Report/Result: Beard Cup Hill Climb

George Bromley winner of Saddleworth Clarion’s Beard Cup Hill Climb whilst Martha Tibbot was the fastest woman

Report/Result: Beard Cup Hill Climb

Only a week after The Tour of Britain passed through the area, cycle racing returned to the roads of Saddleworth as Saddleworth Clarion hosted the Beard Cup Team Hill Climb in Diggle on Sunday. A field of nearly 50 riders, representing 12 clubs tested themselves on the tough Pennine incline up Huddersfield Road, Diggle.

Saddleworth Clarions’ Martha Tibbot fastest woman

The route, a dead mile, saw the riders fight traditional pot holes, stifling heat, a headwind and gradients of up to 11% and a total ascent of 138m. It was in these tough early conditions that nine year old Friezland School pupil and Clarion member, Seth Mitchell was the first rider off. He set a time to beat of 11m 40s. He was followed at minute intervals by a series of Saddleworth Clarion riders who all raised the bar.

Rochdale based East Lancs Road Club and Manchester Wheelers both set early team times – consisting of either the two fastest male riders and fastest female of two fastest females and fastest male from each club. Saddleworth Clarions’ Martha Tibbot set an unbeatable time of 5.55, securing the Woman’s prize but it was Litchfield City’s junior rider George Bromley who surprised the field, taking gold, in a fantastic 4.54. George will be going forward to represent Litchfield in the up and coming National Hill Climb.

As the final riders set off the Beard Cup hung in the balance, but the Saddleworth riders could not better the times set by the East Lancs team, who returned to Rochdale with the Beard Cup and a £300 prize fund provided by Mancheter’s Rapha CC shop and Saddleworth based Grasscroft properties.

Saddleworth Clarion did not return empty handed as Paul Manchester took the ‘tourist prize’ for the fastest rider on a fully equipped touring bike – meaning he carried lights, mudguards and saddlebags on his bike in a time of 7.18

SUMMARY
Fastest Male Sam Witter, Above, Congleton CC 4:57.7
2nd Fastest Male Ben Mayers East Lancs Road Club 5:01.6
3rd Fastest Male Adam Hindmarch Withington Wheelers 5:34.9

Fastest Female Martha Tibbot Saddleworth Clarion 5:55.1
2nd Fastest Female Holly Carter Manchester Wheelers 7:22.2
3rd Fastest Female Katy Rothwell East Lancs Road Club 7:23.5

Fastest Male Youth
(U18) George Bromley Lichfield City 4:54.6

Fastest Female Youth
U18) Ciara Postlethwaite ESV Manchester 7:43.5

Fastest Male Tourist Paul Manchester Saddleworth Clarion 7:18.2
Fastest Female Tourist Claire Dyer Peak Audax 11:09

… Continued after the advert …

RESULT
1 George Bromley, Lichfield City 04:54.6 1st Male Youth
2 Sam Witter, Congleton CC 04:57.7 1st Male
3 Ben Mayers, East Lancs Road Club 05:01.6 2nd Male
4 Liam Hewitt, East Lancs Road Club 05:33.4
5 Jireh Lam, East Lancs Road Club 05:34.1
6 Adam Hindmarch, Withington Wheelers 05:34.9 3rd Male
7 Matthew Cooper, National Clarion 05:48.8
8 Martha Tibbot, Saddleworth Clarion 05:55.1 1st Female
9 Mike Hoodless, East Lancs Road Club 06:00.0
10 Joe Donnelly, Eat Plants not Pigs 06:28.6
11 Eamon Postlethwaite,ESV Manchester 06:34.8
12 Sam Kelly, East Lancs Road Club 06:44.5
13 Karl McLelland, Manchester Wheelers 06:46.2
14 Neil Warner, Saddleworth Clarion 06:50.7 1st Clarion Male
15 Rob Wilkinson, Oldham Century 07:07.5
16 Paul Manchester, (T) Saddleworth Clarion 07:18.0 1st Male Tourist Category
17 Holly Carter, Manchester Wheelers 07:22.2 2nd Female
18 Katy Rothwell, East Lancs Road Club 07:23.5 3rd Female
19 Ron Gilmour, Saddleworth Clarion 07:23.9
20 Nigel Mosley, 07:28.7
21 Matthias Hohmann,Saddleworth Clarion 07:29.9
22 Tim Mitchell, Saddleworth Clarion 07:34.4
23 Chris Tollett, Saddleworth Clarion 07:42.2
24 Ciara Postlethwaite,ESV Manchester 07:43.5 1st Female Youth
25 Sean Cordell, Manchester Wheelers 07:51.3
26 Simon Johnson, Saddleworth Clarion 07:57.8
27 Matt Postlethwaite, ESV Manchester 08:08.4
28 Richard O’Connell, Saddleworth Clarion 08:14.6
29 Daniel Kremer, Saddleworth Clarion 08:36.0
30 Michael Grace, 08:45.3
31 Denise Warren, 09:31.6
32 Emily Hohmann, East Bradford Youth Division 09:33.1
33 Terry Hodges,Peak Audax 10:04.6
34 Mike Wigley, Peak Audax 10:48.9
35 Claire Dyer, Peak Audax 11:09.8 1st Female Tourist Category
36 Seth Mitchell, Saddleworth Clarion 11:40.5
37 Hugh Broadbent,) 13:17.5