2006 national hill climb championship

The national hill climb championship in 2006 was held on Peak hill, Sidmouth in Devon.

peak hill
Peak Hill. Photo Dom Atreides

James Dobbin (Arctic Shorter Rochford RT) won the championship in a time of 4.44. A big winning margin over 2nd place, David Clark Nippo KFS 5.07. 3rd was 2004 national champion Jonathan Dayus (Arctic Shorter Rochford RT)

1st women was Ann Bowditch 6.41, Science in Sport. Lyn Hamel was 2nd women. (7.02) 3rd  Jane Kilmartin 7.05 (London Phoenix)

The best junior was Luke Rowe 5.42 Glendene CC-Bike Trax (17th overall) who just finished ahead of Alex Dowsett 18th overall (5.44). It goes without saying that both juniors went on to even greater things than 17th /18th in the national hill climb championship.  James Gullen (Scarborough Paragon was 62nd) (2nd in 2013). There was a very young Hugh Carthy in 89th place (4th in 2013).

hugh-carthy
Hugh Carthy. Photo Ann Owens

My race

It was my second national hill climb championship and I finished 7th, which was a good result after little racing or training throughout the season. In 2006, I did a couple of time trials, and two hill climbs. They were Streatley HC (Reading CC) ,and Brighton Mitre hill climb – where I won the second leg on Shoreham in a time of 7.21.

2006 national
2006 national. Not sure about those socks, somethings don’t change. At least I’d taken off the bar tape to save 10 grams.

I remember it was a good day. Warm, sunny, dry. I think I paced it relatively well, going quite well on the steep second half. In those days, I never rode a climb before racing, it was a question of starting off and hoping for the best.

My two memories of the national event was Danny Axford’s chain fell off during race (he was going pretty well that year)

I went down to Devon with Andy Sherwood and he said he was dehydrated before the race because it was hot. He was going to give it a miss, but I persuaded him to have a go anyway. He later said he really enjoyed it.

I’m posting this page because:

  1. The old CTT results page is now a broken link. But, I found old results page using Internet Way back machine.
  2. I  think I blogged about the 2006 national hill climb, but on another site, which is now no longer in existence. It’s interesting how tenuous internet/ computer technology is.  Nine years later and it’s actually hard to find info on 2006 national hill climb. As a boss of Google said, if you want to archive something make sure you print it out on paper.

Peak Hill

  • Distance – 0.9 miles
  • average gradient: 10%
  • Height gain: 528ft / 160m
  • Course record: 4.44 (James Dobbin, 2006)

The climb starts from the seafront, with the ocean quite close. The first 100 yards is a very gentle gradient, before getting steeper and then even steeper as you take a right hand. At this point, it reaches a max of 20% before final 100 yards to finish.

Sid Valley promote an annual hill climb on Peak Hill in October.

Veloviewer

Strava

What the riders said (from Cycling Weekly)

cw-riders-saying

 

