few minutes before his start time. Oh dear, having to wrestle a ‘tub’ off the rim, and wrestle a new one on, in the rain . . . . then more stress . . . . “I need a valve key so I can move my valve extender across to the new tub “ … someone kind obliged, Dave persevered, he was given a later start time and managed to get to the top of the hill without his hastily-fitted new tub rolling off. Chapeau, and the non-existent ‘Combativity Prize’ to you Dave. The only way is up etc.
Exeter Wheeler Jon Hare bucked the trend for going slower in the rain, and fresh from a strong performance in a Bristol cyclo-cross race the day before went 4 seconds faster this year than last, 6 minutes 12 versus 6 minutes 16.
EWCC’s Gideon Aroussi took the vets 50+ prize for the 2nd time in a row, 5 minutes 40 seconds, whilst fellow ‘Wheeler Benedict Leger only missed out on the 60+ vet prize by four seconds, 6.16 versus the 6.12 of Tavy Wheeler Tony Symons.
There were 6 DNS and 1 DNF.
It’s nice that we had the presence of the National Hill Climb Champion at our hill climb, and let’s remember that Andrew Feather used to be an Exeter Wheeler; it was in our club colours that he made it up to be an Elite Category road racer. Speaking with the friendly chap that Andrew is afterwards, he told me how much he likes our race – “Nice hill, nice event” – before going on to speak fondly of his years living in Exeter. Andrew now lives in Bath. I asked if he races outside of the hill climb season and he replied “Not really, no, I allow myself to put on a little weight during the winter months, then when the summer comes I slim back down, which I don’t find hard to do. Hill climbs fit well with my life because I don’t have to do long miles, just plenty of hard intervals”. I am sure all EWCC members will wish our ex-club mate all the best in defending his title at the National Hill Climb this year, which will be on a short sharp hill on the edge of the North Pennines at the end of October.
Finally, a mention to Exeter University CC, whose members always provide a strong vocal presence at the EWCC hill climb, cheering on not only their club mates but indeed all riders as they pass the car park towards the top of the hill, though their presence was a little ‘dampened’ today. EUCC are running an Open Hill Climb on Mamhead Hill on Sunday 20th of October – a hill well known to EWCC riders – entry via CTT at https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/27385
Finally Finally, thank you to all EWCC members who ran the event – organiser Andrew Whittemore aided by his wife Thuza, timekeeping/start/finish team of Didier Lebatteux, Ken Evans, Sally Hutter, Mike Rose and Pete Bishop, Ann Owens for photography. Also, Janet and the Hilltop riding school for providing the venue, The Secret Garden for providing refreshments ‐ https://www.facebook.com/secretgardenexe/ and not forgetting Exeter Brewery for providing some bottles of their excellent Avocet organic ale https://theexeterbrewery.co.uk/ for prizes.
Results:
| 1 | Andrew | Feather | HuntBikeWheels.com | Senior | 4:23.77 |
| 2 | George | Kimber | Embark Spirit BSS | Senior | 4:31.87 |
| 3 | George | Watch | Mid Devon Cycling Club | Junior | 4:34.1 |
| 4 | Joe | Dunlop | University of Exeter Cycling Club | Senior | 4:52.6 |
| 5 | Callum | Orchard | Okehampton CC | Espoir | 5:01.07 |
| 6 | Tristan | Kelsall-Spurr | Exeter Whs CC | Senior | 5:01.68 |
| 7 | Jacob | Start | Mid Devon Cycling Club | Youth | 5:11.74 |
| 8 | Lloyd | Copp | Okehampton CC | Senior | 5:13.0 |
| 9 | Daniel | Eastment | 1st Chard Wheelers | Vet 40+ | 5:15.8 |
| 10 | Sam | Nancarrow | Saint Piran | Senior | 5:25.3 |
| 11 | Ben | Turner | Wellington Wheelers Cycling Club | Vet 40+ | 5:25.8 |
| 12 | Thomas | Leger | Brixton Cycles Club | Senior | 5:26.4 |
| 13 | Tim | McEvoy | FTP ( Fulfil The Potential ) Race Team | Vet 40+ | 5:27.1 |
| 14 | Joshua | Snow | Mid Devon Cycling Club | Junior | 5:34.9 |
| 15 | Gideon | Aroussi | Exeter Whs CC | Vet 50+ | 5:40.5 |
| 16 | Russell | Powell | Sid Valley CC | Vet 40+ | 5:43.1 |
| 17 | Jasper | Threadingham | Oxford University CC | Senior | 5:51.33 |
| 18 | Michael | Watson | Exeter Whs CC | Senior | 5:51.7 |
| 19 | Ross | Clarke | University of Exeter Cycling Club | Senior | 5:54.9 |
| 20 | Chris | Barrett | Mid Devon Cycling Club | Vet 40+ | 5:59.7 |
| 21 | Jon | Hare | Exeter Whs CC | Vet 40+ | 6:12.0 |
| 22 | Tony | Symons | Tavistock Whs CC | Vet 60+ | 6:12.1 |
| 23 | Ben | Picton | Mid Devon Cycling Club | Youth | 6:13.1 |
| 24 | Benedict | Leger | Exeter Whs CC | Vet 60+ | 6:16.1 |
| 25 | Katrina | Tse | Oxford University CC | Female Senior | 6:25.6 |
| 26 | Jack | Middleton | University of Exeter Cycling Club | Espoir | 6:31.6 |
| 27 | Graham | Turner | Exeter Whs CC | Vet 50+ | 6:43.0 |
| 28 | Lee | Mallen | Revo Racing | Vet 40+ | 6:43.7 |
| 29 | Claire | Pile | 05/03 | Female Senior | 6:43.8 |
| 30 | Diogo | Pacheco | Exeter Whs CC | Vet 40+ | 6:47.4 |
| 31 | Mike | Egan | 1st Chard Wheelers | Vet 60+ | 6:57.2 |
| 32 | Aaron | Lawrence | Exeter Whs CC | Senior | 6:58.0 |
| 33 | James | Powell | Exeter Whs CC | Vet 40+ | 7:11.8 |
| 34 | Rachel | Goward | University of Exeter Cycling Club | Female Espoir | 7:17.8 |
| 35 | David | Wilkinson | Exeter Whs CC | Vet 60+ | 7:21.2 |
| 36 | Libby | Bruten | University of Exeter Cycling Club | Female Espoir | 7:31.3 |
| 37 | Dean | Wickett | Launceston Velo | Vet 40+ | 7:52.1 |
| 38 | Wilf | Chun | Exeter Whs CC | Senior | 7:58.7 |
| 39 | Jodeci | Pugsley | University of Exeter Cycling Club | Female Senior | 8:01.9 |
| 40 | Keane | Powell | Exeter Whs CC | Senior | 8:26.3 |