SSDT Preview: Full house of 285 riders
By John Dickinson on 27th Apr 16
THE 2016 Scottish Six Days Trial is all set to go with a full house of 285 riders ready to leave the West End car park in Fort William which for the first week in May is transformed into parc ferme for the biggest, best and most famous motorcycle trial in the World!
Among that list of riders representing 21 countries – and you can argue amongst yourselves over the various merits of British, English, Scottish, Welsh, Manx, Catalan etc – the fact of the matter is it is a truly International entry with competitors travelling from as far afield as New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Canada and the USA as well as all over Europe.
As ever the mix of rider ability is wide-ranging from humble club riders to World Champions and that is, of course, part of the magic of the Scottish.
And the age range is just as vast from first-time teenagers to experienced riders nudging into their 60s, which includes Cumbrian Nigel Birkett who has contested every ScottishSix Days since he was 17 – and reached the finish in every one.
Birks has stopped counting but given that there was no event in 2001 due to Foot and Mouth I reckon that 44 consecutive SSDTs isn't far out.
Back again too is last year's winner Dougie Lampkin, now a nine-times winner of the event after his epic debut victory for Vertigo last year, and looking to take his tenth title at the age of 40. It always takes a brave man to bet against Dougie with his main threat almost certain to come from his Vertigo team-mate James Dabill, who lost the chance to win last year's event with a major time error on Tuesday.
Dougie and his rivals are riding to win but many of those 285 starters will simply be praying for enough luck to enable them to reach the finish on Saturday, May 8. To be able to say, "I finished the Scottish Six Days Trial”, is the Holy Grail for many a club rider. Others have been there and done that and are looking to post a personal best, gain a SpeciaL First or a First Class award, or simply beat a long-time rival for bragging rights. Many a pint is won and lost at the Scottish!
So to kick things off here's a quick one-man's view through the entry list (as it stood at time of writing, we know there will be some changes before the start) and if you are missed out I apologise in advance – firstly I don't actually know everyone and secondly space is limited.
Fast forward now to Monday, May 2, when a lovely sunrise over Loch Linnhe will herald the start of the 2016 event and at 7.30am prompt Scot Michael McNiven (1) will (hopefuflly) fire-up his Beta after its overnight rest in parc ferme along with 284 other machines. He will be followed, at the obligatory one minute intervals, by pals Rhuaraidh Mackay (2) and Jack Dignan (3) and then, if you think you are seeing double after too much whisky on Sunday night don't panic, it is only Nick (4) and Andy (5) Paxton on their Montesas. You may already have seen the in the Pre-65 on BSAs...
Sean Doyle (6) is a regular visitor from Eire while Joan Gaspar (7) is the first of many from Spain although he is proudly entered as Catalan.
There are a bevy of Haslams with Thomas (10) Danny (11) followed by Ray (17) and Joeseph (18).
You won't have long to wait on Monday to see reigning champ and nine times SSDT winner Dougie Lampkin (25) on the factory Vertigo accompanied by cousin James (26) on Beta. Doug's brother Harry (34) and best friend Paul Dixon (35) will be Vertigo mounted while Scorpa importer and SSDT fixture Nigel Birkett (39) is in an interesting group which includes Jordi Pascuet (36) and 2002 Scottish winner Amos Bilbao (42).
Now retired from riding, Amos returns on a Montesa 4Ride trail bike having been part of the development team. Amos and Dougie are big pals and will no doubt have plenty of fun throughout the week.
Cousins and huge Scottish fans Ben (47) and Dan (48) Hemingway (also cousins to the Lampkins) are followed by Becky Cook (52) on the TRS and husband Craig Talbot (53) and then Gas Gas UK runner Super Sam Haslam (55) who is always somewhere in the mix. Japanese girl Yoriko Kobayashi (57) returns for another bash and will be hoping that she doesn't have to be rescued from Clunes this year, after having to leave her bike miles out on the moor.
Women's World Champ Emma Bristow (61) has enjoyed some fabulous rides in the Scottish and once again will look to beat riding partner and minder James Fry (62). Matty Maynard (69) and Jack Stones are a couple of experienced Yorkshire boys who can look after themselves while Donna Fox (73) and Chloe Richardson (74) are equally self-reliant girls who will do their own thing, although with Scott winner big brother Jonathan (75) around Chloe won't have to look far if she needs a helping hand.
