Dougie's Scot it
By TMX Archives on 14th May 08
DOUGIE Lampkin won the 2008 Scottish Six Days Trial last week in Fort William following an epic week-long duel with fellow Beta rider Michael Brown. With Browny riding just ahead of Doug all week they spent a fair amount of time walking sections together and the week was played-out in the best possible spirit. There were no unnecessary mind games, just lots of mutual respect with Doug the first to acknowledge a good ride by Michael who inevitably rode each section first.
Doug always had his nose in front having led the trial from the very first day when he went clean, along with Sam Haslam and Sam Ludgate. In fact Doug went clean through the opening three days, making for much speculation about the possibility of that SSDT Holy Grail - a total clean sheet! However, that dream ended at Gorton on Thursday with two big prods needed on a tough section that was being observed to the letter! Doug ended the week with a total of just five marks and actually posted either best outright or joint best score on all six days.
Michael kept him incredibly honest though and joint top-scored three times himself. As he signed off at the finish Michael reflected, If only Dougie hadn't decided to enter this year! But it was a superb effort from the slightly-built Scarborough rider who finished well clear of the rest of the field. Third place actually went down to tie-breaks after three riders ended the week on 23 marks apiece. Wayne Braybrook had held third going into the final day but lost out as James Dabill and Jordi Pascuet both made late charges, each dropping just one on the day, with last year's winner Dabill just shading the final podium place from the Catalan and Wayne nudged down to fifth.
First day joint-leader Sam Haslam had a typically consistent week to net sixth ahead of fellow Gas Gas rider Liam Walker who was well pleased with seventh saying, It makes a change, I usually ride rubbish in this trial!
The top 10 was completed by Sherco pairing Graham Jarvis, who ended his campaign with just a dab on Saturday, and Gary Macdonald, the latter enjoying a good week and taking the Best Scot award by a country mile. Best first timer was teenager Jack Challoner who showed just how good a 125 can go these days with a cracking 24th place finish and easily the Best Newcomer.
The battle for the Ladies award was the hardest fought of the week with early leader Emma Bristow, Maria Conway, Iris Kramer and Donna Fox involved in a titanic struggle. The girls really did ride a tough trial extraordinarily well with Donna eventually bursting clear from Iris, Emma and Maria who finished within a mere four marks of each other - and all four claimed First Class Awards. Katy Sunter claimed a Second Class and Becky Rennison a Finishers certificate as all six made it to the end.
What a week...
MONDAY
FOLLOWING a damp and wet Sunday weigh-in in Fort William the opening day of the 2008 Scottish Six Days Trial took place in blazing sunshine - something that would continue for the rest of the week.
It proved a cracking opener for the 276 starters and at the end of the 30 sections, set along a 58 mile jaunt, three riders were still to take their feet off the pegs. These were Dougie Lampkin, Sam haslam and Sam Ludgate. Doug of course would go on to win, Haslam finished a fine sixth while Ludgate slid down the leaderboard but still ended the week in a creditable 17th overall
TUESDAY
ON Monday, three riders ended the day on a clean sheet and the battle was on. By the end of Tuesday evening's 30 sections the list had been cut to just one - Dougie Lampkin! Sam Haslam had succumbed to a couple of single prods but was sitting handily in fourth overall while Sam Ludgate had sadly dropped 11, including a costly five and had dropped down to 18th.
But it had been a super competitive day once again with no fewer than 29 riders keeping their daily score in single figures - and an amazing four riders stayed clean on the day. Joining Doug on a zero were Michael Brown, local hero Gary Macdonald and multi SSDT winner Graham Jarvis. This kept Michael and Gary in joint second overall on just the single mark while Jarvis was hardly out of things sitting right behind Haslam on just three marks.
It was a long hot day in the saddle as the temperatures soared once again for the first of the tough' days featuring some often tough moorland crossings. First thing there was the 24 mile drag up the road to old favourite Laggan Locks where Craig Robinson, Dan Hemmo, Rich Timperley and James Fry all lost single they could have done without.
The four subs at Meall Damh B took marks but saw plenty of group cleans including those by John Sunter, Michael Burton, Thomas Hick, John Crinson and Richard Gaskell who had a cracking day dropping just three marks.
