Steve Dennis has added to his impressive list of Sussex titles won over the years by claiming the Sussex Hill Climb Championship.

Dennis (East Grinstead) recorded 6mins 18.3secs for the one-and-a-half mile climb on the rain-soaked slopes of Chantry Lane at Storrington.

Second place went to Tim Stedman (Worthing Excelsior) in 6:20.6, while third place went to defending champion James Harris (East Grinstead) with 6:38.8 Some riders reported that their back wheels had slipped on the wet road surface, but Dennis said: "I didn't have any problems. I tried not to get out of the saddle and just rode at a steady pace all the way up."

Meanwhile, Brighton Mitre's 25-mile time trial at Steyning, postponed a week earlier due to high winds, finally went ahead, although most riders had to ride in the rain and some even encountered a thunderstorm.

Only eight riders managed to beat the hour and the time of 56mins 19secs by Kevin Neary (Leo RC) was the slowest winning time since 1991. Second place went to Paul Smith (Interbike) with 56.33.

The first local rider was Mark Jones (GS Stella) from Storrington who recorded 57.36 for third place. Daniel Frederick (Eastbourne Rovers) was the fastest junior in 1:05.20.

Gill Reynolds (Willesden) won the women's event for the seventh time. She was disappointed with her time of 1:09.39 although she had to contend with the worst of the weather.

The tandem race was won by Ray Hughes and Ian Neville (Clarence Wheelers) in 53.53.

Sussex stars John Limpus and Steve Geran didn't start as Geran was unable to compete on the re-arranged date.

There are no more open Sussex road events until February, but VC Etoile are promoting the next Sussex League cyclo-cross meeting at Lancing on November 24 and the London League is now in full swing.

Sussex cyclo-cross champion Jonathan Sharpe (Saucony), from Brighton, is already showing good form and he finished third at the weekend in the Sutton CC's 12-mile event in West London.