Former national champion Andrew Feather was fastest male at Minehead CC’s Porlock Main Road hill-climb in Somerset on Sunday, while Illi Gardner was fastest of the females.

Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) clocked 9-03 to take victory on the 1.25-mile climb by a healthy margin of 37 seconds, with another former national champion Ed Laverack (Backpedal) taking second, and Will Lowden (WattShop) third, another 20 seconds off the pace.

In-form Illi Gardner (Wahoo Endurance Zone) clocked an impressive 10-52 to win the women’s prize by more than eight minutes from Minehead CC’s Janet Newlett.

This was Andrew Feather’s second hill-climb victory in a row having won the previous weekend’s Sid Valley CC climb of Peak Hill in Devon, where he held off Laverack once again and Illi Gardner was third overall as well as winning the female prize in emphatic fashion.

As well as being quickest of the women in this Minehead CC event and the Sid Valley CC event, Gardner was also victorious at the Dursley Road Club climb of Lampern Hill the week before that, and she is looking a hot contender for this season’s national championship in South Wales next month.

Next weekend Gardner is down to ride the Cheltenham and County CC climb of Bushcombe Lane near Bishop’s Cleeve.

Andrew Feather is also down to ride that event on Saturday, and then moves on to the Exeter Wheelers Stoke Hill climb the following day.

In other categories at the Minehead CC climb Team Zoyland took a one-two in the junior category with George Watch clocked 11-13 to beat team-mate Joseph Wright by 29 seconds. Meanwhile Daniel Eastman (1st Chard Wheelers) clocked 11-29 to take the prize for the best 40-49 veteran, with Steve Thomas (Bristol RC) a second quicker and winning the 50-59 veterans prize.

The over-60s category was won by 1st Chard Wheelers’ Rex Facey with a time of 13-32.

This tough climb is 1.25 miles long, with sections up to 25%, and was the first of two climbs being put on by Minehead CC, with the other one being on the nearby Porlock Toll Road later that morning. See separate report for that event’s details.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

Results:

Men:

1.    Andrew Feather     HuntBikeWheels.com    9:03

2.    Ed Laverack            Backpedal                          9:40

3.    Will Lowden            Wattshop                         10:00

4.    Morgan Curle          Rogue Racing                   10:12

5.    William Jeffery        Saint Piran                        10:53

6.    David Fellows          Solihull CC                        11:01

Women:

1.    Illi Gardner            Wahoo Endurance Zone    10:52

2.    Janet Hewlett        Minehead CC                       18:58

Junior:

1.    George Watch    Team Zoyland                    11:13

2.    Joseph Wright    Team Zoyland                    11:42

Vet 40-49:

1.     Daniel Eastman    1st Chard Wheelers        11:29

Vet 50-59:

1.    Steve Thomas        Bristol RC                        11:28

Vet 60+:

1.    Rex Facey                1st Chard Wheelers        13:32