The big spectator group was Creag Lundie and the crowds basked in the sun. The sections weren't in killer mode and gave up plenty of clean performances through the five subs. As well as the aces, Tom Sagar, Adam Norris and 125 star, first-timer Jack Challoner, all kept their feet on the pegs through the five subs.
After the lunch check it was then in through Forest Gate, where the second sub took dabs of Wayne Braybrook and Jordi Pasquet. But worse was to come with a five for James Dabill when he stalled the big Montesa and that did the reigning champ's title defence no good at all.
The run back over Clunes was not the horror ride that it can be, thanks to the drier conditions, and the two Meall Choire Glas groups failed to disturb the leaderboard.
So it was back to the finish via Witches Burn, where the big rock face took Ben Hemmo and former winner Sam Connor for a dab apiece and then on to the narrow streambed at Trotters Burn where the final step can still catch people out. Yorkie Boyd Webster, who enjoyed a superb first day ride, came back to earth with a five on Trotters. Chris Myers, on the lone air-cooled TYR Yam out there, was pleased to clean it after a big crash on the step last year.
2008 SCOTTISH SIX DAYS TRIAL
OFFICIAL FINISHERS
SPECIAL FIRST CLASS AWARDS: 1 (217) Dougie Lampkin (270 Beta) 5 marks lost, 2 (197) Michael Brown (270 Beta UK) 10, 3 (34) James Dabill (300 Montesa) 23, 4 (211) Jordi Pascuet (300 Beta) 23, 5 (175) Wayne Braybrook (280 JST Gas Gas) 23, 6 (166) Sam Haslam (300 JST Gas Gas) 27, 7 (160) Liam Walker (300 JST Gas Gas) 33, 8 (263) Graham Jarvis (320 MRS Sherco) 35, 9 (262) Gary Macdonald (320 Sherco) 36, 10 (157) Dan Thorpe (300 JST Gas Gas) 40, 11 (27) Alexz Wigg (300 Sandiford Montesa) 46, 12 (205) Ben Hemingway (250 Beta UK) 46, 13 (174) Shaun Morris (300 JST Gas Gas) 50, 14 (132) Joe Baker (250 Scorpa) 52, 15 (84) Sam Connor (270 JLI Beta) 53, 16 (218) James Lampkin (250 Beta UK) 55, 17 (161) Sam Ludgate (250 Beta) 59, 18 (180) George Morton (270 Beta UK) 60, 19 (39) Ian Austermuhle (270 Beta UK) 63, 20 (167) Ross Danby (250 JST Gas Gas) 69, 21 (179) Craig Robinson (280 JST Gas Gas) 69, 22 (247) Tom Sagar (250 Beta) 70, 23 (102) Adam Norris (250 Beta) 83, 24 (225) Jack Challoner (125 Beta UK) 86, 25 (78) Philip Alderson (290 Sherco) 88, 26 (25) Richard Gaskell (250 Scorpa) 92, 27 (12) Stephen Dixon (250 Scorpa) 94, 28 (181) Juan Knight (300 Gas Gas) 98, 29 (176) John Shirt (300 JST Gas Gas) 99, 30 (45) John Crinson (250 Scorpa) 102, 31 (219) Harry Lampkin (250 Beta UK) 102, 32 (272) James Fry (290 MRS Sherco) 107, 33 (73) Paul Bolton (249 Sandiford Montesa) 111, 34 (187) Aran Drachenburg (250 Beta UK) 113, 35 (148) Thomas Hick (250 NTB Beta) 116, 36 (66) Michael Burton (250 Gas Gas) 117, 37 (273) Gary Jenkins (290 MRS Sherco) 117, 38 (216) Richard Timperley (250 Beta UK) 126, 39 (120) Roger Williams (250 Gas Gas) 129, 40 (162) Ben Ludgate (250 Beta) 132, 41 (156) Dan Farrer (300 JST Gas Gas) 137, 42 (130) Nathan Wrigglesworth (250 Scorpa) 137, 43 (193) John Sunter (250 Montesa) 140, 44 (215) Grant Morris (250 Sandiford Montesa) 141, 45 (191) Philip Disney (250 Beta) 149, 46 (203) Boyd Webster (250 Sandiford Montesa) 155, 47 (98) Benjamin Delamotte (250 Scorpa) 159, 48 (234) Ben Wibberley (250 Stevens Gas Gas) 160, 49 (199) Mark Sunter (250 Scorpa) 165, 50 (26) Harold Crawford (249 Sandiford Montesa) 166.
