Richard Bussell (RST Sport-Aero Coach) and Maryka Sennema (Paceline RT) were crowned 2015 British Hill-Climb National Champions at Jackson Bridge, West Yorkshire, on Sunday.

The annual event sees riders taking on a climb to get up it as quickly as possible against the clock. The extreme effort required makes the event quite a spectacle, and a large crowd usually turns out to support the riders and, if we’re honest, watch them suffer.

Bussell put in a commanding performance to take the men’s title, beating defending champion Dan Evans (Cannondale UK – Team Elite) by five seconds. Joe Clark (Envelopemaster) was third at six seconds.

Sennema made it three in a row, as she successfully defended her women’s title. She beat Hayley Simmonds (Team Velosport) by just over two seconds on the 0.9-mile course. Lou Bates (Carnac Planet X) placed third.

Kieran Savage (Yorkshire Road Club) was top-placed male junior rider, with Henrietta Colborne (Team Jadan) best placed junior woman.

>>> Bussell crowned new National Hill-Climb champion as Sennema defends her title

Hill-Climb National Championships 2015

Richard Bussell, men’s winner, Hill-Climb National Championships 2015

Arne Beswick, Hill-Climb National Championships 2015

Maryka Sennema, women’s winner

Barnaby Walkingshaw

Checking the results, Hill-Climb National Championships 2015

Hill-climb veteran Chris Myhill

Course record holder Jeff Wright

Julia Van Campen gets a fanfare

Former national champion Matt Clinton

Lynn Hamel’s face gives away the effort

The crowd gives James Hayward some encouragement

William Bourne finished his effort slightly too early and pushed to the line

James Allen

Tom Bell

Tejvan Pettinger

Becky Lewis

Hayley Simmonds

2014 champion Dan Evans

Lou Bates

Joe Clark

All the winners with national champions’ jerseys and gold caps