Gareth Andrews (79) from Bangor and pal Andy Perry (80) scoot across the Irish sea from Northern Ireland while Northants dealer John Lee is represented by Andy Blackman (82) and Chas Lee (83). These two can look after Fred Michaud (84), elder brother and sometime minder of former World Champ Thierry Michaud – and Fred returns for a nostalgic ride round.
Past SSDT winner Sam Connor (88) motors up from Twickenham once again while 1981 Scottish winner Gilles Burgat (93) can show Fred Michaud round as he rides with experienced SSDT rider Michel Front (94).
Ross Danby (97) is well capable of a top-three finish or a best on day performance and riding with Luke Walker (98) should keep the TRS rider sharp all week.
Martin Sandiford (106) could well find himself path-finding for Vertigo factory teamster James Dabill (107) as the former winner looks to put last year's Tuesday time disaster behind him and get back on top. Amazingly, Bristolian Adam Norris (116) only rides the Scottish Six Days these days and always has a cracking week, you'd think that he rode
week-in week-out. First timer Victoria Payne (117) would do well to try and stick with Adam or maybe latch on to Jess Bown (123) who rode really well last year when she made her debut.
Another tasty group is led by Sherco's Tom Affleck (134) Montesa mounted Andy Chilton (135) and Beta UK runner Jack Sheppard (136) who was looking very handy in the recent British Championship opener where he bagged a second place behind James Dabill after leading going into the final lap.
Enduro aces Lee Edmondson (139) and ever-smiling Tom Sagar (140) should have a fun week while Tom Hick (142) and Guy Kendrew (143) are National trial regulars who will take the week in their stride.
Gas Gas UK prospect, teenager Dan Peace (152) makes his Scottish debut and is sure to have some good rides and has the experienced Ian Austermuhle (153) and John Crinson (154) to pace himself by.
Simon Sharp (158) has the rare pleasure to ride with son Sam (159) on brand new Vertigos and both will have contested the Pre-65 on Triumph Cubs. Scots Lewis (170) and Liston (171) Bell could do the week with their eyes closed while Stuart Mack (172) heads a tough Army quartet along with Vince Mackintosh (173), Phil Wiffen (174) and Sam Anderson (175).
Sandra Gomez (177) has recently been signed by the rejuvenated Gas Gas factory and makes her debut for her new team in Scotland.
Madrid girl Sandra loves the SSDT and has also previously ridden the Pre-65.
The Ralphs Yeaman Jnr (187) and Snr (188) get to ride together although dad and lad Manel Jane (194 – Mr Vertigo) and Axel (200) find top runners Chris Pearson (196) and Dan Thorpe (197) in between. Dan's fiancee Katy Sunter (205) isn't too far away along with her brother Mark (206) both with many Scottishes under their belts. Gary Macdonald (209) is a safe bet for top Scot and Gary is still chasing overall victory in his favourite event and after second place last year he is right in with a chance.
Dec Bullock (217) has been riding well this year and could spring a surprise or two while Devon's Joe Baker (227) has been a best on day man in the past.
Tom Hooper (228) is another top teenager making his debut in the event and he has an experienced trio following him who he should stick with in Gas Gas UK trio Alexz Wigg (231), John Shirt (232) and Michael Brown (233). Alexz and Michael will be gunning for the win while Shirty is Over 40 top dog these days!
There are always plenty of Yorkies in the event like Boyd Webster (247) and Alan Mudd (248) the likes of which are the backbone of the event as are Aran Drachenberg (253), Graham Tales (254) and James Moorhouse who returns with his Bultaco twinshock, looking for a finish after the engine expired last year at Laggan.
Sherco duo John Batensby (256) and Jimmy Stones (257) will have a breeze while Welsh champ Iwan Roberts (271) has his TTT Beta boss Michele Bosi (272) riding shotgun.
Adrian Lewis (274) is a Midlander who moved to Scotland and opened and ran a successful trials shop – Lewisport – at Strontian, right on Friday's route, before emigrating to America and setting up shop again.
Barry Kinley (278) represents the Isle of Man, also the home of Cumbrian born Nigel Sharp (284) while last man away on Monday is Gary Maclennan (285) who can stay in bed until lunch with his starting time of 12: 15pm.
The starting riding number advances each day so that all riders get an early and a late starting day to keep things more or less on a level footing.
