CWMCARN Paragon riders Richard Harris, Darren Carpenter and Ryan Brain successfully retained their Welsh Hill Climb Time Trial Team Championship.

The trio were successful on the gruelling ascent between Llangadog and Brynamman.

Last year Harris, Carpenter and Andrew Butcher produced three outstanding rides to claim the title on the feared Rhigos Mountain.

For their defence, Harris and Carpenter were joined by the bright junior prospect Brain.

Carpenter and Brain warmed up for the championships with excellent performances in the Cardiff Byways Triple Hill Climb the former finished second and the latter fifth.

For Brain, riding his riding his first ever Championship, it was a daunting task, especially as the race covered 3.82 miles that must be ridden at maximum effort from the word go. Strong opposition was expected to come from Bynea CC and Rhos-on-Sea.

Harris, off 21st, gave Cwmcarn a superb start, recording a brilliant 15mins 31.1secs, which eventually placed him sixth overall.

Brain, off 30th, produced a quality ride considering the pressure he was under.

He finished in 18mins 24.1secs for 19th overall, third junior and climber par excellence.

Carpenter, off 39th, rode with his usual flair and effortless style to record a time of 15mins 16.5secs, for fourth overall which won Cwmcarn the title.

The Hill Climb plus the WCA 50 Mile TT team title, which Cwmcarn won in August, has ended another highly successful year for the club.

The last rider off, Dan Evans of Rhos-on-Sea, produced the ride of the day,14mins 17.6secs, for the overall victory.

  • Former Cwmcarn star and multi Welsh champion Rebecca Aicheler, now riding for Castle Bikes, recorded her second Welsh championship of the season.

She added the Hill Climb to the 10 Mile Time Trial Championship she won in August.

In the 2011 ladies championship, Aicheler finished second to Olympic champion Rebecca Romero.

But this year, despite very little competitive racing, she produced an outstanding ride of 20mins 52.2secs for 22nd overall. That gave her a comprehensive winning margin of 2mins 57secs.

  • In the Welsh Veteran's /Women's Road Race Championships, held over 60 miles on four laps of a circuit in Abergavenny and Raglan, riders faced atrocious conditions of strong winds and lashing rain throughout the race.

Cwmcarn's Andy Howell produced one of his finest rides to take a silver medal in the 50-59 age category and a brilliant 10th overall.

The appaling weather dictated the tactics with the only break of the day coming in the final few hundred yards.

Reigning champion Gerry Bowditch, Mapledown Racing, was first across the line in a fiercely contested sprint with Howell close behind in 10th position for a richly deserved silver medal.