Preview: Scottish Pre-65 crew ready to roll
By John Dickinson on 27th Apr 18
Scottish Six Days Trial Scottish Pre-65
Back in 1984 the Edinburgh & District club needed a distraction to keep spectators away from the popular Achlain group of sections, on Tuesday afternoon of the Scottish Six Days, as major roadworks meant parking would be dangerous.
The short version of what followed is that a Pre-65 trial was arranged in the Kinlochleven area and it proved so popular that the event was repeated the following year, on the Saturday, and soon this now annual event became the Two Day that is still going strong today.
The format has stayed more or less the same down the years with the village of Kinlochleven being the base, the community welcoming the event and throwing open their sports hall and school for the organisers.
Each day sees a different route, although both days feature a spur run down the south side of Loch Leven taking in some of the old favourite Six Days sections like Pipeline, Cnoc a Linnhe, Cameron Hill, Caolasnacoan and Pap of Glencoe, plus new groups specific to the Pre-65.
The meat of each days route is a large moorland loop, one taking in the historic Mamore road out to Callart, followed by the taxing, steep drop down to the main road which gets really interesting if the going is wet!
The other route goes east out on to the moors, circling round the famous Blackwater Dam before dropping back down into Kinlochleven.
Each route takes in 30 sections so thats 60 in total over the two days.
The groups and sections are changed each year so dont forget to buy a programme which contains maps of the routes, a list of sections for both days and approximate arrival times of the riders. Simples.
The trial is hugely popular in its own right thanks to the historic connections and locations, the characters who ride the event and the variety of models.
Weve counted 22 makes of machinery in the current programme, give or take the odd mash-up i.e Noriel, Trifield, etc and the actual number of models is even greater given that BSA can mean two-stroke or four-stroke and Triumph can be a 200 Cub or a rip snorting 500 twin...
Message from the organisers
With the trial now only two weeks away (at time of writing) the organisation of the event is well advanced.The routes are all planned but the course team will need to see what the weather has done to the ground when they arrive in Kinlochleven to set-up but hopefully they can go ahead as planned.
This is the first year that we have been permitted to run 200 riders which has given an additional 20 people the chance to take part. Guest of Honour Tim Britton will be one of them and he will perform start ramp duties, flagging away the first half of the entry on Friday morning and the second half on Saturday before riding himself.
The riders parade through the streets of Kinlochleven will kickstart the event at 9.30am on Friday when the noise and spectacle of all the bikes taking a tour of the village can be enjoyed.The Trial will start at 10am when the first bikes will be piped away by local man John McCallum.
Spectators please note that due to works taking place at the former Mamore Lodge Hotel, there will be NO VEHICULAR ACCESS to the Mamore Road this year. Access on foot is still permitted to reach the sections on the Mamores.
The shuttle buses, run by the primary school, means you can gain access to a variety of sections without the hassle of parking restrictions. Donations for school funds are welcomed so please make use of this valuable service and contribute realistic amounts for it.
There will be a range of merchandise on sale throughout the event as well as the official programme, which is excellent value and has a wide variety of features, route maps and the rider list.
Riders note that there have been 18 withdrawals to date but we have used up to reserve number 20 due to some declining. Thanks to all our sponsors for their continued support and we look forward to seeing everyone in Kinlochleven for the 2018 edition of the Pre-65 Scottish Trial.
All geared-up for big double date
For many competitors in Classic trials the Pre-65 Scottish is the highlight of the year. Some gear their entire season around the event, continually tweaking and modifying their bikes throughout the year aiming for peak performance on the Highland rockery.
The initial problem, though, is actually getting a ride as the event is invariably hugely oversubscribed so the first and biggest hurdle is getting over the dreaded ballot. At least for 2018 the club has obtained permission to boost the entry to 200 riders, which means that 20 more are guaranteed a start.
The club also operate a reserve list system which this year has meant that at least 20 grateful riders including Scot Murray Whittaker who has come close to winning the event have been boosted from the reserve list as others have dropped out for whatever reason.
So who is riding in the 2018 edition of the Hope Technology sponsored Scottish Pre-65 Two Day?
A quick look down the entry list sees that last years winner Gary Macdonald, the local lad from Kinlochleven who can virtually roll out of bed onto the start line and the first Scot to take the Premier, is back to defend his title.
There is a twist, though, as GMac won last year on a BSA Bantam but his sponsor Martin Murphy has come up with a 350 Triumph twin cylinder engine built into a Drayton chassis. Gary said: I might not win this year as I am only slightly built and the Triumph is a bit of a beast but I guarantee Ill have a huge grin on my face when making it sing flat-out up Pipeline.
Other past winners on display include Tony Calvert on his Cub (ex Norman Pickles) James Noble with his Ariel and a bevy of Triumph twin victors in Dan Clarke, Rob Bowyer and James Harland.
Plus of course the legend and multi-time winner that is Dave Thorpe who again rides with son Dan both Cub mounted, the bikes fettled by Dave. Can Dan nail the Premier award to make the ultimate dad and dad double?
There are plenty of others looking for that Premier award though and hoping for that little bit of luck that goes with a good ride to hopefully give you the edge. Lancashires Ben Butterworth is a spectator favourite with his flamboyant style on his very potent Ariel.
And pals Stuart Blythe and Paul Dennis, both Cub-mounted, are sure to be somewhere near the sharp end along with Scots Murray Whittaker and Les Winthrop, Les mounted this year on a particularly shiny newbuild Cub.
Other Scots who can all ride a bit include Alan Crayk on his Cotton, Neil Dawson and Ian Shedden on Villiers powered projectiles. There are plenty of Bantams of course including a pair ridden by three-times World Trials Champ Yrjo Vesterinen and daughter Hannah plus multi TT winner and trials fanatic Mick Grant.
Theres novelty with a 600 Scott to be ridden by Andy Abraham and a Belgian FN courtesy of Dutchman Martian Vermeulen. Donna Fox is sure to surprise a few of the regulars, the former World Ladies No.3 enjoying occasional outings these days on a Bantam.
Watch out also for Hillsboroughs Darren Wasley, not a regular Pre-65 rider but a serial winner of the Clubman class at Nationals. Martin Murphy, bossman of local company Leven Homes, Fridays sponsor, gets the 2018 trial underway as No.1 on a 400cc Triumph twin and will be flagged away by Guest of Honour Tim Britton who will then swap starters flag for his trusty BSA B40.
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