R11 BBR Opticians Hill Climb Series: Dave Scott Coaching Old Racecourse Road, Oswestry Hill Climb

The finale of the BBR Opticians Hill Climb Series saw a new course in use, two inaugural course records set; and eight medals resolved in Round 11: the Dave Scott Coaching Old Racecourse Road, Oswestry climb, with a great turnout of 35 riders in a growth sector of time trialling. Riders did not seemed fazed by the stiff headwind they were about to face as they signed on in the Mule Cycles shop in Oswesty, with event promoter and four-time BBR Series Champion Dave Scott setting the inaugural course record of 6 minutes 17 seconds for the 1.58 mile course up Back Racecourse Lane.

Scott has only managed to race the last two climbs of the BBR Series in 2026, but led the way home with a comfortable 34 second advantage on one of his training routes averaging just a sniff under 6%. He commented: “It was a mega headwind, so I’m happy to have won, but I’m not expecting my course record to last too many years! It was great to have such a good turn out on what was forecast to be a far worse day than we got thankfully: it stayed dry, and we even saw the sun”.

But the performance of the morning came from Newport Shropshire CC rider Isla Furniss. The 12 year old, in her first time trialling season entered the race at the head of the Female standings; but with no medals settled pre-race and four females capable of taking the silverware she put up the best defence of all: romping home with a win to set the inaugural female course record of 9:47, winning BBR Female Gold, and taking BBR Junior Silver for good measure. Furniss pushed out Paramount’s Rebecca Pugh into runner-up spot in 10:18; and Mid Shropshire Wheelers’ Flo Parkinson in 12:18, consigning Pugh to Female Silver and Parkinson to both Female and Junior Bronze. This is an outstanding achievement for the youngster who was also delighted to receive unexpected prize money: “It was a long climb but not as steep as ones I’ve done before. I was pleased with my ride; and with the overall Series win in my first year of competing in the competition”.   

Pugh was 2025 Female Bronze winner, so was pleased to have taken Silver in a season where she has seen marked improvement over her inaugural one, commenting: ”I’m really happy to come away with Silver in my second Hill Climb Season. I’m proud to have improved on my times from 2025, and also tried new climbs, like the steep Lincoln Hill. Each club has run a fantastic event, and I’m looking forward to 2027”!

Parkinson just finished outside the Female medals in 2025, and replicated her Bronze in the Juniors after a solid season of climbing. She turns her hand to all types of cycling, and is already determined to improve for 2027: “Last season I dipped my toe into the Hill Climb Series, with a go at the Oswestry course and the iconic Burway. This year I went all in, tackling most of the climbs in the Series for the first time. I have thoroughly enjoyed the variety in terms of both the location setting and the actual challenge of the time trial distance/gradients put in front of us. I am thrilled to take the Bronze in both Female and Junior categories, and it has been a lovely way to end the season! I am currently training hard via the British Cycling pathway development centres at Shrewsbury closed circuit, and at the Derby Velodrome track; and racing hard on the cyclo-cross scene, so bring on the 2027 Hill Climb Series to go again; and where I hope to be stronger and faster”.

Scott’s nearest challenge on the morning came from team mate Jed Friskney, making his fifth appearance of the season, and he was delighted to the response to this new event on his local roads. Friskney stopped the watch on 6:51,a nd was pleased with his effort, stating: “It was great to see an excellent turnout for our local club, a fantastic way to finish off what has been a brilliant Series. We are lucky to have such a good hill climb scene in our area, so massive thanks to everyone involved in making it happen. I felt strong on the day, and despite some headwind in the first half I think I paced it well enough to finish strong on the last steep ramp and survived the drag to the finish with good speed. I was very pleased to come away with another second place, and closer than I expected to the always rapid Dave Scott”!

Making his second appearance of the Series saw Jude White take both the Junior win on the morning and an unanticipated third spot overall, as the Mid Shropshire Wheeler finished just eight seconds behind Friskney in 6:59, seeing off the attentions of another Dave Scott rider, Jack Young, by 10 seconds. But as White revealed, it nearly didn’t happen: “It was a last minute decision to attend, but I was so glad I did! I can’t believe I took third overall and first Junior ahead of a large field of 35. A fantastic event, highly recommended, big thanks to Dave Scott, Mule, and all the marshals for organising; the cake went down well too”.

Having already won Veterans Gold, Stuart Proctor added overall BBR Bronze at the close too to cap off a fine first full comeback season. Proctor finished third Veteran on the day in 7:33 behind James Davies in 7:11 and Seb Frost in 7:19, but was pleased to win another medal in what he revealed was a season-long goal: “The BBR was the Series that I was really targeting for 2026, having enjoyed the few hill climbs I managed to do last year pretty much last minute. I even spent much of the year refining an eBay special to act as my ride for the Series! My main target was to podium in the Veterans, so to manage to do this for the Series overall has been wonderful, as has the whole experience of the Series. It’s been excellent to see the youngsters showing the way this year: Ed and Jack have been utterly on fire and totally deserve to take Gold and Silver respectively, and a great pair of lads they are too, much kudos! The only downside was that Dave Saunders wasn’t able to do more rounds, as I suspect we would have had a great battle going for us ‘mature’ folk! Cheers to all the clubs and SCCA for organising the Series, impeccably done as usual”.

Davies was happy to head up the Veterans on the morning, commenting: “Really pleased to take the Veterans win. Mule Cycles and Dave Scott Coaching were great hosts, with a brilliant atmosphere and plenty of encouragement; big thanks to everyone who helped make it such a great day”. Frost merely added in undertones of a friendly rivalry: “Looking forward to beating James next year”!

That left Veterans Silver and Bronze to be settled, with Oswestry Paragon’s Neil Coles doubling his slim two point advantage over Propel’s Tim Mayo to finish runner-up after finishing in 8:23 to Mayo’s 8:51. Coles has travelled to nine of the 11 events around the County, and was surprised to see off the challenge, commenting: “I’m very pleased and surprised to make the Veterans podium steps considering the quality of competition this season. It’s been a great and enjoyable series, shame I missed Lincoln Hill and The Stiperstones; many thanks to all the organisers for making it all possible”.

For Mayo this has been a season of stepping into the unknown, and, along with Proctor and Paramount’s Chris Riley, has been just one of three riders entering all 11 events in the BBR. He appears to have thoroughly enjoyed the experience: “The Hill Climb Series has been an absolute blast to take part in, and the community around the races have been so friendly and welcoming. It’s my first year being able to take part in hill climb racing, so it’s a huge honour to bring home a medal for Propel CC. I want to say a big thank you to all of the organisers, marshals and volunteers for their dedication and for making the SCCA Series a real success and the envy of other regions”.

Full:

Veterans on Actual:

Females:

Juniors:

Final Cumulative standings after eleven rounds

Overall:

Veterans on Actual:

Females:

Juniors:

• Isla Furniss wins Silver on 2nd SCCA count back rule