Scottish Six Days celebrates its Centenary
By TMX Archives on 1st Oct 10
In just over seven months time the attention of the global trials community will focus on the town of Fort William that sits beautifully in the Scottish Highlands at the head of Loch Linnhe.
For six very special days between Monday and Saturday, May 2 to May 7, 2011, just under 300 riders from around the planet will descend on Fort William as the World famous Scottish Six Days Trial (SSDT) celebrates its centenary.
This moment in the history of the sport of motorcycle trials cannot be under-estimated, with this event being widely regarded as the birthplace of this unique sporting discipline where the winner is determined by skill alone rather than speed.
Over the last century thousands of riders have made this special pilgrimage to do battle with the Scottish Highlands over six gruelling days, with the competitors covering nearly 100-miles of rugged terrain every day.
Each rider who has participated will have their own lasting memory of their individual adventure in these wonderful hills and mountains, which even in the modern era of extreme sports remains one of the purest tests of man and machine.
The great history and heritage of the SSDT will mean that demand to be part of the centenary celebrations will far exceed the two hundred and seventy starting places that will be on offer when entries open in early October.
Edinburgh and District MC 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.
In the early years the likes of Bob McGregor, Hugh Viney, Artie Radcliffe, Allan Jeffries, Jeff Smith, Gordon Jackson, Alan Lampkin, Sammy Miller, Mick Andrews, Arthur Lampkin, Malcolm Rathmell and Martin Lampkin maintained a home domination before the arrival of the foreign challengers.
Bob McGregor remains the only Scottish rider to ever win the SSDT, back in 1932, despite Gary MacDonald's epic modern day efforts.
In 1980 Finland's Yrjo Vesterinen became the first ever-overseas winner and in doing so began a new era of champions that would include Gilles Burgat, Bernie Schreiber, Toni Gorgot, Thierry Michaud and Jordi Tarres, with only Britain's Steve Saunders interrupting this prolonged foreign invasion.
In more recent times the famous elegant trophy has remained predominantly in home hands thanks to tvhe victories of multiple wins by Steve Colley, Dougie Lampkin, Graham Jarvis and individual successes by Sam Connor and 2010 winner Alexz Wigg.
The only exceptions to this recent run of British victors came in 2002 and 2003 when popular Spanish riders Amos Bilbao and Juan Pons took top honours respectively.
Irrespective of past or current status each and every rider will be fully aware of the incredible prestige and exposure that winning the 100th edition of the SSDT will bring them, and therefore the fight to be ‘King of the Highlands' next May is assured to be a fierce affair.
For those competitors wishing to be part of this historic event, entry forms will be available on the official Scottish Six Days Trial website www.ssdt.org from Friday, October 1, 2010.
In addition full details concerning sponsorship opportunities, including daily sponsorship that incorporates five guaranteed entries, can also be found on the website.
External link: www.ssdt.org