The speediest among the speedy was Charles McCarthy, a one-time Valley
resident now slumming in East Middlebury. McCarthy covered the distance
in 24 minutes, 27 seconds, breaking the previous course record by more
than 30 seconds. That should give students in the Ripton Elementary
School good reason to rise up in the classroom and give a hearty cheer
for Mr. Mac, as McCarthy is known among his protégés on the far side of
the hill.
The record breaking, however, was hardly just a guy thing. In fact, two
women in this year's race broke the previous course record. Marti Shea
of Marblehead, Massachusetts, a flyweight of a woman who floats uphill
on a bike as effortlessly as a moth on a thermal updraft, crossed the
line in 26:47, smashing by more than a minute the previous women's
record, set just last year by Kristen Gohr.
Gohr also bettered her own record time this year in finishing in 27:45.
But, too bad for Kristen, a great climbing talent - she just picked a
bad lifetime to be such a good hill climber. It is her misfortune to be
living in the age of the virtually unbeatable Shea, winner this year at
the prestigious Mt. Washington hill climb among other races where the
road tilts unmercifully upward. Her Allen Clark win helped her secure
the championship title for the season-long BUMPS series, which includes
all the major hill climbs in the Northeast.
A total of 122 riders entered the event, but not all of them were
especially fast and the number isn't altogether accurate. A singular
Hubbard, Taylor, was registered, but actually three Hubbards
participated in the ride, combining as a family unit to record by far
the slowest time of the day (and one of the slowest Allen Clark rides
ever). Here's why: Old Father Hubbard had schemed up the lunatic idea of
towing most of the family, about 120 pounds worth of daughters Ella and
Grace, up the mountain behind him in a trailer.
While other riders had been doing everything possible to pare every
fraction of an ounce from their superlight climbing machines, Hubbard,
with Grace, Ella and the not-so-light trailer in tow, probably weighed
in at something close to a six-pack of Marti Sheas. The going was
spectacularly slow, but give the family credit - they made it all the
way to the top. Afterwards, Grace happily declared that the ride had
been "comfortable." Her father's body language suggested that he was not
at all in agreement.
Hubbard et al. might have been the slowest among the local riders, but
they weren't alone. Third overall among the women behind Shea and Gohr
was Audrey Huffman, with Joannie Kavanaugh, Melanie Simon and Cindy
Shepard not far back. Among the men, Terry Kellogg was the fastest of
the local boys, with Bob Dillon, Mark Fleckenstein, Marc Hammond, Jon
Jamieson and Mike Riddell also putting in respectable times.
And when the smoke cleared, the good news was that this year's race also
brought in a record take for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, the event
beneficiary. Yes, the event might be about talented riders setting new
athletic standards. It might be about keeping Grace Hubbard comfortable.
But mostly it is about bringing in money for a good cause. Full results
are at achillclimb.org.
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