Sotonia Hill Climb, 14/10/12

Bob Joliffe reports…….RACE favourite Ben Cadie (Sotonia CA)) lived up to his billing and rode away from the Sotonia Cycling Club hillclimb at West Dean £150 to the good after beating last year’s victor into second place by a full 14 seconds on Sunday.Cadie, 24, who lives at Up Somborne, earned his scratch status by dint of winning a shorter climb on Dean Hill in March.This version started in the centre of West Dean and, for Cadie, finished a grinding, gut-wrenching five minutes and a single second later at the summit of Dean Hill a tortuous mile-and-a-quarter away.It was an immense ride which finished on a bone-jarring surface with a 12 per cent gradient over the final section past the cheering spectators up to the timekeeper.Last starter Cadie’s ride was 14 seconds too good for Brook Elgie (Peter Hansford Racing) who had another eight seconds in hand over third-placed Oscar White of Somerset Road Club whose 5-27 made him fastest junior.Fourth place went jointly to Jahan Hunter of Manchester Wheelers and Elgie’s teammate Ollie Hitchings who both clocked 5-32.Sotonia’s Phil Wilks took sixth with 5-34. His clubmate Graham Vail was first veteran aged 40 to 49 with 5-40 and tied for seventh with Ray Hughes (Clarence Whlrs) who was fastest in the 50-59 age group, while Sotonia’s Martin Ward was first 60-plus rider with 7-21.Cameron Taylor was first home club junior in ninth overall with 5-43 while New Forest CC’s 16-year-old Hugo Walters was 11th with 5-50. Between the two juniors in 10th was Sotonia’s Jon Legg with 5-47.Last rider inside six minutes was Legg’s clubmate Richard Burch with 5-57.Others (Sotonia CC unless stated): Brian Minard 6-00, Sean Holehouse 6-05, Darren Sell 6-48, David White and Sean Withill both 6-53, Zondy Webber 6-58, Robert Smart 7-02, Julian Sheppard 7-10, Greg Vint 7-33, Daniel Sahota 7-43, John Sanchez-Bisson (Crabwood CC) 7-48 and Joanne Horsnell who took the women’s prize with 8-06.

1 Benjamin Cady Sotonia CC S 00:05:01
2 Brook Elgie Peter Hansford Racing S 00:05:15
3 Oscar White Somerset RC J 00:05:27
4 Jahan Hunter Manchester Whls S 00:05:32
5 Ollie Hitchings Peter Hansford Racing S 00:05:32
6 Phil Wilks Sotonia CC S 00:05:34
7 Graham Vail Sotonia CC 40-49 00:05:40
8 Ray Hughes Clarence Whls 50-59 00:05:40
9 Cameron Taylor Sotonia CC J 00:05:42
10 Jon Legg Sotonia CC S 00:05:47
11 Hugo Walters New Forest CC J 00:05:49
12 Richard Burch Sotonia CC 40-49 00:05:56
13 Brian Minard Sotonia CC 50-59 00:06:00
14 Sean Holehouse Sotonia CC 40-49 00:06:05
15 Darren Sell Sotonia CC S 00:06:48
16 Sean Withill Sotonia CC 50-59 00:06:52
17 David White Sotonia CC 40-49 00:06:52
18 Zondy Webber Sotonia CC 40-49 00:06:58
19 Robert Smart Sotonia CC S 00:07:02
20 Julian Sheppard Sotonia CC S 00:07:10
21 Martin Ward Sotonia CC 60+ 00:07:21
22 Greg Vint Sotonia CC 40-49 00:07:32
23 Daniel Sahota Sotonia CC S 00:07:43
24 John Sanchez-Bisson Crabwood CC 50-59 00:07:48
25 Joanne Horsnell Sotonia CC W 00:08:05