A statement was issued on Monday 28th December by the Edinburgh & District Motor Club Chairman, Peter Bremner that the 2021 Scottish Six Days Trial, one of the oldest motorcycle competition events in the world has been cancelled.

This will be the second year in succession that the event has been forced to cancel due to the Covid-19 pandemic and excluding the two world conflicts 1914-18 and 1939-45, the third time that a disease has disrupted the event. The previous disruption was twenty years ago in 2001 caused by the UK ‘Foot & Mouth’ animal contageon.

The statement reads:

“It is with a heavy heart that the Edinburgh and District Motor Club has taken the decision, as a result of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, to cancel the 2021 SSDT and the Pre’65 Scottish trials.

We realise that this will be a massive disappointment to many people. However, we are making an early, logical decision to provide fans and everyone else involved in the event as much notice as possible.

Competitors who have entered the events will be contacted shortly after the two organising committees have met to decide on the way forward.”

Trials Guru’s founder, John Moffat commented:

“It is really sad news for all trials enthusiasts that the Edinburgh club have had to take this very difficult decision to cancel the SSDT for the second year in succession. The event brings in around two million pounds to the local community each year and that cannot be replaced.

Being a large event with close to three hundred competitors, I am sure this news will send a massive ripple outwards across the trials world and has dashed the hopes of many riders, young and old who aspire to ride this iconic event. It is a trial that has no parallel in modern times, be that in distance covered and in stature throughout the world.

The cancellation of the SSDT comes just one month after the announcement by the Isle of Man government that the famous TT Races on the Island suffered a similar fate.

This early cancellation policy is taken to ensure a logical decision is achieved given the circumstances and to provide certainty and clarity to riders, spectators, the factories, officials and everyone else involved in the event, which includes local people who run accommodation establishments.

I truly hope that the townspeople of Fort William and those in Lochaber, will welcome the Scottish Six Days back in 2022.”