A drizzly start and a forecast of heavy rain to come didn’t deter 7 riders from entering the club’s Autumn Hill Climb on Sunday 13th October, including a new member riding in trainers and flat pedals who came over to support and decided to give it a go.
Justin Menhennet won convincingly with a time of 2:28, and having also won the spring HC in February, he takes the Hill Climb Trophy. A small group of supporters rode over from North Baddesley to provide much needed encouragement, while Justin brought his own support, pictured below.
Organiser: Ted Knowlton
Time Keepers: Martin Napier, Ian Stewart, Dave Crocker.
Marshals: Wendy Knowlton, Julian Wherrett,
Pusher off: Jon Chapman
[table]
Pos,Name,Club,Time
1,Justin Menhenet,Sotonia,2.28
2,Scott Blackman,Hants Hogs,2.53
3,Lee Shirley,Sotonia,3.07
4,Craig Smith,Sotonia ,3.12
5,Greg Vint,Sotonia ,3.41
6,Gemma Herbertson,SRAM CC ,4.00
7,Jane Fidgeon,Sotonia ,5.52
[/table]
Thanks to Jon for the report and for helping. A pity more SCC members failed to support the event, but CONGRATULATIONS to Justin for his efforts, witnessed by his two children, who enthusiasticly supported him on a miserable damp morning.
One wonders what to do to attract more riders, albeit the weather was not condusive to a better turnout.
Sadly the hill climb date is in the cyclocross season, ruling out quite a few youth and adult members who would otherwise be inclined to ride.
Appreciate that Jez, but Hill climb season has remained the same for very many years. The numbers have been poor for a couple of years, maybe there is a need to encourage members more via our various info methods ?
My thanks to all involved for their dedication to run this event.
A lot of us were doing our own hill climbing in Droxford, carrying our bikes !
The last reliability didn’t clash with a cross race and I don’t recall much road race activity on Strava that day either. Are we failing to engage with members or are fewer people inclined to ride in all weathers these days? At least 7 entries on a rainy day is an improvement on 6 on a dry sunny day in February.
We are short of a publicity officer – I was supposed to do it following the AGM but it was agreed that I cover club runs instead as we had no club runs officer. Perhaps it’s a good time to start sounding out members who might be willing to join the committee?
Yes Jon, maybe.
The advance notice of the HC was posted on the clubs FB site though.
The weather was obviously a factor, but it seems that Cyclo X has trumped other cycling disciplines at present, to the disadvantage of such traditional events.
Unlike some other clubs, it seems SCC members either want fast clubruns, road-races in summer, cyclo x in winter, & precious little other disciplines.
Few, in terms of percentage of the membership, ride time trials, & that was our mainstay activity at one time. I’m sure that other clubs get better support for their hill climbs, judging by the events listed to take place.
What is a ‘publicity officer’?
Thanks to everyone who endured the miserable weather to organise Sunday’s race. My children would(n’t?) have missed it for the world.
Incidentally, I think Hill Climbs are the finest of all cycling disciplines and should therefore be the highlight of everyone’s calendar.
PS. I have a picture from the event. But it’s a hopelessly narcissistic one of me and my kids…
With the Sotonia youth members getting older, there is a growing number at least 12 years old and this will only increase. Would it make sense to have some communication between youth and regular Sotonia promotions to enable the up and coming riders to compete in Sotonia club time trials, hill climb etc without missing out on youth races or coaching sessions?
As a new club member, the variety of events put on by the club was one of the things which attracted me to join. I think it’s great that the club puts so much back in to cycling. I only heard about this event a couple of days before hand, but in the end, poorly young children prevented me from entering (which seems to happen all too often!) I’ll keep an eye out for the spring edition next year. Congratulations Justin. Well done to the organisers for sticking to it in the rain!