OVERNIGHT leader, James Dabill – Beta, held his nerve brilliantly to secure the win during a tense and close finish to the centenary edition of the Scottish Six Days Trial (SSDT).
Riding at the front of the field, Dabill lost marks as early as the second group at Upper Mamore to see his advantage reduced to just two marks and then saw things come far too close for comfort as he dropped a further dab at Leanachan.
Holding just a one mark lead going into Ben Nevis, Dabill showed great composure by cleaning all six sections in what looked like a certain winning performance until he parted with another dab at Nevis Forest to leave him tied on the same marks overall as Alexz Wigg – Sherco.
Further down the running order, Wigg was more than aware of what Dabill was doing ahead of him and was showing the same steely determination that had netted him the win last year.
Twelve months ago, Alexz went clean on the final day to secure the victory, and – as he exited Ben Nevis still unpenalised this time around – it looked like history was about to repeat itself.
Hasty calculations, with Wigg just three section from home, revealed that he and Dabill were now tied on the same marks, but Alexz would be declared the winner due having the most cleans throughout the week.
Dabill’s wait back in the parc ferme was a long and agonising one, but the cheers within the Beta camp were both loud and immediate as news came through that Wigg had lost a dab in the very same section as James at Nevis Forest, thus confirming the 25 year-old from Leeds as the 2011 SSDT victor.
Alexz’s day was about to go from bad to worse when his chain came off in the very last section of the trial at Town Hall Brae. His total of six marks on the day and 19 overall cruelly demoted him to fourth in the final standings.
Graham Jarvis – Montesa actually tied on the same points as Wigg, as he too had his own disaster when he fived the top section at Ben Nevis within inches of the ends cards.
These were the only marks the ex winner lost on day six, and this was sufficient for him to claim the last podium place as he returned to SSDT after a two-year absence.
Initial leader, Michael Brown – Gas Gas, produced a strong closing ride to snatch second place overall and recover from a mid-week bad patch that saw him slip down the order temporarily. Brown’s single dab ride today was the best performance on day six.
In the female class, the winner was far more clean cut with Emma Bristow – Ossa, leading from the first day until the last and in the end beating her main rival Rebekah Cook – Sherco by a comfortable margin.
2002 SSDT victor, Amos Bilbao – Montesa, made a winning return to the event after being absent in more recent times when he took the top spot in the Over 40 category after a week long battle with John Shirt – Gas Gas.
The newcomer award was won by Spain’s Alfredo Gomez – Montesa, with Amos’ riding partner moving well clear of Jack Sheppard – Beta over the closing two days.
All in all the one hundredth running of the Scottish Six Days Trial was a real success with exceptionally hot weather at the start of the week followed by a most dramatic conclusion.
However, a century on, the entrants remain the most important part of this great competition, with the 276 riders from around the globe who started on Monday each playing their part in creating this incredible moment in the history of what remains the most famous trial on the planet.
FULL RESULTS available at www.ssdtresults.co.uk
Day six
Daily positions / scores
1 – Michael Brown – Gas Gas – 1
2 – Sam Connor – Beta – 2
3 – Sam Haslam – Gas Gas – 2
4 – Gary MacDonald – Gas Gas – 4
5 – Josh Brain – Gas Gas – 4
6 – Ross Danby – Gas Gas – 4
7 – James Dabill – Beta – 4
8 – Graham Jarvis – Montesa – 5
9 – Tom Sagar – Montesa – 5
10 – Dan Hemingway – Beta – 5
11 – Alexz Wigg -Sherco – 6
12 – Adam Norris – Beta – 6
13 – Dan Clark – Beta – 6
14 – Ben Morphett – Sherco – 6
15 – John Crinson – Beta – 7
Final
Positions / scores
1 – James Dabill – Beta – 13
2 – Michael Brown – Gas Gas – 16
3 – Graham Jarvis – Montesa – 19
4 – Alexz Wigg – Sherco – 19
5 – Gary MacDonald – Gas Gas – 32
6 – Sam Connor – Beta – 33
7 – Ian Austermuhle – Beta – 37
8 – Ben Hemingway – Beta – 39
9 – Alfredo Gomez – Montesa – 45
10 – James Lampkin – Beta – 45
11 – Joe Baker – Scorpa – 45
12 – Sam Haslam – Gas Gas – 46
13 – Tom Sagar – Montesa – 46
14 – Jack Challoner – Beta – 47
15 – Ben Morphett – Sherco – 51
Marking its centenary, the 2011 Scottish Six Days Trial will take place throughout Lochaber, The Outdoor Capital of the UK, 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.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Podge Publicity. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Paddy Cuthbert
Phone: 07968699636
Email: paddy@podge.co.uk
Website: http://www.ssdt.org
