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Enter The Struggle Hill Climb 2024 | Sponsored By Wheelbase

The Struggle Is Real

The UK National Hill Climb Championships is coming to the Lake District on Sunday the 22nd of September, pitting riders against each other on one of the most infamous climbs in the Lakes! The Struggle, local to our Wheelbase Headquarters, strikes fear into the hearts of road cyclists who are familiar with its steep slopes and unforgiving length as it rises out of the picturesque town of Ambleside.

So what can our competitors expect? Here’s a brief summary of the Struggle climb…

The Struggle hill climb ramps straight up from Ambleside, with no chance for competitors to ease in before they immediately hit the 18-20% gradients and the lung-busting effort begins. It’s very easy to go too deep too soon here, breathing so hard that you go into anaerobic threshold and never really recover for the remaining length of the climb.

After negotiating these steep lower slopes, which are hemmed in with dry stone walls, the odd tree and a series of tight bends, the terrain opens out in front of you and the climb becomes a little more forgiving with gradients shallowing to around 8-10%. It’s hard to manage your rhythm here as you encounter a series of false flats with small portions of descent thrown in which have you questioning your pacing strategy for the overall climb.

There’s a reason that this climb has been named ‘The Struggle’. As the elevation increases and you glance upwards you’ll see the very top of the climb ramping up dramatically before you for the final 200-300 metres. You’ll need to dig deep for one final lung-busting effort up the remaining 20% gradients featuring two difficult hairpins and a more unpredictable road surface.

The only redeeming feature of this final kick to the top will be the large crowds of supporters at the roadside, shouting encouragement and ringing their cow bells as they will you on to the finish line where the pain will finally cease and the inevitable wave of relief will wash over you as you begin to recover and wait to find out your time and overall position in the race.

The Struggle – Fast Facts…

  • Total Elevation: 403m
  • Maximum Gradient : 24%
  • Total Distance : 2.67 miles / 4.8 km
  • Avg Grade : 8.2%

Enter The Struggle Hill Climb

If you think you’ve got what it takes to challenge for the top spot in your category, or if you fancy challenging yourself regardless…

You can enter the event here.

We’ve made a short course preview for you to see what you’re getting yourself into!

Video by Badger Productions Ltd

The atmosphere on The Struggle is always fantastic and spectators are welcome and encouraged to join the fun at the side of the road.

Event organiser Jack Talbot has organised the local Struggle Hill Climb race for the past few years, with our very own Andy Cunningham from our Wheelbase Yorkshire store taking the men’s win in 2022. This year he’s teamed up with the RTTC (Road Time Trials Council) to host the biggest hill climb of the season and just like in other years the event will be raising important funds for the Great North Air Ambulance who saved Jack’s life in 2017

We Hope To See You There!

Scroll Down To See the 2023 race results.

Senior Male
1st Andrew Feather 00:11:48
2nd Ed Laverack 00:12:06
3rd Paddy Clark 00:13:05
Note: Junior rider Harry Hudson (13:05) was equal 3rd overall

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli Riders
12th Lee Rosie 13:50.0 (U23)
14th Andy Cunningham 13:51.0
40th Thomas Armstrong 14:41.0

Senior Female
1st Illi Gardner 00:15:03
2nd Lizi Brooke 00:16:02
3rd Abi Plowman 00:16:03

FEMALE

Age 14
1st. Isabel Beale 00:22:02

Age 15
1st. Ruby Isaac 00:18:21
2nd. Maia Howell 00:20:21
3rd. Megan Hughes 00:20:57

Age 16
1st Ella Tandy 00:18:25

Ages 17
1st Millie Jenkins 00:20:34
2nd Sophie Heighton 00:24:15

Ages 40 – 44
1st Gemma Sargent 00:18:55
2nd Hayley Mcewan 00:20:13
3rd Kamila Leska 00:22:09

Ages 45 – 49
1st Helen Jackson 00:17:43
2nd Victoria Wilkinson 00:18:13
3rd Celia Brown 00:19:15

Ages 50 – 54
1st Sarah Wilkinson 00:17:55
2nd Sarah Harrison 00:20:09
3rd Louise Johnson 00:21:38

Ages 55 – 59
1st Wiebke Rietz 00:21:45
2nd Sally Maitland 00:22:01
3rd Susie Kirkham 00:24:15

Ages 60 – 64
1st Janet Le Luan 00:22:32
2nd Deborah John 00:25:45

Ages 65 – 69
1st Sally Cunliffe 00:23:19

Ages 70 – 74
1st Margaret Docking 00:29:39

MALE

Age 12
1 Finn Miller 00:23:41

Ages 13
1st Ezra Bateman 00:16:50
2nd  Brodie Johnson 00:17:08
3rd Jamie Brough 00:19:39

Ages 14
1st Finley Hudson 00:16:02
2nd Roch Morgan 00:16:04

Ages 15
1st Finn Obrien 00:14:22
2nd Harley Widdowson 00:14:35
3rd Charlie Brennan 00:15:28

Ages 16
1st Harry Hudson 00:13:05 (3RD OVERALL)
2nd Louis Herring 00:14:45
3rd Ethan Squires 00:15:13

Ages 17
1st Joe Watkins-Wilson 00:14:04
2nd George Mahon 00:14:27
3rd Ahron Dick 00:14:32

Ages 18
1st Maxwell Hereward 00:13:19
2nd George Stephen 00:14:28
3rd Cai Curtis-Roberts 00:14:40

Ages 40 – 44
1st Leon Wright 00:14:20
2nd John Bowman 00:14:21
3rd Laurie Lambeth 00:14:47

Ages 45 – 49
1st Phil Stonelake 00:14:45
2nd Andy Pearson 00:15:02
3rd Steven Prince 00:15:47

Ages 50 – 54
1st Andrew Metherell 00:15:59
2nd Karl Norris 00:16:26
3rd Simon Warren 00:16:26

Ages 55 – 59
1st Colin Atkinson 00:15:12
2nd Chris Myhill 00:15:39
3rd Steve Thomas 00:16:19

Ages 60 – 64
1st Martin Shaw 00:16:46
2nd John Flanagan 00:17:03
3rd Bryan Pool 00:17:18

Ages 65 – 69
1st John Raftery 00:18:31
2nd Bob Atkinson 00:18:33
3rd Gordon Simpson 00:18:58
3rd Hilton Armstrong 00:18:58

Ages 70 – 74
1st Martin Bullen 00:21:00