MOUNT WASHINGTON (BC) HILL CLIMB

Your editor was officiating the Mount Washington Hill Climb this past weekend. Unlike most hill climbs, this was a massed start event, with all categories except the juniors and cadets starting from the bottom and riding to the ski lodge 16.7kilometres up the hill. The start time was revised as there was a long board competition on the lower part of the hill and the cyclists were only able to use the course when the boarders broke for lunch. As soon as the word came that the course was clear, all participants set off together in a neutralised ride to the official start and then continued as soon as the flag dropped. By the time the first 5 kilometres were reached, there was a pack of four extending their lead over the other riders, who by now were spaced out all over the hill. meanwhile, the youth riders had started from a point just 9.5 kilometres from the top and they stayed pretty much together for the first half of their race.

In the senior race, the first three finished very close together, with Matt O'Hagan just pipping 3rd. category winner, Bruce Schlatter by half a wheel, with cat. 3 runner-up John Rogers just six seconds back. Tenille Hoogland won the women's category placing sixth. overall.

The fastest youth was James Grant and best female youth performance was by Jessica Reynolds.

Full results are here.

By the way, long boarding is a REALLY dangerous sport, with only a few hundred hay bales between the speeding boarders (up to100kph with no brakes) and serious injury. As we were coming back down after the hill climb, there was an ambulance with flashing lights and the crew loading a prone, still boarder on a body board into the back. Sure hope he was OK.