Scotland Part 6
Monday, May 6, 10.15pm
Heck, it’s been hot today and it’s not often one can say that about watching trials riding in Scotland, and whilst the riders undoubtedly prefer warm and dry conditions as an alternative to what they often have to face, rain and wind, for us spectators it can be tiring,standing on the Bankside, or sitting as the sun blazes down.
Nobody managed to go clean today, which was a bit of a surprise as four riders all lost just a single mark, Jack Price, Jack Peace, Dan Peace and Ross Danby, but then the scores jumped from dabs to four for Toby Martin and Gary Macdonald with 14 time winner Dougie Lampkin on five at Glen Stockdale mmmmmmmm, wonder if that was a genuine five? as there were numerous cleans by other riders.
Enough of the top men now, best of ‘our’ men was Tom Swindlehurst in 39th place after the first day with the ever reliable Richard Gaskell next in 54th. But there is so much to come with a significant number of new sections this week, and already the indications are that the trial is going to take more marks than expected.
If you read the previous blogs, you will have seen that Billy Green was the clear favourite in the Vox Pop of who will win, let me say now he’s in 31st place on 16 marks lost.
This is the second year that the trial has been using the electronic results system similar to that used by observers in the Trial GB series and which has proven to be reliable and popular as the scores almost immediately transmit to the HQ as long as there is a signal and the system stores the results until a signal is found. Stand up that man who said it should have been used in the Pre 65 event which suffered from a results administration problem – or so I’m led to believe.
I like facts and figures; we all know that this is Nigel Birkett’s 51st trial, without looking at the entry list, who has the second highest number of rides?
I will leave the answer until tomorrow, or maybe even Wednesday.
Lead picture is Joel Gowan on Clachaig this morning.