Tejvan Pettinger wins Porlock Hill Climb

Reigning national hill-climb champion Tejvan Pettinger (Sri Chinmoy CT) won the second edition of the Tanks Direct Porlock Hill Climb near Minehead in Somerset.

Pettinger completed the 4.2-mile long and 400-metre ascent in 14:11 seconds to defend his win in 2013. He was one minute and 19 seconds faster than BH Solidor rider Ben Davies with Procycling Magazine RT's Joe Norledge in third at 16 minutes dead.

Pettinger, who won the inaugural race in 2013, said: “It is a great route with stunning scenery on a fully closed road.” He plans to return in 2015 to make it three in a row.

Like Pettinger, women's winner Wendy Houvenaghel (Bike Chain Ricci) was also defending her 2013 victory. She won in 17 minutes 41 seconds with Vicky Gill second at 18:15 and Ayse Vahiboglu third in 18:44.

The Beijing silver medallist and former World Champion presented the medals. Among the recipients were two junior riders, Harry Luxton (RUtrainingtoday CC) and Sean Henderson (North Devon Wheelers), who gave a fantastic account of themselves in finishing seventh and eighth overall. It was Luxton’s 16:07.1 that narrowly beat Henderson’s 16:09.8 to take the junior title.

Elsewhere, Weaver Valley CC hosted the Cat and Fiddle Hill Climb with Team Zenith’s Adam Kenway taking top spot in the senior event.

He managed to clock a time of 19:34.9 – enough to take victory but not as quick as his event record set in 2004 as a junior.

Andrew Magnier of Velosure-Giordana was second in 20:09 and fractionally behind him in third was Matthew Cartlidge of Stone Wheelers CC with 20:09.8.

Only one record was broken at the event, with a new women’s record being set by flying Joanne Blakeley of gbcycles.co.uk. She shaved exactly two seconds from her time last year to win the battle against Joanne Whitfield of VC St Raphael for the second year in a row.

Lyme Racing Club dominated the junior category with three of their riders filling the podium. Daniel Minor’s 22:00.2 was enough to beat his team-mates Alex Copp and Joe Swinnerton.

Lyme had a one-two finish in the over 50-60 category with Paul Robinson leading from Bernard Swinnerton. In the 40-49 category, it was Jon Waddilove of Crewe Clarion Wheelers who took the top prize with a 22:26.0 and in the veteran 60 category, David Hargreaves of North Lancs RC won with a 24:24.9.

And in the Reading CC two-stage event, Pete Tadros (In Gear-Quickvit RT) took a narrow overall victory from Norwood Paragon CC rival Daniel Sullivan. Tadros clocked 7:50 for the two climbs, just 0.9sec quicker than Sullivan.

The first stage took riders up the two-mile Goring Hill, while the second climb was a shorter, tougher effort up Streatley Hill.

And in the GS Metro two-stage climb at Hedley on the Hill, overall victory went to Michael Jones (Derwentside CC) by 8.8sec, having won the opening stage and finished third on the second.