After three weekends of tackling some of the Island?s toughest climbs, Mark Hatherley once again showed that when the road goes up he?s Bermuda?s ?King of the Hill?.

Over 40 competitors, including all the Island?s top riders, competed for the crown in the Bermuda Bicycle Associations Hill Climb Challenge Series, culminating in the final event at the Fairmont Southampton Princess Hotel on Sunday.

The new event ? and the season opener ? saw riders challenged over three demanding hills with their cumulative time for the three events deciding the overall winners.

However, after the first event on February 11 at Harrington Hundreds Hill in Smith?s, Hatherley stamped his authority over the rest of the field when he stormed to victory over second-placed Kevin Tucker, making his return to local cycling, and national mountain bike champion Garth Thomson who placed third.

Other category winners at the first event were Deanna Thomson among the open women, Phillip Woolridge in the 12 and over junior category, and Justin Ferreira in the boys? 12 and under.

In the second event on February 14 on Sayle Road, the steeper yet shorter event saw the ?power riders? come into their own, but it was still the diminutive Hatherley who prevailed as the first five riders in the open male category finished within one second of each other.

Tucker pushed Hatherley to the limit with Wayne Scott taking third and fast improving newcomer Raphael Simons in fourth. Former top pro Elliot Hubbard, making a rare appearance, placed fifth.

Thomson was taken out of the running as was his wife Deanna who was leading the women?s field after the first event, both riders stranded in New York following the Jet Blue airline breakdown.

Joanna Shillington assumed the overall lead in the women?s category, and Ferreira, after another impressive ride, maintained his lead in the under-12 category over Ryan Day.

In Sunday?s final event at the Fairmont Hill, Hatherley had all but secured overall victory for the series before the start.

On a course on which in his hey-day Hubbard had set a record time of of 57 seconds, everyone was looking to see the same rider in action again, only to be disappointed as it was learned he had been ill during the week, preventing his participation.

The focus, however, remained on Hatherley and whether he could eclipse that record.

The series leader produced another flawless performance but his time of 61.71 seconds fell four short of the mark.

Tucker, meanwhile, showed he will be a rider to be reckoned with this year as he again finished second with Scott in third, those three taking the top three positions in the series.

Shillington clinched the women?s open title despite Thomson posting the fastest time for the day. Louise Wakefield placed second in the series. Justin Ferreira won the boys 12 and under with Ryan Day second.

The series was sponsored by the Hedges family.