Registration is open for the Hawaii Cycling Club’s 3rd Annual Hilo Climbing Time Trial (HCTT) slated for July 17. The 12-mile cycling event will begin at Komohana and Puainako Street in Hilo at 7:30 a.m., with riders utilizing the wide shoulder of the new Saddle road.
The HCTT offers the perfect challenge for serious bike racers to showcase their climbing skills and strengths, and for recreational cyclists looking for a new road experience. The 12-mile route will feature an elevation gain of 2,521 feet — starting with a 393-feet gain in the first two miles before finishing with an elevation gain of 2,123 feet over the last 10 miles.
This year’s event will also allow an increase in participation up to a limit of 50 people while maintaining social distancing guidelines. Cyclists will start separately on 30-second intervals, which has been the normal format for all time trials.
“Looking forward to Hawaii Cycling Club’s (HCC) first event with the increase in outdoor gathering size of 75 which is larger than the anticipated 35 participants and five volunteers allowing HCTT to start racers from slowest to fastest based on their estimate times and HCC records,” said race director Tom Solis. “HCC will of course enforce all COVID restrictions in place on the day of the event. We are happy we are able to put on events starting in Hilo. The HCTT is a ‘warm up’ for the 2021 Sea To Stars to be held August 7th, which starts in the same location but ends at the makai entrance to the Mauna Kea Visitors Center gravel parking lot.”
The Hilo Climbing Time Trial has become an established annual event for the Hawaii Cycling Club with the some of the Big Island’s best and most competitive cyclists vying for first place.
“Sam Anderson-Moxley and Alan Eriksson, the previous two winners, will be competing against challengers Daniel Hill, Chris DeMarchi, and Leonard Bisel among others,” Solis said. “I am looking forward to the most competitive HCTT to date. Not only among the competitors for first place but also in the age group competitions.”
The women’s winner from last year, Laupahoehoe’s Melissa Schad, will also return to defend her title from strong female competitors, Laura Yamasaki and Brenda Bettencourt, both from Kailua-Kona.
Online registration will be open until July 11 through the following link, bikereg.com/hiloclimbing2021. Registration is limited to the first 50 people with no in-person registration on July 17. Start time is 7:30 a.m. for the Hilo Climbing Time Trial on Saturday, July 17 at Komohana and Puainako Street. For more information email Tom Solis at hawaiicyclingclub@gmail.com.