DOUGIE Lampkin – Beta signalled his intent to take a record breaking sixth win as he took over the lead of the 2011 Scottish Six Days Trial (SSDT) as the centenary event reached the halfway stage.
Thirty-five year-old Dougie – from Silsden, West Yorkshire – dropped one mark in today’s 30 sections to move to the head of the standings, as Tuesday’s leader Michael Brown – Gas Gas endured his worst day thus far and fell back to fifth place overall.
A soft five at the last section at Annatt cost Brown dearly as he dropped six marks on day three.
Things could not be tighter at the top, with Lampkin only having a slim advantage over James Dabill – Beta who rode himself back into contention with a single dab performance on the third of six days.
The 2007 winner lost his only mark at Loch Shiel B post the lunch stop. Lampkin and Dabill are now closely followed by Graham Jarvis – Montesa who sits on seven marks in total after he parted with just a single mark in the difficult opening section at Inversanda.
Last year’s victor, Alexz Wigg – Sherco, went unpenalised today and now holds fourth spot, on the same marks as Brown and Gary MacDonald – Gas Gas.
MacDonald kept his dream alive of becoming only the second ever Scottish rider to win this epic six day adventure, as he went clean on day three.
Bob McGregor is Scotland’s lone winner of the SSDT to date, his two successes being recorded way back in the 1930’s, so a home win is long overdue.
Gary currently sits in sixth position, but only four marks off the lead.
A mere three marks then separates the next four riders, one mark between each, who complete the overall top ten. Ben Hemingway – Beta, Dan Thorpe – Gas Gas who also went clean today, Ian Austermuhle – Beta and James Lampkin – Beta are certainly a quartet locked in battle.
Two hundred-and-fifty-two of the original 276 riders who started remain classified at the mid-point in the competition with the warm weather and dry going being kind to both the entrants and their bikes.
The three women riders who began the week are all still going, with Emma Bristow – Ossa continuing to extend her lead in the female category and sits well inside the top one hundred overall.
Spain’s Alfredo Gomez – Montesa remains as the best newcomer, just five marks ahead of Jack Sheppard – Beta.
In the over 40 class, John Shirt – Gas Gas currently leads ex SSDT winner, Amos Bilbao – Montesa, by three marks.
At one hundred and twenty miles, today’s route is the longest of the week, and if history is anything to go by, then Thursday is often a defining day in deciding the eventual winner of the SSDT. The next three days are beautifully poised to create a dramatic and close finale to the one hundredth edition of this world-famous event.
Marking its centenary, the 2011 Scottish Six Days Trial will take place throughout Lochaber, in the north-west Highlands between Monday 2nd and Saturday 7th May – for more details please visit www.ssdt.org.
Ends
Media contact:
Paddy Cuthbert – Podge Publicity – M: 07968 699636 / E: Paddy@podge.co.uk
SSDT image service
High-resolution images and results from each day of the event can be found on our ftp server – details as listed below – these will be uploaded on a daily basis.
Server: ftp.g2fmedia.com
User: anonymous
Password: (not required)
Folder: SSDT
Notes to editors:
Funders, sponsors and supporters
Event Scotland – www.eventscotland.org
Highland Council – www.highland.gov.uk
Putoline Oil – www.putoline.com
Lift Control – www.liftcontrol.co.uk
Birkett MotoSport Ltd – www.birkettmotosportukltd.co.uk
John Lee Motorcycles – www.lee-motorcycles.co.uk
Off Road Moto – www.offroadmoto.co.uk
Thistle Access – www.thistleaccess.co.uk
Highland Leisure Sport – www.highlandleisuresport.co.uk
Talon Engineering – www.talon-eng.co.uk
Oximoto – www.oximoto.com
Motorcycle trials
The sport of motorcycle trials is a test of riding skill over observed sections where the winner is determined by skill alone. When competitors ride each of the 30 testing sections every day their feet must remain on the footrests of the bike. They must negotiate steep gullies, slippery rock steps, rocky streams and boulder-strewn gorges. Sections vary in length and severity, and riders are penalised if they put their feet down to help them ride the section, and more so if they fail to negotiate the section in its entirety.
The Scottish Six Days Trial has the additional test of reliability over long distances, with riders completing up to 100 miles each day over a combination of rough moorland, rocky tracks and public roads; designed to challenge the ability, experience, strength and stamina of each rider and the reliability of the bike. There is also a set time within which each day’s route must be completed.
100 YEARS OF THE SCOTTISH SIX DAYS TRIAL
The event actually originated as a five-day reliability trial back in July 1909, before being extended to a six-day competition a year later. However, the start of the Scottish Six Days Trial (SSDT) proper as organised by the then newly-formed Edinburgh and District Motor Club began in 1911.
In those early years, the trial started and finished in Edinburgh with the route taking the riders to John O’Groats and back over the course of the week.
Fort William was introduced as the hub for the event in 1938, although the start and finish remained in Edinburgh, which continued to be the case until all links with the Scottish city were cut in 1977.
Today, the SSDT consists of six different daily routes that total approximately 500 miles, which begin and end in Fort William each day.
The Edinburgh and District Motor Club will once again be at the helm of this fantastic competition and will be responsible for upholding an event where club riders and the world’s best compete together over the same course that will include 30 boulder-strewn sections on each of the six days.
For more information on The Scottish Six Days Trial go to: http://www.g2fgroup.com/html/ssdt/docs/SSDT100.pdf
Previous winners of the Scottish Six Days – 1972-2010
2010 – Alexz Wigg – Beta 2009 – Dougie Lampkin – Beta 2008 – Dougie Lampkin – Beta 2007 – James Dabill – Montesa 2006 – Graham Jarvis – Sherco 2005 – Sam Connor – Sherco 2004 – Graham Jarvis – Sherco 2003 – Joan Pons – Sherco 2002 – Amos Bilbao- Montesa 2001- Cancelled – Foot + Mouth 2000 – Steve Colley – Gas Gas 1999 – Graham Jarvis – Bultaco 1998 – Graham Jarvis – Scorpa 1997 – Steve Colley – Gas Gas 1996 – Dougie Lampkin – Beta 1995 – Dougie Lampkin – Beta 1994 – Dougie Lampkin – Beta 1993 – Steve Colley – Beta 1992 – Steve Colley – Beta 1991 – Steve Saunders – Beta 1990 – Steve Saunders – Beta 1989 – Steve Saunders – Fantic 1988 – Steve Saunders – Fantic 1987 – Jordi Tarres – Beta 1986 – Thierry Michaud – Fantic 1985 – Thierry Michaud – Fantic 1984 – Thierry Michaud – Fantic 1983 – Toni Gorgot – Montesa 1982 – Bernie Schreiber – SWM 1981 – Gilles Burgat – SWM 1980 – Yrjo Vesterinen – Montesa 1979 – Malcolm Rathmell – Montesa 1978 – Martin Lampkin – Bultaco 1977 – Martin Lampkin – Bultac 1976 – Martin Lampkin – Bultac 1975 – Mick Andrews – Yamaha 1974 – Mick Andrews – Yamah 1973 – Malcolm Rathmell – Bultac 1972 – Mick Andrews – Ossa.
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Contact: Paddy Cuthbert
Phone: 07968699636
Email: paddy@podge.co.uk
Website: http://www.ssdt.org
