FROME’S third Cobble Wobble has been declared a resounding success with over 1,000 people gathering to watch the hundreds of cyclists wobble their way up Catherine Hill on Sunday.
Event organiser Andrew Denham said, “The support was amazing. I am overwhelmed by the turn out, it was a huge success and the best one yet.”
This year the Cobble Wobble was fully booked with 220 entrants ready to take on the uphill challenge.
Competitors tackled the wobble in all manners of fancy dress including Dracula, complete with an oversized papier mâché head, Sesame Street’s Big Bird, a Mexican wrestler and a penguin Viking and even tandem riders wearing a pantomime horse.
Ex-National Mountain Biking Champion, 22-year-old Lewis Lacey was crowned the ‘King of the Cobbles’. He has been out of action for nearly two years due to injury, but marked his triumphant return to the sport with the top spot on the podium.
He said, “I’m so happy to win the Charge Bikes King of the Cobbles, it was such an awesome atmosphere thanks to the amazing crowd, and the location was really cool. The final was so surreal – you couldn’t see hardly anything for the camera flashes and cheering crowd – I didn’t know that riding something so painful could be so much fun, it was amazing!”
The fastest under 14-year-old was Callum Rush. James Bonney won the 14-17 category, with Lewis Lacey taking first place in the 18-49 category. Geraint Davies won the over 50s category and Tom Downes topped the Singlespeed competition.
Andrew Denham said, “We had some international stars compete this year. Martyn Ashton, who is a member of the Mountain Biking UK Hall of Fame, was present.
“Last year’s winner, Chris Akrigg was present to cheer everyone on. He is currently recovering from injury so was unable to defend his title.
“We also had Mick Hannah compete, who was rated 5th in the world for Professional Downhill Mountain Biking in 2009. He is from Australia, but flew in from the USA just for the race!
“The event gives the residents of Frome a chance to be a bit imaginative, a bit silly with their costumes and have a great time doing so. It’s simple, nothing complex just start at the bottom of the hill and get to the top.
“The atmosphere was carnival-like, lots of colours, lots of people laughing and just an amazing day.
“I would like to thank the Black Canon Collective, Frome Town Council especially Pippa Goldfinger and Peter Macfadyen, St John’s Ambulance, Frome Carnival committee for helping marshall the event and Sydenhams for providing the barriers for free. Without all of their support this would not have been possible.”
