SCOTT HAMILTON, of Maryland Wheelers, Belfast, completed a unique hat trick yesterday when he was clearly best in the 50-mile time-trial championship on the Knockmore course.

In addition to defending the title he won last September, Hamilton became the first man to win all three time-trial championships ink the same season. At Clonmel in June he was fastest with 21 minutes and nine seconds over 10 miles and at Wexford last month he recorded 52 minutes and 14 seconds to take the 25 title.

Hamilton's time yesterday of one hour 52 minutes and, 39 seconds was almost five minutes slower than the record of 1:47:37 set by Philip Collins but it earned him a convincing triumph by 3:44 over clubmate Dave McCall, with David Peelo third.