Kate Vergette and Mark Smith were the fastest male and female respectively at the Southern Counties CU 25 in bitterly cold conditions near Broadbridge Heath on Sunday morning.

Vergette (Elite Cycling) finished her run with a time of 1-16-09 to top the podium by more than seven minutes over Mandy Border (Crawley Wheelers) who finished with a time of 1-23-40.

This was the 43-year-old’s first open win of the season and her first on record after last finishing third in the De Laune CC 10 in March of last season.

Mark Smith (Crawley Wheelers) set the overall fastest time as he finished his run with a time of 58-51 to top the podium.

Smith, 45 and from Lindfield, achieved his second victory of the new season after last topping the podium at the Sussex CA 25 and also achieving a second-place finish at Dorking CC 29.9 respectively.

The second spot on the podium was claimed by Dominic Hill (Bec CC) who clocked a time of 59-46 after the 25 miles.

Hill last achieved a podium finish at the SCCA & WCTTCA 100-mile time trial in July last year and will be hoping to push on for the remainder of this campaign and add more to his record.

Dan Pullen (N+1-Lindfield Coffee Works) finished his run with a time of 1-00-06 to claim the final spot on the podium.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by Ben Gretton.

Results:

1. Mark Smith (Crawley Wheelers)    58-51

2. Dominic Hill (Bec CC)       59-46

3. Dan Pullen (N+1 – Lindfield Coffee Works)         1-00-06

4. Paul Batten (Crawley Wheelers)     1-01-12

5. Rupert Robinson (Crawley Wheelers)        1-01-59

6. John Franklin (Twickenham CC) 1-03-19

7. Richard Tully (Elite Cycling)          1-05-05

8. Shaun Kennedy (Bec CC)  1-05-11

9. Iain Duncan (Crawley Wheelers)    1-05-28

10. Adrian Blacker (C and N Cycles RT)       1-06-32

Women:

1. Kate Vergette (Elite Cycling)         1-16-09

2. Mandy Border (Crawley Wheelers)            1-23-40

3. Kim Dickinson (Kingston Phoenix RC)     135-19