Streatley wins for Jones and Kidson
Reigning National Hill-Climb Champion Bithja Jones returned to the scene of her title win last year to slice another chunk of time off her course record, while Darren Kidson was fastest overall at the Reading CC climb of Streatley Hill in Berkshire.
Jones, the 41-year-old from Reading who won last year’s national title in a time of 2-47.9, sliced over six seconds from that time with the course having been resurfaced and conditions being favourable.
Her time of 2-41.2 for the 0.475-mile Streatley Hill climb was more than a minute ahead of the second-placed woman in Vikki Filsell (BellVelo CC) and bodes well for the rest of the hill-climb season for Jones.
Overall winner Darren Kidson (Onyx RT) covered the distance in 2-27.3 to win by a little over three seconds from impressive 14-year-old Finlay Hawker (VC Londres) who set a new course record for juveniles, while third went to Calvin Cheung (Hub Velo) in 2-33.8.
Jones has plenty of rides lined up as she prepares to defend her national title, starting next Saturday with the Team Swindon Cycles/Swindon Wheelers climbs and followed up with the CC Basingstoke event on Sunday.
Meanwhile Kidson isn’t down to ride any open time trials next weekend, but is hoping to get a ride in the Kingston Wheelers climb of Leith Hill on September 18.
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.
Results:
Women:
1st Bithja Jones Pankhurst Cycles 02:41.2
2nd Vikki Filsell BellaVelo CC 03:52.2
3rd Kathryn Alty Kingston Wheelers CC 03:56.5
Men:
1st: Darren Kidson Onyx RT 02:27.3
2nd: Finlay Hawker VC de Londres 02:30.9
3rd: Calvin Cheung Hub Velo 02:33.8