Doug's back in Scotland
By TMX Archives on 2nd Jan 08
THE ballot for entries for the 2008 Scottish Six Days Trial (which takes place from Monday to Saturday, May 5 to 10) was carried out last weekend and the big news to emerge is that Dougie Lampkin will be back at the Scottish for the first time since 1996 - when he won (of course!) on Beta. And Doug, as we all know, will befactory Beta mounted in 2008. He will be joined in the Six Days by brother Harry and cousin James in a strong Beta/ family trio.
There is one small proviso to Doug's Scottish return though and that is wife Nicola who is due to be providing a new brother or sister for young Alfie the week before the SSDT. ''We'll just have and see what happens,'' said Doug at Sheffield on Saturday night. ''We've just found out the baby's due the previous weekend '' which is the American World Round so it's going to be a busy week whatever!
The Scottish was once more over-subscribed with just over 400 hopefuls looking to be amongst the 275 successful applicants. There were over 80 applicants as Newcomers which goes to show the strength and popularity of this most historic and classic of trials. The organising Edinburgh and District Motor Club will be playing host to riders from no less than 18 countries including America, Japan and Australia.
The youngest rider will be British Youth ace Jack Challoner who will be just 17 - in fact there are six successful entrants under the age of 18 and, as a balance, there are three riders aged in their 60s which just goes to show the appeal of the Scottish. The Over 40s is a big class in Scotland with no fewer than 83 entrants in that category.
Interest in the Ladies class has slowly been growing and while it is a shame that both seven-times World Ladies champ Laia Sanz and reigning Queen Iris Kramer are not entered this year, the British girls will be waving the flag with no fewer than five entered and they are Emma Bristow, who will be just 17, Maria Conway, Donna Fox, Becky Rennison and
Katy Sunter. All are respected riders and well capable of a really good finish.
Last year's winner, James Dabill, returns on the Future Montesa to defend his title and he will be accompanied by new team-mate Alexz Wigg who will be making his second SSDT appearance, having made his debut on GasGas in 2007. Michael Brown will be looking to get his name on the list of winners while multi Scottish winner Graham Jarvis has his, and Sherco's, hat in the ring once again.
There are many riders of note with an entry including one of Britain's top enduro riders, Tom Sagar, who returns to his first love of trials in a one-off ride along with dad Paul, both riding Scorpas. In fact there's a whole host of family connections in the rider line-up with Dads, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers and cousins in all kinds of computations. There are Lampkins, Sunters, Hemingways, Bennetts, Dixons, Myers, Challoners, Hawthornes, Pages, Rennisons, Shankies just for starters, not to mention further complications like in-laws...
So with the draw now made, the die is cast for the 2008 Scottish Six Days Trial. T+MX will of course keep you right up to date with the SSDT news as and when it becomes available plus of course we will bring our unrivalled coverage of the event