Andy Cunningham and Eline Smit were fastest male and female riders respectively as the Sussex Nomads CC staged the penultimate hill-climb of the season on Ditchling Beacon near Westmeston on Sunday.

Cunningham (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) clocked 4-19.5 to take a convincing victory by almost 18 seconds from VC Londres’ Finlay Hawkey, while Daniel Pink (Bigfoot CC) was third fastest overall.

And Smit (Laka x Pedal Mafia Race Team) was 6.8 seconds faster than the second-placed female. Smit clocked 6-15.9 for the 1576-yard course to hold off Iona Mitchell (Brixton Cycles Club) while Mitchell’s team-mate Nikki Ray took third, another six seconds off the pace.

Riders faced 30mph headwinds as they crested the summit as well as rain, and the female competitors particularly faced a heavy downpour during their part of the competition.

In other categories Hawker was also the fastest junior, being 4.4 seconds better than Ben Neal (LVC Racing) who took the prize under the ‘one rider one prize’ ruling, while VC Londres’ Harry Woodhouse was third junior/juvenile boy.

Sussex Revolution Velo rider Chris Barker was the best veteran overall by 0.9 seconds while Brighton Mitre’s Robb Cunningham was second and Steve Coombs (Sussex Revolution) was third.

The prize for the fastest female veterans on overall time went to Claire Lowe (4T+ Cyclopark in 7-16.8 which was around 12 seconds better than Amelia Culshaw (Brighton Phoenix) in third, while Miz Halliday of the promoting Sussex Nomads CC) was third.

Petersfield Tri Club rider Kate Stillwell won the prize for most improved rider with 6-17.7, improving by 46.5 seconds, while Graham Rees (Sussex Nomads) improved by 15.3 seconds, his 2022 time being 7-00.2.

This was a sixth open hill-climb win of 2022 for Cunningham who was 11th in the National Championships last weekend.

This event was Eline Smit’s fourth open hill-climb of the season, and her first victory having finished second fastest female at both Brighton Mitre CC climbs on October 8 as well as in the Sussex CA event on October 1.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

Results:

Men:

1. Andy Cunningham (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli)            4:19.5

2. Finlay Hawker (VC Londres)         4:37.4

3. Daniel Park (Bigfoot CC)   4:39.4

4. Ben Neal (LVC Racing)     4:41.8

5. Olly Thomas (Sussex Revolution)  4:46.2

6. John Blight (Rapha CC)     4:53.7

7. Jonathan Saks (Sussex Revolution)            5:08.9

8. Chris Barker (Sussex Revolution)  5:13.1

9. Robb Cunningham (Brighton Mitre CC)    5:14.0

10. Alexander Cornwell (Parlay CC) 5:18.1

Women:

1. Eline Smit (Laka X Pedal Mafia RT)         6:15.9

2. Iona Mitchell (Brixton Cycles)       6:22.7

3. Nikki Ray (Brixton Cycles)            6:28.7

4. Claire Lowe (4T+ Cyclopark)        7:16.8

5. Kate Stillwell (Petersfield Tri Club)           7:17.7

6. Amelia Culshaw (Brighton Phoenix)          7:28.3

7. Liz Halliday (Sussex Nomads CC) 7:46.8

8. Lauren Scordilis (Sussex Nomads CC)      10:04.9

9. Elizabeth Taylor (Sussex Nomads CC)      10:53.1