2006 Results (rescued from Internet way back machine (link)

Pos Rider Club Time
1
James Dobbin
Arctic Shorter Rochford RT
04:44.0
2
David Clarke
Nippo KFS
05:07.3
3
Jonathan Dayus
Arctic Shorter Rochford RT
05:07.7
4
Jim Henderson
Southport CC
05:10.7
5
Daniel Shand
West Pennine RC
05:12.3
6
Matt Clinton
mikevaughan.co.uk
05:14.8
7
Richard Pettinger
Sri Chinmoy CT
05:18.2
8
Bill Bell
Gemini BC
05:19.8
9
Ian Stott
Blackburn & Dist CTC
05:24.2
10
Mark Lovatt
Planet X RT
05:27.4
11
Rafael Radziej
Team Economic Energy
05:29.6
12
Mike Harrison
Sigmasport RT
05:31.4
13
Carl Helliwell
Blackburn & Dist CTC
05:33.5
14
Robert Adams
Bristol South CC
05:33.7
15
Nick Dawes
Farnborough & Camb
05:41.0
16
Robert Gough
Chippenham & Dist Whs
05:42.2
17
Luke Rowe
Glendene CC-Bike Trax
05:42.9
18
Alex Dowsett
Glendene CC-Bike Trax
05:44.4
19
Andrew Peat
Solihull CC
05:46.5
20
Chris Myhill
API-Metrow
05:48.0
21
Martin Bawden
Cyclelogic.co.uk
05:48.5
22
James Ward
Cambridge CC
05:48.5
23
James McLaughlin
Guernsey Velo Club
05:49.1
24
Sam Clark
Buxton CC
05:50.9
25
Ishmael Burdeau
www.agiskoviner.com
05:51.3
26
Pete Vincent
North Devon Wheelers
05:52.7
27
Jules Birks
CS Dynamo (Exmouth)
05:53.0
28
Stuart Hall
Alltrax
05:53.8
29
Gareth Williams
Holyhead CC
05:55.5
30
Adam Pinder
Blackburn & Dist CTC
05:55.6
31
John Storms
Tri Cyclists One Life RT
05:56.1
32
Chris Edmondson
Blackburn & Dist CTC
05:57.4
33
Max Bienkowski
Ashurst BC
05:59.7
34
Derek Smetham
Dursley CC
05:59.8
35
Scott Chalmers
Leisure Lakes RT
06:01.0
36
Douglas Dewey
Team Tor 2000
06:01.7
37
Lewis Cowley
Plan B RT
06:02.1
38
Philip Borrett
Sid Valley CC
06:02.7
39
Paul O’Mahoney
Ghyllside Cycles
06:04.3
40
Stephen Nunn
Arctic Shorter Rochford RT
06:05.5
41
Adam Holmes
Mid-Devon CC
06:06.3
42
John Ealing
Rossendale RC
06:06.9
43
Stewart House
Arctic Shorter Rochford RT
06:07.9
44
Marc Allen
Swindon RC
06:10.5
45
Paul Moss
Coventry RC
06:10.7
46
Daniel Stevens
Liverpool Century
06:12.3
47
Jake Durant
Mid-Devon CC
06:12.5
48
Carlo Berton
Border City Whs CC
06:12.8
49
Dave Candy
North Road CC
06:14.9
50
Matthew Smith
Gemini BC
06:16.2
51
Daniel Gee
Ashfield RC
06:17.8
52
Andrew Peters
Mid-Devon CC
06:18.5
53
James Cocker
Team Economic Energy
06:19.2
54
Paul Murphy
Tyneside Vagabonds
06:19.8
55
Ben Green
Manchester Wheelers
06:20.8
56
Simon Aske
Mid-Devon CC
06:23.4
57
Richard Birkin
Ashfield RC
06:25.1
58
Ian Phillips
CS Dynamo (Exmouth)
06:25.3
59
Jonah Rice
Exeter Wheelers
06:26.9
60
Sean Childs
RN & RMCA
06:32.2
61
Mark Plowright
Beeston RC
06:33.0
62
James Gullen
Scarborough Paragon CC
06:33.1
63
Glenn Borrett
Sid Valley CC
06:33.5
64
James Jackson
Sid Valley CC
06:35.8
65
Leigh Pinchen
Somerset RC
06:37.5
66
John O’Brien
De Laune CC
06:37.6
67
Andrew Sherwood
Farnborough & Camb
06:38.6
68
Nick Denning
Exeter Wheelers
06:41.4
69
Ann Bowditch
Scienceinsport.com
06:41.9
70
James King
De Laune CC
06:44.9
71
Neil Tubbs
Sid Valley CC
06:48.2
72
Mark Heath
www.echelon-cycles.co.uk
06:50.6
73
Chris Hunt
Sid Valley CC
06:55.0
74
Martin Fullard
Sid Valley CC
06:55.0
75
Ivan Pope
Gillingham & Dist Whs
06:55.1
76
David Wilkinson
Exeter Wheelers
06:55.7
77
Nigel Orpin
CS Dynamo (Exmouth)
06:56.0
78
Chris Rennie
Bikechain-Ricci
07:00.1
79
Sean Carthy
Scienceinsport.com
07:01.7
80
Lynn Hamel
Kent Valley RC
07:02.1
81
Paul Brierley
Huddersfield RC-Salamander
07:04.4
82
Jane Kilmartin
London Phoenix
07:05.4
83
Karl Hodson
Sid Valley CC
07:05.5
84
Gregory Sparks
Sid Valley CC
07:05.7
85
Phil Ward
CS Dynamo (Exmouth)
07:09.2
86
Iain Hounsell
Somerset RC
07:11.0
87
Michael Ives
MI Racing
07:12.9
88
Mike Hudspith
Godric CC
07:14.2
89
Hugh Carthy
Scienceinsport.com
07:14.6
90
Graham Brett
St Austell Wheelers
07:15.9
91
Avril Swan
Wheels in Wheels CC
07:18.3
92
Cherie Pridham
Merlin Development Squad
07:25.5
93
Ross MacDonald
North Devon Wheelers
07:26.0
94
Nigel Winchester
Sid Valley CC
07:26.3
95
Mike Westmorland
Border City Whs CC
07:30.0
96
Colin Tyrer
Sid Valley CC
07:30.5
97
Trevor Pain
North Hampshire RC
07:34.4
98
Dean Ward
1st Chard Wheelers
07:35.9
99
Simon Foster
North Notts Olympic RC
07:36.0
100
Mark Gorman
RN & RMCA
07:36.2
101
Zak Birks
CS Dynamo (Exmouth)
07:39.1
102
Deborah Percival
34th Nomads
07:47.8
103
Chris Barretto
Plymouth Corinthian CC
07:49.1
104
Colin Bennett
Sid Valley CC
07:51.9
105
Mitch Pope
Gillingham & Dist Whs
07:52.6
106
Ken Roberts
Lancaster CC
07:55.3
107
Alexandra Zebedee
Solihull CC
07:55.9
108
Mark Sanders
Mid-Devon CC
08:02.3
109
Rob Scott
Plymouth Corinthian CC
08:03.0
110
Ray Retter
North Devon Wheelers
08:05.1
111
Jacqueline Rice
Okehampton CC
08:16.2
112
David Francis
Camel Valley C & TC
08:22.8
113
Ian Kellaway
Coventry CC
08:23.4
114
David Hamilton
Mid-Devon CC
08:27.0
115
Richard Brain
Sid Valley CC
08:28.8
116
David Moran
1st Chard Wheelers
08:33.5
117
Peter Greenhalgh
45 Road Club
08:45.4
118
Stace Birks
CS Dynamo (Exmouth)
08:55.5
119
Leigh Taylor
www.agiskoviner.com
08:57.0
120
Phillip Bennett
Sid Valley CC
09:05.6
121
Richard Tate
Sid Valley CC
09:06.7
122
Chris Eccles
Sid Valley CC
09:15.9
123
Gerald Woodley
Sid Valley CC
09:38.5
124
Chloe Birks
CS Dynamo (Exmouth)
10:12.7
125
Arthur Vince
Yeovil CC
10:33.0
126
Lesley Ward
CS Dynamo (Exmouth)
11:01.8
127
Catherine Ostler
Willesden CC
11:03.5

