JOSH Coyne of Okehampton Cycling Club travelled to Yorkshire this last weekend to compete on Sunday in his first National Championship Hill Climb.

Jackson Bridge near Holmfirth, Huddersfield, is a classic British hill climb course, roughly one mile at an average gradient of eleven per cent. Josh, aged 20, finished an impressive 158th from 224 competitors who qualified in regional events. More importantly his time of 5 hours 48 minutes 2 seconds was in the top 38 per cent. Josh is already looking forward to another year’s training with a local coach, and next years championship.

Earlier this month Josh competed in the Yarcombe Hill Climb just outside of Chard in Somerset. On a hill with an average of seven per cent gradient he was placed third with a time of 6 minutes 04 seconds.

Fellow OCC member Dominic Armstrong completed the 100km Exmoor Beast. Fighting through cramping issues over the second half of the course he posted a cracking time of 3 hours 55 minutes 17 seconds, the 15th fastest recorded time over the distance that day.

Nigel Hale-Hunter completed the 100 mile course in a time of 6hrs 07mins 48secs — the 20th fastest time, although he had a bad 20km around South Molton after too much pace work at the front between after Exford.

Both routes included a foggy Dunkery Beacon at a great, well organised event.