The SSDT Windows 2019 are now live in Fort William town centre:
This features Bill Wilkinson’s 1969 SSDT winning Greeves Anglian and the 1959 Ron Thomson tribute in Marshall & Pearson.
Have a look!
This year’s Moidart Run for classic motorcycles will take place from Kinlochleven on Thursday, 2nd May with the assembly at 9:00am GMT.
The event was filled to its maximum back in February and there are a fair few notables from the world of trials and motocross taking part as guest riders this year.
Trials Guru will be in attendance with John Moffat riding his father’s 347cc AJS 16MC from the early 1950s, a machine that was used in two SSDTs (1953 & 1954).
The route is around 100 miles taking in Glenfinnan, Roshven, Strontian, Laudale, Lochailort and back to the finish at Kinlochleven.
Photo: Chris Sharp Photography, Belfast.
The Scottish Six Days Trial gets underway in a weeks time, Monday 6th May, 2019.
First man away will be veteran SSDT competitor, Carlos Casas from Olot in Catalunya on his Vertigo, celebrating 30 rides in the annual event, flagged away by the 1969 Scottish winner, Bill Wilkinson who is guest of honour this year.
The man piping Carlos down off the start ramp at precisely 07:30 will be local lad, 15 year old Ronnie McIntosh from Fort William, a pupil at Lochaber High School.
Unfortunately the official programme was printed before Ronnie agreed to do the task, of which he is incredibly proud, it was performed ably last year by another local lad, Andrew Orr.
Local trials enthusiast and Chairman of the Lochaber Piping Society, Mr Ken Cameron from Fersit who arranges the piper for the SSDT start said: “I picked up a copy of the official programme this morning and to my horror I discovered that we hadn’t told the programme editor about Ronnie being the official piper this year. I immediately contacted John Moffat about the oversight. We are all very sorry that Ronnie’s name has been missed out”.
Ronnie McIntosh is trained by the respected and renowned tutor Iain MacFadyen of Kyle of Lochalsh. As well as being a solo piper, Ronnie plays in the Lochaber Pipe Band.
It is hoped that John Moffat will be able to interview young Ronnie on Nevis Radio immediately following his performance of the piping duties early on Monday morning before he heads off back home for his breakfast.
With little more than a week until the world famous Scottish Six Days Trial takes place, the organising Edinburgh and District Motor Club have released the Trial’s Daily Routes, including mileages and observed hills (sections) exclusively available on the event website at http://www.ssdt.org.
Under the guidance of Clerk of the Course Jeff Horne, the Edinburgh and District team have, as ever, plotted a totally different course for each day, varying in mileage from 60 to 107 with a total of over 500 miles being travelled by the competitors during the six days of the event. On top of the long, hard miles on a Trials bike, each day also provides 30 observed sections to test the riders.
The traditional Bank Holiday Monday opening route eases competitors into the week over 71 miles featuring early morning action at Leanachen before heading up to Spean Bridge and then across to Kinlochleven via Blackwater to finish at the very popular Lagnaha sections.
Tuesday sees the return of a familiar route after the team gave the ground a rest in 2018. The second day of competition starts with a 24 mile road ride north to historic Laggan Locks before heading over the moors to spectator favourite, Creag Lundie.
The rest of the week takes in many of the now famous groups with Friday featuring the traditional road based 101 mile ride round the stunning Moidart peninsula before the final day on Saturday, a mere but challenging 60 miles finishing on the lower slopes of Ben Nevis, of course not forgetting the final observed section up Town Hall Brae for the benefit of the Fort William locals!
The club reminds spectators to take care when parking – DO NOT cause an obstruction and please be courteous to local traffic on the single-track roads.
Remember there is no off road access for spectators on motorcycles. Unofficial use of motorcycles could result in the loss of access to land critical for the future of the event.
Full details of the routes are at www.ssdt.org and official programmes are available at local outlets in and around Fort William as far south as Glencoe. Look for this poster.
The ‘SSDT Windows’ are back again for 2019.
Organised by Trials Guru on behalf of the Scottish Six Days Trial committee, dealers and importers will be contributing their trials machines to be put in selected shop windows along the High Street in Fort William for the duration of this year’s event (Monday 6th – Saturday 11th May). The display which has become very much a part of the SSDT week, it stretches the full length from the West End down to Nevisport. A bumper nine machines will be on display this year.
