BUSA Hill Climb
Date: 28/10/2006
Venue: Curbar Gap(OHC5)
Website: BUSA Cycling

The BUSA Hill Climb, which takes place every year at Curbar Gap, was blessed with lovely weather (it wasn't raining), there were quite a few OUCC riders who managed to send their entry forms in on time and could be bothered turning up...

David McGaw was the first Oxford rider off and set a rather blistering 5 mins 44 secs. Though this was probably due to several factors: his own personal fan club cheering him halfway up, spending 3 days pre-riding the course, a really light bling bike and of course (most importantly) taking his water bottle cages off.

Amber Tomas raced up the hill in a spectacular 8 mins 6 secs, which would be enough to take gold in a normal year, however due to a particularly strong women’s field it was only good enough for 4th. Hmm... could also do better in the style stakes: helmet and bottle cages?? Total amateur! ;)

President Will Meers, dressed like an explosion in an OUCC kit factory, was clear about his aims for the day... he wanted some good pictures of himself looking cool. Most of his "warm up" time was spent trying decide whether to wear his hat back-to-front or not. Unfortunately, he never made it as far as the cameras and was only ever in contention for the "most humiliating DNF" award... he forgot to check his rear skewer, which slipped every time he applied the power, resulting in Will getting off his bike every few metres to adjust his wheel, much to the amusement of the large crowd standing at the start. He soon gave up having been overtaken by his minute man before traveling 100 metres.

Dean Robson was so keen to ride the HC he had to be dragged out of bed by Will, they managed to turn up so late that the first time Dean rode the course was when he raced it... on his cast iron training bike... with a cold. Still, he was just chuffed not to get girled.

Ian Shapiro fresh from a particularly thrilling 19th place the Huddersfield Star Hill Climb did a rather good 7 mins 03 secs. Skin suit, check... OUCC cap with peak up, check... cheesy grin, all the way up the hill, check. Though rather bad form to forget to leave your water bottles at the start and drag them half the way up before realising. Plus the air resistance caused by hairy legs must be worth *atleast* 1 minute.

At the last minute, Stefan Pantos chose to ride David's blingy bike and despite riding with the handle bars turned upwards at a *crazy* angle he did an awesome time, which he immediately dismissed as "rubbish".

Katsuyuki Kakinoki was sporting possibly the most bling piece of bike equipment out of anyone... an SRM (power meter crank things), sadly SRM's are about as heavy as they are bling. Despite this, and being spurred on by his own little team of cheerleaders, Katsuyuki did a really good time.

Rachel "last year's HC winner" Hughes (a particularly sickly child... still recovering from glue ear, an exceptionally drunken 21st birthday party and weighed down by *so many* BUSA gold medals) could only manage a time of just over 10 minutes. But she was by far more interested by the doors on her people carrier that could automatically open and close.

Overall, David got individual silver, Amber and Rachel took women’s team silver (missing out on ladies team gold by only 2 seconds) and "Team Wolfson" (David, Stefan, Ian) were fourth men’s team.

Results

A PDF of the f ull results can be found at the BUSA website.