Tom Bell (High North Performance) and Mary Wilkinson (Yorkshire Road Club) smashed the previous course records in the Stocks Lane hill climb organised by Halifax Imperial Wheelers.

Bell who finished runner-up in last year’s National Hill Climb Championships clocked a winning men’s time of four minutes and 34 seconds over the 1.53-kilometre climb to win by 29 seconds.

The previous course record stood at 4-51.1 set by Andy Cunningham in 2016 which Bell smashed by 17 seconds.

The Stocks Lane hill climb rises out of Luddenden in West Yorkshire and has an average gradient of 10.6% and varies in gradient with one switch-back and has a maximum gradient of 20.3% heading towards the Mount Tabor Recreation Ground.

Bell has started his hill climb campaign this season in impressive style with wins in the Ilkeston CC and Geared up and CN Cycles RT events and added another win to his collection.

Quickest veteran Dave Diston (Muckle Cycle Club) led the remains of the men’s field taking second place in 5-03.8.

Meanwhile, a further 10 seconds behind was David Fellows (Solihull CC) who won the Fibrax Wrexham RC hilly last week but had to settle for third this time out in 5-13.3.

Quickest juvenile Patrick Casey (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion) put in an impressive ride for fourth overall in 5-26.1 ahead of second juvenile Jacques Goetz (East Bradford CC) in 6-09.5 and third in the age category was Alfie Jones (LFGSS CC) in 7-18.4.

Fastest junior was Timothy Lane (JRC Shutt Ridley RT) who completed the course in 6-49.2.

Meanwhile, in the women’s event veteran rider Wilkinson, aged 40, clocked a winning time and new course benchmark of five minutes and 45.5 seconds.

The previous women’s course record stood at 6-55.8 set by Hannah Riechert which was set in 2018 with Wilkinson knocking a minute and 10 seconds off that time.

Wilkinson was also runner-up in last year’s women’s National Hill Climb Championships just three seconds behind winner Bithja Jones.

Rebecca Richardson (Team Brother UK) missed last year’s national championship but continued her successful season with a second placed finish in 6-04.4, also breaking the previous course record.

Meanwhile, Frances Owen (Fibrax Wrexham RC) completed the women’s podium positions finishing in 6-11.3.

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