A special tribute will be set up in the window of Marshall & Pearson, 35 High Street with a very ‘local’ connection. It is the 1959 BSA C15T that was owned new in that year by Ron Thomson, a well-known local man, but there is a story to it which is told in the official programme which goes on sale locally on Saturday 27th April.
The little BSA is now owned by enthusiast Steve Owen who was happy for the machine to be displayed in the town during this year’s event which marks the 60 years since it was ridden in the trial.
And to make things even more special with SSDT Windows this year, we have secured the 1969 SSDT winning machine of Bill Wilkinson, his 250cc Greeves Anglian (WWC169F) which will be on show in the front window of VisitScotland’s Fort William iCentre. Bill will be the Guest of Honour at this year’s Scottish to mark the 50 years since his historic win. Read all about it in the Official SSDT Programme.
If you are in Fort William for the SSDT, then remember to have a look at ‘SSDT Windows’ when you are there, it all adds to the atmosphere of this very special event.
The 2019 Scottish Six Days Trial (6-11 May) official programme will be available from Saturday, 27nd April from the following outlets in and around Lochaber.
Special thanks to Mrs. Annette Chambers of Fort William for undertaking to distribute copies to local shops in Fort William, a task she has undertaken for many years now. She represents one of the E&D Community Fund beneficiaries charities, The Leanne Fund for Cystic Fibrosis.
The SSDT ’19 official programme is a ‘must have’ piece of kit for anyone watching the event, as it gives full details of where to see the action and a full rider list, detailed with early days for each daily group. There is also a pull out rider list, sponsored by Acklams Beta of Harrogate, so you can leave the main programme in your glove compartment if the weather isn’t so kind! There is a variety of articles and features, plus a past winners list from 1909 to 2018.
New Stockist added: Gleaner – Onich Service Station, 23 – A82, Onich, PH33 6RZ
BP – Road to the Isles Filling Station, North Road, Fort William, PH33 6TQ
Esso Filling Station, North Road, Fort William, PH33 6TQ
Gleaner Filling Station, Fort William, PH33 6SU & Gleaner Filling Station, Invergarry, PH35 4HL
WH Smith, 4 Tweeddale Buildings (The Parade), Fort William, PH33 6EU
The Granite House, 76 High Street, Fort William, PH33 6AD
Marshall & Pearson, 35 High Street, Fort William, PH33 6DH
Co-op, Park Road, Ballachulish, PH49 4JS
Co-op, Leven Road, Kinlochleven, PH50 4RW
Co-op, Royal Bank Buildings, Main Street, Corpach, PH33 7JG
Claymore Filling Station, A82, Glencoe, PH49 4HP
Pre’65 Trial Merchandise stall at Kinlochleven (From Thursday – 2nd May)
Spar Spean Bridge, A82, Spean Bridge, PH34 4EP
There will also be an opportunity to purchase from ‘The Hub’ located in the parc ferme area (West End Car Park, Fort William) on the Weigh-In Sunday, 5th May and at the Trials UK emporium where official SSDT merchandise is also available for the SSDT fans.
The official programme is priced at £4.00, the proceeds of which support the Edinburgh & District Motor Club Ltd ‘Community Fund’, which contributes to local good causes in the Lochaber area.
For ONLINE programme sales (Contact SSDT) and up to date information on the Scottish Six Days Trial, please view the official website: www.ssdt.org
Report: Barry Robinson:
Photo: FIM
Thirteen year old Partridge Green, Horsham, trials rider Jack Dance excelled in the opening event in the European Youth Championship at Peitramurata, Italy, on Sunday claiming an impressive second place riding his JST Gas Gas heading fellow Brit, Ben Dignan From Roy Bridge, Fort William, Scotland by two marks.
East Keswick youngster Harry Hemingway was a close fourth with Buxton’s Harry Turner taking ninth place in a teenage star studded entry of the top Euro youngsters.
