Jay Bourke is 2009 Hillclimb Champion

September 29 2009

This article was mistakenly headlined "Jay Bourke is 2009 King of the Mountain."  In fact the BSCC King of the Mountain is a series of road races with uphill finishes.  The final stage of the KOM will be held on October 10, finishing at the top of the Learmonth "Wall."  The event that Jay won last Saturday is correctly referred to as the Hillclimb.  Thanks to Chris Liston for pointing this out.  This was an editorial error - ed.

Senior Hillclimb

BSCC has been running an annual hillclimb from Buninyong village to the top of Mt. Buninyong for at least thirty years.  The event has always been run as a tactics-free time trial, the "race of truth," with riders starting at one-minute intervals.  It's believed that Peter Taylor's Buninyong record of about 12 minutes, set in the mid-1980s, still stands.  The trophy for the BSCC club road champion, awarded to this day, carries the name of Peter's late father, Kevin.  Reduction in bicycle weight since Taylor's era translates to a huge time gain, 30 seconds or more, for a rider of his weight, and more astounding is the fact that Taylor, though lightly built, was known as a sprinter, not a time-triallist. 

Mid-winter conditions, the long season, and a local dislike of climbing and time-trialling, despite the importance of these skills to an well-rounded cyclist, meant reduced numbers.  Almost twenty senior riders greeted the starter.  Heather Niehoff was persuaded by her friend Gail Oliver, road and track champion and owner of BSCC sponsor Navajo Cycles, to make the hillclimb her first bike race.  Heather rode an impressive 17:40 to comfortably take the women's Queen of the Mountain event.  Her time was among the fastest of the day until motivated climbing specialist Ben Clark exploded out of the starting blocks to set a time of 15:20.  All-round strong man Neville Bilney rode almost the same time as Clark, and only four riders, all A-grade regulars, went faster than these two.  The eventual winner was top seed and national-level climber Jay Bourke.  Despite a month of illness after his super Melbourne to Ballarat, Jay was more than a minute faster than the next rider.   Second went to top masters rider and breakaway specialist Tony Mirabella, and third to motocross star Warren Faneco, rising rapidly in his first road racing season.  Ex-international Doug Garley, hit by a car out training on Monday, gave another of his quiet lessons in cycling and character by beating a number of younger, un-bruised riders. 

Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club 2009 hillclimb, Mt. Buninyong: senior overall results

1.  Jay Bourke 13:24

2.  Tony Mirabella 14:42

3.  Warren Faneco 15:09

4.  Will Wettenhall 15:16

5.  Ben Clark 15:20

6.  Neville Bilney 15:21

7.  Phil Orr 16:09

8.  Jon Townsend 16:20

9.  Dale Boucher 17:02

10. Doug Garley 17:07

11. Jason Haire 17:19

12. Sam Edwards 17:20

13. Jonathan Lacey 17:35

14. Heather Niehoff 17:40

15. Michael Veal 18:17

16. Gail Oliver 18:32

17. Jane Faneco 19:20

18. Kylie Zelley 20:59

19. Sean Lee 26:31

 

Women's hillclimb

1. Heather Niehoff 17:40

2. Gail Oliver 18:32

3. Jane Faneco 19:20

4. Kylie Zelley 20:59

 

Junior Hillclimb

Chris Liston writes:

Perseverance pays off on podium for Plastow

Killian Plastow not only reached the top of Mt Buninyong in atrocious conditions in BSCC's annual hill climb, but the unassuming rider also claimed an outright place as runner-up in the U17 event.  He does not often featurie in the top of his ferociously-contested classification, but today Plastow’s miles of training and racing paid off to give the young man a podium position. Ciaran Conaughton, a highly-rated climbing specialist who would have threatened many senior riders had he ridden their event, took the under 17 classification, while Andrew Pearson, Mt. Buninyong resident, placed third on his home turf.
 

Emily Wordie-Thompson arrived at the event in the nick of time to post a winning time in the 4km W15 event. Victoria Snibson was runner-up, and Madeleine Plastow third.  Angus Lyons continued his good form, taking the M15 race ahead of Hugo Tolliday and Joshua Liston.  Emily Oliver claimed runner-up in the U13 girls and bagged more points for her overall KOM series score, while Emma Bilston took the girls U13 win.  U9/11 riders Rochelle Liston, Kate Lyons and Olivia Oliver raced a short-course 1.2 km climb, with Oliver taking the title. 

Junior hill climb time trial, Mt. Buninyong

U17M 4.2 km
1. Ciaran Conaughton 11:21.30
2. Killian Plastow 14:23.51
3. Andrew Pearson 14:41.11
 

U15M 4.2 km
1. Angus Lyons 12:16.15
2. Hugo Tolliady 12:31.50
3. Joshua Liston 13:07.40
 

U15F 4.2 km
1. Emily Wordie Thompson 14:37.02
2. Victoria Snibson 16:43.60
3. Madeleine Plastow 19:36.12
 

U13F 2 km
1. Emma Bilston 7:05.76
2.Emily Oliver 8:26.11
 

U11 1.2 km
1. Olivia Oliver 6:02.87
2. Kate Lyons 7:32.18
 

U9 1.2km
1 Rochelle Liston 8:02.54
 

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