Event: 28 September 2013
Location: Philpstoun, West Lothian
Report: Andrew Baird
A blistering sub two-minute ride from Steven Lawley capped a day of shattered records at the annual Kingscavil hillclimb competition.
The warm sunshine brought the best out of a big field as riders hauled mind and body up the 900metre course near Linlithgow, West Lothian.
Reigning men’s senior champion and Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bike pro rider Steven Lawley kept his climbing crown by knocking 11 seconds off his previous course record. Lawley was modest about the scale of victory, claiming that every year “the hill feels like it’s getting steeper.”
Second placed David Griffiths, Glasgow Wheelers, was five seconds behind Lawley’s 1 minute 59 seconds winning mark. In third place was Jack Taylor, Dumfries CC, at 2.11. Fourth-placed John Glass of West Lothian Clarion set a club record time of 2.14.
Jennifer Taylor continued the record breaking by slicing 13 seconds off the course best mark she set last year in the women’s category. The Equipe Velo Ecosse Montpellier rider continued her outstanding form in this competition by crossing the line in 2.39. Closest behind her in the women’s category was Peggy Series, Edinburgh Road Club, at 3.08, followed closely by Charlotte Allan, Ronde Bike, with a time of 3.10.
Fraser Martin, Perth United CC, set a scorching mark in the Junior Men’s category to win in 2.12. Brandon Sommerville, Royal Navy and Royal Marines, was second at 2.32, spurred on, perhaps, by the trumpeter in full herald regalia who blew a tune for every competitor straining over the second of the climb’s 20 per cent ramps.
The veteran women’s competition was a battle of the Chisholms, with Anne Chisholm, Perth United CC, winning out at 3.23. West Lothian Clarion rider Diane Clayton-Chisholm placed second at 3.28. Patricia Kenny, also West Lothian Clarion, was third at 3.41.
Alan Dobbie, Ronde Bike, stamped his mark on the veteran men’s class with a top time of 2.11. Local rider Matthew Ball, West Lothian Clarion, again posted a strong result to come second at 2.21. Gordon Chisholm, Perth United CC, was third with a time of 2.26.
West Lothian Clarion put a big emphasis on developing youngsters and the club was delighted to see so many entries to the youth categories from across Scotland.
The boy’s A competition drew outstanding times. Grant Martin, Perth United CC, won with an impressive 2.20 mark. Close behind him were second-placed Rian Hill, Classic Racing Team, at 2.23, and in third, Andy Brown, Stirling Bike Club, at 2.27. Keira Johnston, Glasgow Riderz, won the girl’s A class, crossing the line in 3.02. Sarah Bradford, Johnstone Wheelers, claimed second at 3.30.
Glasgow Riderz member Ellie Park took the girl’s B title in 3.23. Erica Oxley, West Lothian Clarion, was second at 5.15. In the B boy’s, Sean Flynn, Edinburgh Road Club, posted a fine 2.33 to win from Alexander Macrae, Glasgow Riderz, at 2.38. Conner Johnstone, Team Leslie Bikeshop/Bikers, completed the podium with a third-placed time of 2.42.
Alison Bryce, West Lothian Clarion, scored a home win in the girl’s C category with a time of 4.05. Georgia Ferry, Glasgow Riderz, was second at 4.11, and Emma Forsyth, Edinburgh Road Club, was close behind to claim third at 4.14.
In one of the closest battles of the day, Jamie Johnston, Team Thomsons Cycles, lifted the boy’s C title by just one second from Alfred George, Discovery Junior CC. Jamie stopped the clock at 2.49. Following Alfred’s 2.50 to take third place was Innes Wilson of West Lothian Clarion in a time of 3.23.
The girl’s D category could not have been more tightly contested. The winning time of 1.06 was shared by three competitors: Daisy Wilson, West Lothian Clarion, Katherine McLeod, Edinburgh Road Club, and Abbie Mason, West Lothian Clarion. The boy’s D event was only slightly more open. Callum Reid, Stirling Bike Club, managed to carve out just three-seconds over Max Guthrie, West Lothian Clarion, to win in 48 seconds. Andrew Turner, West Lothian Clarion, was third at 54 seconds.
Una Morrice, Glasgow Riderz, won the girl’s E competition in 1 minute, 39 seconds. Sarah Darling, West Lothian Clarion, was second at 2.08, with Grace Polwart third with a time of 2.28.
The boy’s E contest was a clean sweep for the home club, West Lothian Clarion. Finn Mason was fastest at 1.02. Finlay Turner followed him in 1.25, and Gabriel Lee clinched third spot at 1.27.
