MILES: 106. SECTIONS: 32 DAY FOUR: THURSDAY
Once again, it was a wet start as the riders set out on the longest day of the event with the predominantly road route around the stunning scenery of the Moidart Peninsula. Early starter Lampkin was struggling with the slippery hazards as early as Camp Hill, where he lost four compared to the solitary marks of his nearest rivals Burgat and Vesterinen. Burgat was next to suffer as he stopped in an easy hazard at Ravine. Lampkin still held the lead as he took his lunch at Salen; it was starting to get very competitive.
The top three all rode well through the early second part of the day’s hazards before arriving amongst the huge intimidating white rocky boulders at Meall Nam Each. Lampkin lost five marks as ‘Vesty’ parted with just one, leaving Burgat trailing the leaders by just a single mark.
Just down the road at Kilmalieu, three hazards took marks from all the top three with Burgat the best, putting him in the lead of the trial once again as the riders came home to Fort William via the Corran Ferry crossing of Loch Linnhe.
Riding right at the back of the entry Spain’s Toni Gorgot on the yellow ‘Gripper’ model Ossa was having a super day, pulling him right up the leaderboard riding in his very first SSDT.
BEST DAILY PERFORMANCE: Gilles Burgat (SWM-FRA) 11 Marks Lost
RESULTS: 1: Gilles Burgat (SWM-FRA) 62; 2: Martin Lampkin (SWM-GBR) 65; 3: Yrjo Vesterinen (Bultaco-FIN) 73; 4: Charles Coutard (MontesaFRA) 81; 5: John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki-GBR) 93; 6: Jaime Subira (Fantic-ESP) 93; 7: Toni Gorgot (Ossa-ESP) 94; 8: Nigel Birkett (Fantic-GBR) 94; 9: Norman Shepherd (Majesty Yamaha-GBR) 95; 10: Manuel Soler (Montesa-ESP) 96.