Cycling - New record set in Fred Whitton

12:54pm Sunday 18th May 2008

THE past weekend saw the largest ever road bike sportive to take place the Lake District with upwards of 1,000 riders taking part in Sunday's annual Fred Whitton Challenge.

Riders headed out from the start in Coniston between 6am and 9am to tackle the infamous 112-mile course taking in the Lake District's toughest passes of Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Cold Fell, Hardknott and Wrynose.

WHEELBASE.co.uk rider Rob Jebb, a hardened Whitton competitor, and who lives in Staveley, was joint winner of the event in a new course record of 5hrs 40min in sweltering conditions.

He carved five minutes off last year's record set by Stuart Reid and Lewis Craven, both also riding for WHEELBASE.co.uk.

Jebb's fellow WHEELBASE.co.uk riders Lewis Craven, Ian Palmer, Paul Trott, Paul Troughton and Dave Haygarth worked hard to pull a fast bunch of elite riders over Kirkstone, down the A66 towards Keswick before Jebb put the "hammer down" on Honister.

UK National Hill Climb Champion James Dobbin, Artic Premier RT, jumped on the wheel of the local lad and the pair battled it out over the remaining 66 miles at an average speed in excess of 20mph to cross the line together in joint first place.

Participation in sportive cycle events has risen massively with British Cycling reporting a 35 per cent increase in 2007 and the Fred Whitton has been no exception with the 1,000 places selling out within three days of the event opening.

The challenge is run in memory of Fred Whitton, a former Lakes cycling stalwart who died at the age of 50, and the proceeds are donated to the MacMillan Nurses and the Dave Rayner Fund.

Top 12: Joint 1 R. Jebb (Wheelbase) 5-40-40 & J. Dobbin (Artic Premier RT) 5-40-40; 3 B. Bardsley (Keswick MB) 5-53-55; 4 B. Clarke (Lakes RC) 5-55-26; 5 B. Pool (Anderson Racing) 58-14; 6 S. Bottomley (Crosstrax) 6-04-11; 7 A. Howdon (Millom) 6-06-39; 8 J. Hemsley (Crosstrax) 6-07-51; 9 P. Trott (Wheelbase) 6-10-46; 10 I. Palmer (Wheelbase) 6-10-50; 11 A. Wrigley (Keswick MB) 6-12-07; 12 A. Goldsmith (Swindon) 6-14-16.

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