Velo bikers get upwardly mobile
Hill Climb Championship was big test of stamina
Craig Ritchie
Paisley Velo held their annual Hill Climb Championship on Sunday.
The course began from Foxbar Road and climbed all the way up Gleniffer Road, passing the car park in the sky and finishing shortly before the electricity sub station at the true summit of the Braes road.
It took Sam McGrath just 7.24 mins to complete the course and win first place and bag this year’s title of King Of The Mountain.
Colin Sales followed up just 10 seconds later to claim second place, and James McKenzie proved that regularly attending the club’s hill training sessions pays off as he took third place with an impressive time of 8.20.
The conditions were described by riders as “wet, cold and rather miserable” but the event still attracted six club riders to endure the course and try to claim a prize which will be given out at the club’s AGM in November.
The results were as follows: 7.24 Sam McGrath, 7.34 Colin Sales, 8.20 James McKenzie, 8.29 Ciaran Kirkpatrick, 9.40 Ian Morris, 9.45 Scott Nelson, 10.30 Derek McBurnie.
Elsewhere, Gary Kelly raced in the Scottish Circuit Race Championship at Ingliston near Edinburgh on Saturday and reported a tough and painful race which was abandoned on the 10th lap due to someone else crashing, so no result was recorded for any participants.
The club’s Saturday bunch was out in full force and sliced their way through the damp coastal air to Gourock, Inverkip and back again on a fast and flat loop of just over 40 miles.
A club spokesman said: “These riders regularly hit an average speed of 20 to 23mph, and even as the season is winding down, it’s still great base training which they’re planning to keep up over the winter when the weather allows it.”
Finally, a few other riders decided to take a more leisurely approach to their weekend.
Michael Carrigan headed up to Aberfoyle and the Crow Road on a 90-mile trip.
A few others headed into rural Renfrewshire and Ayrshire for shorter outings to keep the legs spinning.
This coming weekend, Sam McGrath is taking part in the Irvine Beach SCX race and Colin Sales is competing in the Tour de Trossachs time trial.
And Velo are expecting another busy Saturday bunch and the club runs will be out in force on Sunday.
The club is also planning a few night circuit courses where riders will don some hi-visibility gear and lots of lights and ride at a high intensity around some of Paisley’s well-lit areas, which they expect will start the followingweek. Logan