Scott Trial goes from strength to strength
By TMX Archives on 26th Oct 07
DOUGIE Lampkin's charging win in the Scott Trial on Saturday took his total of victories in the Time and Observation epic to three - back to back wins in 2006/ 2007 and of course his first win back in 1994.
Doug's latest victory again stopped Graham Jarvis from taking an incredible eighth victory and from becoming the sole rider to have won the most Scotts. At the moment 'Grimbo' shares the honour with the great Sammy Miller on seven wins apiece.
Graham did put one over on his sponsor and mentor Malcolm Rathmell though, when he took that seventh win back in 2005 as Malc had claimed no fewer than six Premier awards himself in the World's greatest one-day trial, most involving an epic battle with his great rival, Martin Lampkin.
Going back to the 1940s/50s, Bill Nicholson bagged five victories while Phil Alderson and Martin Lampkin can boast four apiece. Therefore if Doug rides and wins next year, he will match his dad's record. Is this what's driving Dougie on these days?
There has never been a foreign winner of the Scott, with popular Spanish ace Amos Bilbao having come closest during his five attempts at this event which he loves. But with Jordi Pascuet having enjoyed his debut this year and Takahisa Fujinami a real Scott convert after his visit this year to see what it is all about maybe the time is fast-approaching when we will indeed see an overseas rider lift the Alfred Scott Memorial Trophy.
One thing is certain, the unique Scott is currently in the throes of a fantastic revival with the organisers easily hitting the 200 rider mark and there's quality as well as quantity.
Said John Lampkin after the event, Is that what trials is all about or what? Why can't we have more events like that?
Why not indeed!