South London rider Matt Goodes stormed up the one-and-a-half mile climb of Chantry Lane at Storrington to win the Sussex CA's open hill climb.

Goodes finished in a fast time of 6mins 2.6secs ahead of Tim Mardall (VC Etoile) in second in 6:9.6 to win the Sussex Championship that was incorporated in the event.

Third place was taken by Hampshire clubman Matt Melville (St Raphael) in 6:10.4.

Tony Reeves (Worthing Excelsior) finished fourth in the open and second in the county championship with 6:25.3 and fifth placed Mike Murray (Brighton Excelsior) was third in the championship with 6:50.3.

The team event was won by Etoile with Mardall backed by Clive Oxborrow (7:23.6) and Paul Howard (7:32.6).

Earlier in the year Howard, from Burgess Hill, was in the news when he completed a ride along the 2,200-mile route of the Tour de France.

The win by Goodes (de Laune CC) came as no surprise. He recently finished second in two classic hill climbs promoted by Bec CC and Catford CC.

The day after the Sussex climb, Goodes won the Sudbury hill climb in Suffolk and he is hoping to complete another double this weekend.

All the leading riders apart from Murray have entered Brighton Mitre's two hill climbs on Sunday. The first takes place at Steyning Bostel starting at 11.15am and the second is at Mill Hill, Shoreham, starting at 2.30pm.

There are separate prize lists for both events plus prizes for the fastest riders overall.

Two riders who could pose a threat to Goodes are Tony Kelly (Addiscombe), who finished 12th in the recent national hill climb championship, and Tristan Court (Mitre) who holds the record for Mill Hill.

Friston rider James Dear (In Gear), the current leader of the Sussex Cyclo-Cross League, finished fifth in the open cyclo-cross event held at the Eastway racing circuit in London. The winner was Matt Holmes (Arctic CC). who won the recent East Grinstead race.

The second round of the Sussex League takes place on November 23 at Moulsecoomb's Wild Park in Brighton. Details from Anthony Rogers on 01273 883956.