Clara Bullock,West of England and
Alastair McKee,Somerset
BBCA race taking cyclists up a steep and narrow cobbled hill has taken place in a Somerset village.
The Cobble Wobble in Frome attracted people in fancy dress alongside professional athletes on Sunday.
The route up Catherine Hill is designed to test the riders’ strength and skill, and the winners are crowned the King and Queen of the Cobbles.
Andrew Denham, who founded the event in 2009, said: “It’s a silly bicycle race that goes up Catherine Hill – there’s no good reason to ride up it, really, but that’s what we’re doing.”
He said some people take about 20 seconds to go up the hill, and others take about two minutes.
“In 2009, the Tour of Britain came through Frome and we did it as a way to celebrate it,” he said.
“It got such a wonderful reception that we decided to keep on doing it.”
Starting at the base of Stony Street, the course takes a sharp turn onto Catherine Hill, climbing 179 yards (164m) before ending where the cobbles give way at the hill’s summit.
The event provided the blueprint for Germany’s popular Cobble Hoppel and Red Bull’s Hill Chasers, held in cities around the world.
The race has also attracted famous athletes, including Chris Akrigg, a six-time national champion, who won in 2010 with a time of 21.51 seconds.
