SSDT Day Four - It's a Woman's World
By G2F on 6th May 10
Tweny-five year old Katy Sunty - Gas Gas currently lies fourth in the female category, but within striking distance of the class leader. Katy comes from a trials family deep in the North Yorkshire moors and is now an old hand at the Scottish Six Days Trial (SSDT) with this being her seventh time competing in what is still regarded as one of the toughest tests in the sport.
Whilst Katy was introduced to trials at the age of ten, thanks to the involvement of her father and two brothers, it wasn't until she turned fifteen years old that she started to take the sport seriously. >From 2003 through to 2008 Miss Sunter was a regular contender at the FIM Women's Trial World Championship, before she opted out of following the series on a full time basis.
With trials in her blood, Katy explains just what this week in the Scottish Highlands means to her. "I just love the Scottish Six Days Trial and just being in Fort William, for me it is by far the best trial in the World bar none."
"This is my seventh time and unfortunately it doesn't get any easier. So far I have managed to finish each time I have rode so that is my aim again this year."
"It's far harder than any other event in the year, it is like doing a national trial each day for a week so it really takes it out of you. There are no other events like it so it is difficult to prepare, all you can do is spend as much time on your bike in the months leading up to May."
"I have been trying to win the best female trophy for six years now, but have never quite managed it. I will be trying my hardest again this year to win it and also I would like to get a first class award in the overall results too."
"Becky Cook and Emma Bristow are going to be hard to beat this week, but when it comes to the more natural sections I am never that far away from them. However when it comes to the bigger World type sections, that's where they really kick my backside now."
"More girls should come and have a go at the SSDT, because even if they hate it, at least they can say that they have given it a go and have at least experienced this great event."
"The sections and scenery are the best bits, and nothing like it can be found anywhere else in the World."
"It's a big week for me and my boyfriend Dan Thorpe, we spend a lot of time of preparing for this trial, and I can't now ever imagine us ever missing it, as it is so important to both of us.”
Amongst the two hundred and seventy riders in this year's SSDT are six very brave female riders who will have achieved so much just by reaching the finish when Saturday afternoon comes.
2010 Results
Day 3 - Daily Positions / Scores
1: Dougie Lampkin - Beta - 0
2: Tom Sagar - Montesa - 1
3: Sam Haslam - Gas Gas - 1
4: Alexz Wigg - Beta - 1
5: Ian Austermuhle - Beta - 1
6: Jonathan Richardson - Sherco - 1
7: Ben Hemingway - Beta - 1
8: Phil Disney - Beta - 2
9: Michael Brown - Sherco - 2
10: John Shirt - Gas Gas - 2
11: Richard Timperley - Sherco 2
12: James Dabill - Gas Gas - 2
13: Joe Baker - Scorpa - 3
14: Gary MacDonald - Gas Gas - 3
15: Stephen Dixon - Scorpa - 4
Overall Positions / Scores
1: Michael Brown - Sherco - 5
2: Alexz Wigg - Beta - 7
3: Ben Hemingway - Beta - 8
4: Gary MacDonald - Gas Gas - 10
5: James Dabill - Gas Gas - 12
6: Albert Cabestany - Sherco - 13
7: Ian Austermuhle - Beta - 13
8: James Lampkin - Beta - 17
9: Jack Challoner - Beta - 19
10: Ross Danby - Gas Gas -19
11: Jonathan Richardson - Sherco - 23
12: Tom Sagar - Montesa - 25
13: Craig Robinson - Gas Gas - 26
14: John Crinson - Beta - 26
15: Dan Hemingway - Beta - 27