SCOTTISH SIX DAYS TRIAL MAYBE TEN?
After making his debut at this world famous event in 1993 where he finished sixth and took the Ian Pollock Memorial award for the Best Newcomer, Dougie Lampkin returned in 1994 to take a very popular win. His father Martin, the youngest of the three famous brothers, won the event three times (1976-1978) with his Uncle Arthur winning it once in 1963 and the middle brother Alan, or ‘Sid’ as he is best known, winning in 1966. If Dougie wins again in 2014 it will be his eighth win in a twenty year period, could he go for a record ten wins?
The Highland classic celebrated one hundred years in 2011 when James Dabill took his second win and became one of only two riders, along with Sammy Miller, to win the event on a four and two-stroke machine. Dabill had won in 2007 on the Honda powered Montesa taking the first four-stroke win since ‘Sid’ Lampkin in 1966. As the event is held over six days with a revolving starting order which means every rider has a turn at the front, the winner is never easy to predict.
Finding a winner in 2014 is not an easy task as a handful of riders can never be counted out. Going off past form you have to consider previous winners including Lampkin, Dabill and Alexz Wigg. ‘Wiggy’ is the youngest of the bunch and obviously knows what is needed to win, as do Lampkin and Dabill. You only have to ask Lampkin about winning and the look says it all. Dabill knows he has age on his side and will be competing for many years to come and with the arrival of his first child due in June; he will want to make 2014 a special year.
Who else can win you may ask? Michael Brown would love to add a SSDT win to his BTC crown and the Scott and has visited the podium so many times over the last few years. In 2013 when in a challenging position he exited the event with a knee injury on the Thursday.
There’s also Ross Danby who is a good consistent rider who has the right temperament for the event and local rider Gary Macdonald can never be ruled out. Sam Connor is another previous winner and then you can throw in the handful of young riders coming through and you never know.
It’s not just the men who enjoy the event as Emma Bristow once again took the Best Lady rider award and for the first time in the history of the event, a Special First Class award in 2013!
This year we celebrate thirty years of the Pre-65 event since Sammy Miller took the first win in 1984. This Classic event has a massive draw of riders from around the globe and has produced some surprise winners
including the ‘Unknown’ Brian Cottrell in 1985. Dave Thorpe leads the way with the most wins on six, the last was in 1997, but predicting a winner is never easy. In heavy rain last year James Harland was another surprise winner so who knows who will be victorious in this celebration year.
Just make sure you’re there to witness another superb sporting holiday in the Highlands enjoyed by all.