Report: race 4

Riyadh's best climbers line up after Dirab challenge.

L to R, Gaetan Contrino, James Cusden, Fiona MacLeod, Jaime Sunga

No Record for Cusden in Novartis-Riyadh Wheelers Howell Memorial Hill Climb

The long standing 1996 Nigel Howell record of 8m58s, withstood another

attack from Riyadh's best cyclists in the Novartis Consumer

Health-Riyadh Wheelers Nigel Howell Memorial Hill Climb, which

although only 5km in length is considered one of the hardest events on

the calendar.  While the men failed to better the mark, the Cat B

record of Lauren Pentlebury was improved by fellow Canadian, Fiona

MacLeod, who trimmed 10 seconds off what was considered an unbeatable

time.  A good turnout of 39 riders lined up for the time keeper with

the daunting prospect of the steep side of the Dirab Escarpment in

front of them, and as is often the case in this event; a name comes

out of the blue and surprises the field.  This year it was Tom Walton

who had kept his climbing talents quiet and stormed up the hill to

take his highest finishing position to date.  Other impressive

performances were put up by event organizer Scott Waight and Patrick

Casey who did their points totals no harm in this specialist event.

The podium however held no surprises, with James Cusden riding against

doctor's orders and pleased in the circumstances to hold off the

determined and ever improving Gaetan Contrino, who was well ahead of

top veteran and natural climber Jaime Sunga and first master, Rob

Patrick.  Looking through the split times, one ride stood out alone,

Inocencu Albert recorded only the 16th best time on the flatter part

of the climb, but went on to record an amazing 4th fastest on the

steeper part, to finish just out of the top 10.   Less than 30 seconds

covered positions from 5th to 12th, an indication how close this tough

event can be.  The next event is the prestigious 2-Day Event when

riders from around the Kingdom are expected to enter.

RESULTS

1st J.Cusden 10m16s (1st OPEN); 2nd G.Contrino 10m24s; 3rd J.Sunga

11m14s (1st VETERAN); 4th R.Patrick 11m24s (1st MASTER); 5th G.Morete

11m31s; 6th R.Platil 11m33s; 7th R.D Santos 11m35s; 8th T.Walton

11m38s; 9th F.MacLeod 11m43s (1st CAT B); 10th S.Waight 11m46s; 11th

I.Albert 11m49s; 12th R.Taylor 11m56s; 13th R.Rocas 12m13s; 14th

M.Varde 12m20s; 15th P.Casey 12m24s; 16th A.Carinan 12m30s; 17th

P.Soycon 12m32s; 18th H.Rom 12m35s; 19th J.Cordial 12m45s; 20th D.D

Rosario 12m52s; 21st G.Agullo 13m03s; 22nd C.Morelos 13m11s; 23rd

G.Escobar 13m39s; 24th J.Forrester 13m43s; 25th O.Galang 13m48s; 26th

26th J.Javier 13m53s; 27th R.Ruan 13m55s; 28th A.Inglis 14m00s; 29th

R.Bitong s14m00s; 30th C.Laorgan 14m17s (1st SENIOR); 31st J.Damance

14m28s; 32nd F.Requillo 14m52s; 33rd R.Pilar 15m05s; 34th H.B Marinas

15m05s; 35th L.Ordinez 16m00s; 36th M.Galang 16m40s; 37th C.Rillera

16m48s; 38th F.Gregorio 21m10s; 39th A. Al Saharni 23m26s