cw

From Cycling Weekly

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5 thoughts on “2006 national hill climb championship”

  1. Let my ride back then be a lesson to prospective hill climbers everywhere.
    I did have perhaps my best hill climbing form that year, I had trained specifically, recced the course etc. I had also borrowed a special light bike. Since everything was going well and I thought I had a chance of a medal I think I got a little obsessive about the “marginal gains” and in the week prior to the event I removed the big chainring, front derailleur from the bike and shortened the chain.
    This was an error.
    Although I tested the new drive-chain set up on a number of local climbs, in the event itself a seemly innocuous bump in the road was enough to unship the chain which then wrapped itself neatly around my right crank.

    I learnt the hard way:
    1. Always ride with some sort of chain catcher
    2. Never alter your bike just before a (target) event – make sure you’ve tried everything out in anger beforehand.
    3. Completing the course at a very slightly slower speed is infinitely better than only managing part of the course at a faster speed.

    One thing the team got right was to enter 4 riders although only 3 count for the team award.
    And Stewart House won an unexpected but deserved team medal. (I remember trying to get the message to him that now he really did need to try hard!)

    The following year I was a lot more conservative with my equipment and got that team medal!

    Keep up the blog posts Tejvan, even if they bring back some uncomfortable memories for some readers.
    🙂

    Reply
  2. Also I should note what a fantastic ride James did that day. It must be one of the most convincing wins in the history of the championship.

    Reply
  3. Just came across this, amazing! Great to remember that day in 2006, although we will never know where Danny would have fitted in relative to Jon Dayus and Dave Clarke. Although I’d prepared obsessively for the Nat HC that year, I also had one of those days when you just feel super strong, I remember getting to the corner where it got steeper and just wanting to ride harder and harder. When I crossed the line, I had to wait a while as it was about 20 mins till the likes of Clarke, Dayus and Henderson had finished due to their later start times. I remember being congratulated by Jim Henderson afterwards, Jim was very gracious as I knew he badly wanted a 6th National HC win. Those years riding with Arctic were amazing and I have so many great memories! We first made an appearance on the Nat HC scene when we took the team prize in 2003 at Halifax against all the expectations of Blackburn winning it. The following year in 2004 in Northumberland, team mate Jon Dayus won and I was 2nd and I think that few people even knew who we were; it was great being the underdogs to start with! When I think of HCs, I also think of our late team mate Peter Bissell who was part of our winning team in 2007 and sadly died that winter. He was reigning National U23 road race champion having won it aged 20, I felt very proud to dedicate my 2006 Nat HC win to his life and achievements, at the CTT awards in spring 2008.

    Reply
  4. Over 14 years later and I remember it like it was yesterday. James really nailed it that day. I stopped at the finish to watch him come into view from the steepest part at an impressive speed. I chatted with him after he finished and noticed how fast he recovered (just a few minutes, I was hyperventilating for about 15 minutes).
    It was the hardest HC I ever rode. Although it was my best finish in the national HC, like Tejvan I didn’t really prepare for it and I messed it up. I had ridden the climb once about 2 months previously at a steady pace after almost 40 lumpy miles riding there from Torbay. I remember starting well, hitting the first steep part and thinking “I’m OK with this” then turning the corner and thinking “this is not good” and I was seriously thinking of stopping when someone shouted “100 metres to go” and that got me to the finish.
    Interesting to see Luke Rowe and Alex Dowsett on the list who are still currently riding at the highest pro level.
    Good result for you Tejvan and thanks to Sid Valley, it was a great event.

    Reply

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