Top Scotsmen From Lancs!

The first week of May is traditionally Scottish Six Days Trial week and this year’s event was attended by many club members who travelled north to watch the action of the several riders who regularly attend our events.

Best of them all was Jonny Walker, who finished a fine 17th and second best newcomer to the trial aboard his 250 Ace Trials Team Gas Gas.

Oliver Hart from the Penrith area seems to enjoy our trials and by finishing 61st in Scotland, he was the second best Lancs County rider in the 98th running of the historic Scottish event.

Our Wednesday Evening series sponsor Nigel Birkett has not missed a Scottish since he was a kid and as he’s now over 50 his 66th place in the trial was superb. Birks is close to taking the record for the greatest number of rides in the trial – and to date he has finished every single one of them. The actual number is still up for discussion but it’s around 37 or so. Fantastic and thanks to Nigel for continuing to provide generous support to our evening series.

Nick Shield was the talk of the trial as he was enjoying a unique and never before tried multi-bike test in the Scottish in which he rode a different machine on each day of the trial. On Monday he rode a Scorpa four stroke, on Tuesday a Beta, on Wednesday his own Gas Gas, on Thursday a Xispa, on Friday a Sherco and on Saturday a Montesa 4RT. He finished the week in 126th place but is not included in the official results as special dispensation was given to him to ride a different bike each day.

During the course of the third day, there must have been a stick or branch sticking out at a nasty angle because a number of riders sporting black eyes having come into contact with the offending branch. Phil Scott was one of those and though his injury looked uncomfortable, it didn’t affect his ride on his four stroke Beta which he took to 143rd place in his first Scottish for 18 years.

  

John Gornall is an avid supporter of all Lancs County trials and rarely misses riding in one. Tackling the Scottish was a first time experience for him and he finished a creditable 197th. There’s no doubt that to a first timer it’s a massive undertaking and John certainly knew he had been in a trial that experienced some of the worst weather the Highlands could offer. He enjoyed himself and was proud to have finished.