UNDER the first rain of the week, the 2011 Scottish Six Days Trial (SSDT) welcomed its third different leader in three days as James Dabill – Beta moved to the top of the cumulative standings after only dropping a single mark earlier today.
The recently turned 25 year-old from Leeds, West Yorkshire who won the SSDT back in 2007, lost his mark at the top section at Gorton and now holds a one mark lead over Graham Jarvis – Montesa at this critical point in the trial.
Jarvis continues to enjoy a successful return to this event, and remains very much in contention to take his fifth win, after he also parted with just one dab, his being at Lochs Wood.
Last night’s leader Dougie Lampkin – Gas Gas now sits in third place overall following a bad five at Fersit that saw the five times former winner badly damage his left ankle.
Despite sustaining severe ligament damage Lampkin will attempt to ride and defend his position tomorrow after attending hospital earlier this evening.
Early event leader, Michael Brown – Gas Gas, recovered from his poor performance yesterday with a two dab ride today to leave himself locked on ten marks overall along with local rider Gary MacDonald – Gas Gas.
The young Scottish rider also finished the day on two marks as he continues to keep himself amongst the front runners and in with a real chance of stealing a shock and historic win.
2010 victor, Alexz Wigg – Sherco, also remains in the hunt just one mark further back as he dropped three marks on day four out of six.
Ian Austermuhle – Beta produced the best ride of the day by completing the 120 miles and 30 sections without loss. Austermuhle’s clean showing moves him up to seventh spot in the overall standings. James Lampkin – Beta also enjoyed a good day four by losing one mark and in doing so now slots into eighth position in the combined results.
With a score of eight marks on the day Ben Hemingway – Beta endured his worst outing of the week so far and slipped down the leader board to ninth place.
It was a similar story for Dan Thorpe – Gas Gas who also added eight to his tally today, to cling on to tenth position overall.
A mistake in the final section of the day cost teenager Jack Sheppard – Beta two marks, as he out pointed his main rival Alfredo Gomez – Montesa on this occasion in the race to become the best newcomer.
Sheppard now trails Gomez by three marks overall with just two days of competition remaining. Emma Bristow – Ossa continues her domination of the female category and now looks set to defeat the pre-event favourite Rebekah Cook – Sherco if she can hold it together in the closing stages.
Today (06/05/11) will mark the penultimate day in the centenary edition of the SSDT. The route will cover 79 miles around the peninsula. With more rain forecast, the day is sure to be both a damp and dramatic one.
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