FIRST CLASS AWARDS: 51 (253) Miquel Vergel (250 Sherco) 166, 52 (69) Roger Mount (270 HLS Beta) 167, 53 (129) Ross Crosby (250 Montesa) 170, 54 (11) Chris Dixon (250 Scorpa) 171, 55 (140) Dominique Guillaume (250 Scorpa) 173, 56 (244) Melcior Estorch (317 Sherco) 174, 57 (119) James Harland (280 Montesa 4RT) 175, 58 (1) Gavin Johnston (250 Scorpa) 175, 59 (72) Carlos Casas (250 Montesa) 176, 60 (131) Nigel Birkett (250 Scorpa) 180, 61 (77) Michael Lee (250 Sandiford Montesa) 182, 62 (101) Scott Cameron (250 Beta) 183, 63 (204) Paul Dixon (250 Beta UK) 188, 64 (117) Crawford Carrick Anderson (250 Beta) 193, 65 (35) Jack Lee (250 Montesa) 194, 66 (252) Carles Esteve (320 Sherco) 195, 67 (194) Ross Hancock (280 RCM Gas Gas) 196, 68 (223) Karst Yves (280 Gas Gas) 201, 69 (251) Rob Pollard (270 Beta) 205, 70 (186) Daniel Johnson (280 Gas Gas) 207, 71 (46) Paul Nicholson (249 Montesa) 213, 72 (91) Neil Dawson (250 Scorpa) 214, 73 (114) Dale Robson (163 Scorpa) 215, 74 (222) Thomas Toussaint (270 Beta) 215, 75 (149) Philip Mayfield (300 Gas Gas) 217, 76 (237) Jorge Alonso (320 Sherco) 222, 77 (274) Barrie Darrell (250 NTB Montesa) 223, 78 (185) James Johnson (250 Scorpa) 223, 79 (14) Marc Terricabras (250 Montesa) 226, 80 (92) Chris Lord (250 Scorpa) 227, 81 (246) Paul Sagar (250 Scorpa) 229, 82 (153) Glen Scholey (250 Beta) 230, 83 (90) Grant Adamson (250 Scorpa) 230, 84 (89) David Watson (250 Appleyard Montesa 4RT) 233, 85 (136) Christopher Myers (250 Yamaha) 233, 86 (113) Paul Bennett (290 Sherco) 233, 87 (70) Diego Urreta (300 Gas Gas) 234, 88 (61) Phil Wiffen (250 Montesa 4RT) 235, 89 (195) Stuart Rockett (260 Lift Control Montesa) 236, 90 (118) Kevin Dignan (250 Beta) 236, 91 (249) George Edyvean (270 Beta) 237, 92 (275) David Hardy (249 Montesa) 241, 93 (40) Mark Harrison (250 Montesa) 245, 94 (221) Serge Puzin (270 Beta) 248, 95 (81) Gavin Lowther (250 Gas Gas) 248, 96 (85) Miguel Angel Bermejo (250 Montesa) 249, 97 (152) Mark Kent (290 Sherco) 250, 98 (88) Lewis Peart (280 Gas Gas) 250, 99 (264) Alister Morrice (290 Sherco) 251, 100 (104) Akio Saito (250 Montesa) 255, 101 (29) Oliver Hart (250 Scorpa) 267, 102 (196) Michele Bosi (250 Beta) 274, 103 (79) Andrew Brown (272 Sherco) 275, 104 (168) Donna Fox (250 Ace Sherco) 282, 105 (65) Philip Harris (250 Scorpa) 282, 106 (259) Gonzalo Diez (250 Montesa 4RT) 284, 107 (210) Gary Pears (250 Scorpa) 284, 108 (229) James Moorhouse (250 Montesa) 287, 109 (248) Peter Morris (250 Montesa) 288, 110 (54) Jonathan White (280 White Bros Gas Gas) 288, 111 (48) Darren Williams (300 Gas Gas) 292, 112 (178) Liam Robinson (250 JST Gas Gas) 294, 113 (99) Iris Kramer (250 Scorpa) 303, 114 (243) Manel Jane (317 Sherco) 303, 115 (182) Emma Bristow (250 JST Gas Gas) 305, 116 (43) Maria Conway (250 Raw Sports Beta) 307, 117 (267) David Braithwaite (280 Montesa) 309, 118 (220) Jake Miller (250 Beta UK) 312, 119 (240) Craig Talbot (250 Beta) 312, 120 (111) Albert Sans (249 Montesa) 313, 121 (67) Duncan Mitchell (250 Scorpa) 313, 122 (255) Michel Front (315 Sherco) 322, 123 (144) John Sandison (250 Beta) 326, 124 (31) Sancho Bufill (249 Sandiford Montesa) 327, 125 (87) John Charlton (320 Sherco) 329, 126 (8) Leigh Jepson (250 B&S Beta) 330, 127 (15) Jacques Brechard (250 Gas Gas) 331, 128 (97) Luis Diaz (250 Montesa) 332, 129 (80) James Percival (250 Montesa) 334, 130 (250) Rob Wrayford (250 Beta) 335.