Dance was his typical cool self and Nicky and Adrian stopped off in Genoa and the Pro Park where some time and days were practicing on testing terrain before heading back up Italy to the trial venue. The short halt at the Pro Park gave Jack time to acclimatise in the altitude of the mountains but he was nervous initially at the trial venue. He knew it was going to a long tough day and took the morning build-up in his stride. Relaxing and drinking plenty of liquid to negate hydration paid dividends that were required when the chain let go in section three. The sprint back to parc ferme for another link and tools took some time and energy. It was a tough start for the entire entry. Only Dignan and winner Pau Martinez got through section four along with Harry Turner, Enzo Rossi and Fabian David. After the chain failure incident, thought to be that a loose stone tangled with the chain. Dance got his head down and did not let the opening sections rattle him. He settled down to serious business with more confidence.
His second lap was ten under his opening circuit and only bettered by winner Martinez. His style took him up the order and onto the podium. More than ever Jack Dance, at fourteen years of age, is a planner and thinker. He was quite surprised at the end result and it was time to smile – a big smile.
Results.
F.I.M. European Youth Trials Championship, Pietramurata, Italy. Sunday.
1 Pau Martinez (Esp) Vertigo 25 + 17 = 42.
2 Jack Dance (GB) JST Gas Gas 41+ 31 =72.
3 Ben Dignan (GB) JST Gas Gas 35 + 39 =74.
4 Jonathan Heidel (Ger) Gas Gas 41 + 44 = 85.
5 Harry Hemingway (GB) Beta 47 + 42 = 89.
6 Jarmil Smith (Ger) Beta 47 + 43 = 90.
7 Linus Sandberg (Swe) TRS 47 + 47 = 94.
8 Valentino Feltrin (Ita) Gas Gas 51 + 46 = 97.
9 Harry Turner (GB) Gas Gas 48 + 49 =102
10 Enzo Rossi (Fra) Scorpa 53 + 50 = 103.
11 Fabian David (Cze) Beta 51 + 54-105
12 Philipp Eberharter (Aust) 55 + 51 =106
13 Jonas Schiele (Ger) Gas Gas 56 + 51 =107.
14 Rooney Bereiter (Ger) Gas Gas 59 + 48 = 107.
15 Nils Schwabedissen (Ger) Beta 61 + 49 =110.
19th Owen Chestnut (GB) Gas Gas 66 + 67 = 62
News has just been released that for the first time, the Scottish Six Days Trial have a speciality ale fermented in it’s honour!
The award-winning craft brewery is based in Daviston, Cromarty and called the Cromarty Brewing Co, who have produced ‘Trials & Tribulations’ as its 2019 SSDT Ale which will be available during the event 6th – 11th May in Fort William.
Obviously riders won’t be able to drink it during the event, but once their day is finished, then we are sure many will be sampling the brew.
Cromarty Brewing supremo, Craig Middleton is actually taking part in this years’ SSDT, riding number 218 on his Cromarty Brewing Sherco, he has been riding trials in the Inverness & District club since he was a youth, but this is his first attempt at the SSDT.
Craig told Trials Guru: “I am happy to put a little sponsorship towards the SSDT from my company and I hope that the new Trials & Tribulations brew goes down well”.
We all wish Craig an enjoyable SSDT.
Current stockists for the SSDT Ale 2019 are: Grog & Gruel, Fort William; Clachaig Inn, Glencoe and the Arisaig Hotel, Arisaig.
Richmond Motor Club (Yorkshire) Ltd were delighted to recently present representatives
of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance with a cheque for £500. This service has, on occasion been used by riders of the club, as well as the local community.
It is important to give back as much as possible to continue to support this charitable organisation.
The funds were raised from a raffle at a dinner held in December for all
the landowners, gamekeepers and farmers at The Garden Rooms at Tennants,
Leyburn.
Picture: Olga Ashton, representing Yorkshire Air Ambulance, accepting a donation of £500 for the charity, presented by Chris Wallis, on behalf of Richmond Motor Club (Yorkshire) Ltd
Photo: Charlotte E. Brown
The pre-production Bultaco Sherpa T reputedly used by 11 times British Trials Champion, Sammy Miller is on sale at an undisclosed price.
The machine, which has been advertised with all relevant documentation for UK registration number 669NHO, is not the machine in Sammy Miller’s New Milton Museum, but is believed to be one of two used by Miller when he was developing the Sherpa T for the Bulto factory in 1964/65.
It is believed the machine will be sold for a significant figure given its history in trial sport.
TRIALS GURU - DEDICATED TO TRIAL 