Battery Hill Climb TT Wednesday 2 September

We Gave Up Waiting For The rain To Stop!

I had not been able to check out Battery hill until late afternoon on the day of the event.  As I walked round the corner to the village shop, having parked in Waites Lane, the sun was pretty much in line with the climb and clear of the trees, a concern that motorists may be partially blinded and have trouble seeing the riders at and behind the start line and on the first section of the climb. The start was over an hour away so I hoped that the sun would drop below the tress further up the hill.  The shop was due to close at 18:30 so with first rider due off at 18:45 there would be no problem with cars wanting to park just behind the start line.  Stuart had already put out warning signs and was at the car park extra early, only the car park was roped off since the surface was going to be redone over the following days.  We decided to sign on by the roped off car park entrance and send anyone with a car along to the next car park. Despite the sun there were a few drops of rain and by the time the first riders turned up to sign on it was getting heavy and persistent.  With officials in their cars and riders sheltering under trees there were a few promising hints of the sun trying to break through but the rain kept coming down.  It seemed to be blowing over so the delayed sign on and starting order were completed from inside the back of Malcolm’s van.  The rain stopped as riders went down the hill to the start, only for it to start again just as the first rider was due off.  At least there was no chance of motorists being blinded by the sun!  Several riders had flashing rear lights, something that is strongly recommended when time trialling (plus helmets to approved safety standards) and with dark overhanging trees at the top of the climb well worth using even in bright daylight.

 Several of the riders were wet and cold, having been caught out by the rain, so it was not the quickest of evenings.  Trevor Deeble (4:51) won the club event, with Malcolm Daly (5:44) second and Iain Webster (6:24) third on his first hill climb.

The last time we had a really wet ride up Battery Hill was in 1998 when only two brave souls attempted the climb in foul conditions with the finish timekeeper well protected from the elements in the bus shelter by the church, Tim Blower shading Peter Tadros to win.  But Peter says he beat Tim in the other Hastings hill climb that year, Elphinstone, and he was club hill climb champion on the aggregate time.  I think Peter only ever did one 25 for Hastings and it was a 1:01 so is not one of sub sub-hour testers but he went on to ride for other clubs from 1999 and soon became rather quick!  The attached table of times for Battery Hill only goes back to 1999, we did not do the event in 2014.


Peter was quickest (4:07) but is several weeks off his best hill climbing form which he is working towards for the National Championships.  His 13 year old son Theo (6:16) made a great TT debut on a fixed wheel and will be riding several Open Hill Climbs with his father in the coming weeks.  Daniel Pink (4:39) had looked round for some hill climbs to help him prepare for the hill climb season and being on holiday this week came down to Hastings from Orpington to ride and will have been pretty damp on his return trip on the train.  Rye Wheelers are holding their hill climb championships on Battery Hill on Sunday 18th October (check) so Michael Maxwell (4:59) had a useful work out and excellent sub 5 minute time.

The Rye event counts in the Hastings TT points series and if any first claim rider wants to challenge Trevor and is faster than 4:50.2 they will be crowned Hastings Hill Climb Champion for 2015.


H&StL CC

Trevor Deeble 4:50.2

Malcolm Daly 5:43.9

Iain Webster 6:23.6

Greg Blackwell 7:14.2

Keri Purves 7:17.9



Private TTs

Peter Tadros In Gear 4:06.6

Daniel Pink Bigfoot 4:38.9

Michael Maxwell Rye 4:58.2

Theo Tadros (13)  In Gear 6:15.3



Chris Parker