2025 is the 11th edition of the VC Venta Segment of the Month competition returning with a new organiser (Alistair Mucklow), a new category for veterans aged 60 years old+ and more monthly prizes courtesy of Neil Wyatt and team at The South Downs Social.
Please have a read of the updated rules for 2025 which you will find on the club website here Strava Segment of the Month and ensure you are in the correct Strava club for your age group.
Open Category: Join The Open Category
Senior Category (aged 40 years old on 01/01/2025): Join The Senior Category
Veteran Category (aged 60 years old on 01/01/2025): Join The Veteran Category
January Segment
VCV Nations Hill (from the bridge)
Our first segment of the year will be familiar beginning on the south side of the disused railway bridge over Springvale Road in Kings Worthy.
As you emerge from the tunnel, you have ~300m to hold speed in advance of a sweeping left hand turn onto Nations Hill. The climb ramps quickly to over 13%. You’ll be carrying some pace from the run-in so for the first 50m you may feel like you’re on a flyer. This feeling will evaporate in the final 200m, as oxygen debt kicks in and your cadence slows, even as the gradient levels off.
The road is bobbly in places, which might disrupt your rhythm. Leave nothing behind, however, as you aim for the finish line just past the red post box on the right hand side of the road.
Segment safety
As ever, please respect the rules of the road and consider running front and rear lights. Here are a few specific safety notes:
Watch for cars turning right up the hill from the other direction along Springvale Road.
Watch for cars pulling out from side-roads on the left up Nations Hill.
Before attempting the segment, check for parked cars on Nations Hill.
On clear days, in the morning, the winter sun shines directly down Nations Hill, and the glare off the road can be blinding.
Avoid icy days.
The link to the segment is here:
