five-star clean-up
By TMX Archives on 11th May 12
THE opening day of the 2012 Scottish Six Days Trial, staged as usual at Fort William and run by the Edinburgh and District Motor Club, suggested a week of attrition ahead.
A very low-scoring day saw no fewer than five riders sharing the lead without loss of marks, at the end of the Monday's 30
sections.
Last year's winner, factory Beta ace James Dabill, was right in there as were former Scottish winners, Gas Gas mounted Dougie Lampkin and Alexz Wigg.
The surprise riders to go clean were young Yorkshire Sherco ace Richard Sadler, who was looking very relaxed in the parc ferme on Sunday and Jotagas factory development man, Spain's Jordi Pascuet.
Pascuet is a very experienced former World Championship contender and a regular at the Scottish, but this was a very impressive performance from the Jotagas in its first SSDT.
Contrary to the weather forecast Monday actually dawned fine and much to the 276 competitors' relief it stayed that way for most of the day.
Only when the entry had made its way to the final group at Lagnaha did the expected rain arrive – and later arrivals suffered as the severity increased.
With a fine morning there was a good gathering of spectators to witness the first rider away – Scotsman Jamie Read on his Ossa.
From then on riders were duly despatched at one minute intervals, each one with fingers crossed praying that their bike would start following its night out in the open-air parc ferme.
It is just a gentle 15-minute ride up to the opening group at Leanachan Forest (Nevis Range) although road works just outside Fort William had been causing chaos and an early time check had been introduced by
officials.
As ever the opening sections saw lots of nervous riders almost desperately hoping to get their week underway with a clean ride up the riverbed, with its large round boulders and loose infill.
Of the fancied riders, Ross Danby on Steve Saunders' Jotagas was unlucky to part with a dab in the very first
section, but Ross collected himself and only dropped one further single before signing off.
Dan Thorpe also parted with a single on the second sub and no-stop master Dan kept his feet on the pegs of his Gas Gas through the remaining 29 hazards.
Dan's Gasser is fitted with bright green wheels which Dan – winner of more than 100 National trials – hopes will mesmerise observers throughout the week!
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE T+MX NEWS MAY 11
Scottish Six Days Trial
Day One - Monday
1 Jordi Pascuet (Jotagas)0
1 Richard Sadler (Sherco)0
1 James Dabill (Beta) 0
1 Alexz Wigg (Gas Gas) 0
1 Dougie Lampkin (Gas Gas) 0
6 Tom Sagar (Montesa) 1
6 Jordi Picola (Gas Gas) 1
6 Ian Austermuhle (Beta) 1
6 Michael Brown (Gas Gas) 1
6 Ricky Wiggins (Gas Gas) 1
6 Dan Thorpe (Gas Gas) 1
John Shirt (Gas Gas) 2, James Lampkin (Beta) 2, Adam Norris (Beta) 2, Ben Hemingway (Beta) 2, Bradley Cox (Beta) 2, Juan Knight (Gas Gas) 2, Ross Danby (Jotagas) 2. Jack Challoner (Beta) 3, Sam Haslam (Gas Gas) 3, George Morton (Beta) 3. Luke Walker (Sherco) 4, Chris Pearson (Sherco) 4, Craig Robinson (Gas Gas) 4, Dan Clark (Beta) 4, Thomas Hick (Beta) 4, Ben Morphett (Sherco) 4.
Best Scottish riders: Andrew Anderson
(Jotagas) 19, Michael Fothergill (Montesa) 24, Sean Mackay (Beta) 24.
Scottish Newcomer: Grant Coward (Ossa) 62, Gareth Palmer (Gas Gas) 70, Patrick Palmer (Gas Gas) 84.
Newcomers: Bradley Cox (Beta) 2, Luke
Walker (Sherco) 4, Peter Jahn (Gas Gas) 14.
Over 40: John Shirt (Gas Gas) 2, Phil Disney (Beta) 6, Woody Hole (Gas Gas) 7.
Female: Emma Bristow (Ossa) 21, Becky Cook (Beta) 25, Katy Sunter (Gas Gas) 46, Sara Trentini (Beta) 89.
Services: Philip Wiffen (Montesa) 35, Allan
Milligan (Scorpa) 48, Vince McIntosh (Beta) 53.