SECOND CLASS AWARDS: 131 (100) Mark Cameron (250 Sherco) 336, 132 (258) James Lamin (250 Montesa 4RT) 337, 133 (265) Neil MacNiven (250 Montesa) 339, 134 (192) Trevor Willans (250 NDL Montesa) 341, 135 (171) Gavin Thornton (250 Beta) 346, 136 (147) Chas Lee (290 MRS Sherco) 347, 137 (109) Pere Camp (250 Montesa) 348, 138 (238) John Luff (250 Beta) 349, 139 (200) Mick Croome (250 Montesa) 349, 140 (143) Peter Carmichael (270 Beta) 349, 141 (33) Simon Hiscock (270 Beta) 352, 142 (236) Joan Gaspar (320 Sherco) 361, 143 (183) Andres Cook (250 Montesa 4RT) 362, 144 (133) John Holland (250 Scorpa) 363, 145 (232) Ian Rutter (250 Gas Gas) 363, 146 (271) Ross MacDougall (270 Beta) 365, 147 (56) Gary Chandler (290 Sherco) 366, 148 (198) Katy Sunter (250 JST Gas Gas) 367, 149 (53) Kevin Chapman (300 Gas Gas) 368, 150 (107) Ian Braithwaite (250 Scorpa) 368, 151 (239) David Luff (250 Beta) 369, 152 (5) Eusebio Gago (250 Beta) 370, 153 (172) Scott Alexander (249 Montesa) 370, 154 (122) Dougie Gibson (250 Montesa) 370, 155 (169) Matthew Spink (280 Gas Gas) 375, 156 (135) Jamie Reid (250 Ecosse Beta) 377, 157 (214) Andrew Noad (290 Sherco) 377, 158 (139) Jack Aebi (250 Scorpa) 379, 159 (110) Ramon Palau (249 Montesa) 382, 160 (24) Simon James (200 Beta) 384, 161 (16) Colin Davidson (250 Gas Gas) 388, 162 (96) Lee McGee (250 Beta) 391, 163 (235) Terry Craig (300 Gas Gas) 391, 164 (224) Chris Kilhams (290 Sherco) 392, 165 (59) Vince McIntosh (250 Beta) 392, 166 (134) Richard Neaves (250 Montesa) 393, 167 (231) Geoff Fielding (250 Gas Gas) 396, 168 (95) Mike Watson (250 Montesa) 397, 169 (177) Richard Suffell (249 Sandiford Montesa) 403, 170 (86) Andrew Battensby (270 Beta) 404, 171 (128) Lewis Bell (250 Montesa) 404, 172 (127) Liston Bell (250 Beta) 405, 173 (213) Donald MacSween (270 Beta) 407, 174 (226) Adam Challoner (250 Beta) 409, 175 (60) Neil Hawker (250 Beta) 412, 176 (125) Matthew Rennison (250 Beta) 412, 177 (268) Mark Timperley (250 Beta) 413, 178 (233) David Shave (250 Sandiford Montesa) 414, 179 (55) Murray Whittaker (249 Beta) 417, 180 (202) Christopher Howman (250 Montesa) 417, 181 (62) Darren Hesleton (250 Beta) 418, 182 (105) Simon Dignan (290 Sherco) 419, 183 (94) Mark Buckworth (250 Beta) 419, 184 (245) Jose Prat (317 Sherco) 424, 185 (57) Corneils De Jonge (250 BJO Beta) 425, 186 (207) Adrian Jervis (250 Beta) 429, 187 (158) Geoff Herbert (250 Montesa 4RT) 431, 188 (22) Euan Campbell (250 Scorpa) 432, 189 (190) Alistair Milligan (250 Scorpa) 434, 190 (20) Gordon Murray (280 HLS Gas Gas) 434, 191 (83) Neil Bowker (270 Beta) 449, 192 (208) Paul Jervis (250 Beta) 450, 193 (257) Guy Favre (250 Montesa) 450, 194 (165) Leopold Steiner (250 Montesa) 451, 195 (112) Thomas Bennett (280 Gas Gas) 452, 196 (7) Nick Manuell (249 Montesa) 458, 197 (4) Robbie Allan (250 Scorpa) 461, 198 (6) Colin Green (250 Montesa) 468, 199 (164) Jim Tennant (250 ORM Montesa) 471, 200 (47) Ian Myers (250 MRS Sherco) 474, 201 (71) Henry Bendall (250 Montesa) 476, 202 (74) Sam Bolton (249 Yamaha) 481, 203 (141) John Hawthorne (250 Beta) 483, 204 (68) Gary MacLennan (250 HLS Beta) 486, 205 (124) Cesar Lopez Pasca (250 Montesa 4RT) 487, 206 (151) Ben Miles (250 RPM Beta) 493, 207 (170) Peter Archer (250 Sherco) 496, 208 (23) Allen Cowe (250 Beta) 496, 209 (163) Stephen Baird (290 ORM Sherco) 504, 210 (159) Tony Moulder (250 Beta) 506 .
FINISHERS AWARDS: 211 (201) Mark Samuel (249 Montesa) 507, 212 (150) Lewis Foulkes (250 Montesa) 507, 213 (123) Joan Berenguer (250 Gas Gas) 508, 214 (18) Christopher Grundy (249 Montesa) 509, 215 (36) Joan Moncanut (250 Gas Gas) 509, 216 (227) Thierry Couret (250 Beta) 511, 217 (32) Tony King (250 Beta) 511, 218 (189) Allan Milligan (163 Scorpa) 519, 219 (19) Frank Mackle (250 HLS Beta) 526, 220 (209) Carlo Grangetto (250 Montesa) 526, 221 (261) Mark Grant (250 Beta) 527, 222 (37) Albert Bosch (320 Sherco) 531, 223 (3) Findlay White (249 Scorpa) 541, 224 (154) Iain Shankie (250 Sherco) 551, 225 (41) David Metcalfe (250 Montesa) 551, 226 (145) Tommy Murphy (250 Montesa) 556, 227 (137) Vojta Klecka (249 Sherco) 560, 228 (121) Richard Jackson (250 Beta) 562, 229 (126) Rebecca Rennison (250 Beta UK) 563, 230 (269) Stephen Leckie (250 Beta) 571, 231 (254) Andy Minns (250 Scorpa) 579, 232 (10) Matthew Tupman (250 OAS Beta) 579, 233 (2) Robbie Head (300 Gas Gas) 590, 234 (142) Jonathan Hawthorne (250 Beta) 599, 235 (184) John Hamblin (290 Sherco) 614, 236 (42) Walter Traber (250 Montesa 4RT) 621, 237 (173) Allan Stratford (249 Birkett Scorpa) 623, 238 (228) Bruno Royer (250 JLI Beta) 634, 239 (76) Mark Wray (300 Gas Gas) 641, 240 (270) Michael McDiarmid (249 Montesa) 648, 241 (38) Joan Cubi (280 Montesa) 654, 242 (188) Dave Blackburn (250 Beta) 705, 243 (93) Robert Griffiths (250 Beta) 714, 244 (28) Neil Coleman (250 Beta) 742, 245 (115) Duncan Hutchison (270 Beta) 743, 246 (108) David Houston (200 Beta) 772, 247 (75) Darren Cowan (250 Sandiford Montesa) 803, 248 (21) Jeffrey Salois (250 Montesa) 820, 249 (103) Seiji Inokura (250 Montesa) 1568.
For full report and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, May 16, 2008