CC Basingstoke victories for Aiken and Jones on Holybourne Hill
Joshua Aiken triumphed in the men’s event while reigning national champion Bithja Jones won the women’s event at CC Basingstoke’s Holybourne Hill Climb on Sunday morning.
After a second-placed finish at Kingston wheelers’ Leith Hill Climb on Saturday, Orwell Velo’s Aiken set a time of 3-24-8 to beat Onyx RT rider and 2021 winner Darren Kidson whose 3-32-9 earned second place ahead of 3-42-5 from Daniel Hills, the 2020 champion riding for Sunday Echapee.
After victory here in 2021, reigning national champion Jones (Pankhurst Cycles) also returned to winning ways after a surprise defeat on Leith Hill the previous day, earning a comfortable win in 4-12-5.
Maidenhead & District CC rider Harriet Hernando earned second place in a time of 4-58, with third spot going to Reading CC’s Julia Van Campen from 5-41-3.
Elsewhere, Poole Wheelers rider George Mahon picked up fastest junior in 4-05-5 with Kidson the fastest veteran in 3-32-9.
The race was the first round of the London West September Series sponsored by Pankhurst Cycles of Reading, a competition of three local hill climb events running across the first three weekends of September.
The other events in the series will be hosted by Reading CC on Streatley Hill on Sunday September 11 and by Watford Velo at Whiteleaf Hill on Sunday September 18.
This event, run on the HHC018 course, starts just north of Holybourne by Manor Farm, and sees riders proceed up Brockham Hill Lane, completing the ascent and finishing at Brockham Hill Cottage.
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by James Ayles.