National Hill Climb Champion Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) stamped his authority by winning the Rossendale Road Club hill climb on Crown Point, while Mary Wilkinson (Yorkshire Road Club) was also a clear winner in the women’s event.

Feather, aged 36, set a winning time of two minutes and 27.0 seconds – just 1.4 seconds slower than Malcolm Elliot’s course record set in 1981.

The win was Feather’s six of the season as he remains unbeaten in a hill climb for almost two years.

The 1,000-metre-long Crown Point climb has a maximum gradient of 14.7% and an average of 14% as it meets Crown Point Road.

It was the shortest climb that Feather has taken victory on this season in preparation for the National Hill Climb Champions on Winnats Pass later this month.

Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion) won the Velo Club Cumbria event on much longer Whinlatter climb the previous week but had to settle for second this time out three seconds back in 2-30.7.

The fight for third position was a close one with David Huck (Barrow Central Wheelers) finishing in 2-38.1 which was two seconds quicker than Tom Garnett (Geared Up & CN Cycles RT) who clocked 2-40.4.

The quickest veteran male was Jim Henderson (Southport CC) who stopped the clock in 3-01.3.

Veteran rider Wilkinson will also be targeting national honours later this month and continued to build her form with a convincing victory in the women’s event.

Wilkinson, aged 40, finished ninth overall in a time of 2-54.1 which was also the quickest time set by a veteran rider.

Joanna Blackburn (Team Bottrill) has also started the hill climb season strongly but was comfortably beaten this time out finishing second in 3-17.7.

Rounding out the podium positions was Kate Robinson (Team Catenary) stopping the clocking in 4-05.5.

Meanwhile, junior girl Eve Davies-Heywood (Team 22) completed the course in 4-49.0.

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