SHERCO STUNNER

from Trial Magazine Issue 98 April-May 2023

WHO WILL WIN?

Some 21 years ago, popular Spanish rider Amos Bilbao took victory in the Scottish Six Days Trial on the two-stroke Montesa Cota 315. In 2003 he was back to defend his title, but it was to be another Spanish rider who would take the victory 20 years ago. That privateer rider would be Joan Pons on a Sherco. He was not exactly unknown, but he did reach the height of world number three in 1994. Besides, Amos was a much-fancied winner. Also entering were previous winners Steve Colley and Steve Saunders, alongside future names of Sam Connor and a very young James Dabill.

Words: Colin Bullock, John Hulme • Pictures: Colin Bullock, Eric Kitchen, Iain Lawrie

James Dabill would ride a 250cc two-stroke Scorpa whilst his mentor Martin Crosswaite and Japan’s Takumi Narita were riding the new little

But, unfortunately, the rain had also fallen on the ‘Weigh In’ day on the Sunday, spoiling what for many was the most significant social gathering of the year for the motorcycle

Sunday’s parade through Fort William witnessed a good crowd assembled in the high street, accompanied by some inhospitable weather. Unusually, it would not feature for much of the week. The riders returned their machines to Parc Fermé, and Joan prepared for the week accommodated in the Sherco race truck. Being right next to the paddock, he was ready for his early 8.01am Monday

Since 1935 Bob MacGregor had been the only on the Thursday — maybe history was about to change. However, it was not to be as, in a very close finish, it was late entrant Joan Pons from Spain who took a very narrow victory from Ben Hemingway (Beta). MacDonald dropped to third to finish just in front of the previous year’s winner Amos Bilbao (Montesa-ESP).

As a new motorcycle trials manufacturer, Sherco appeared in 2000 and started to put the infrastructure in place to challenge the trials world.

Ex-world round rider Joan Pons was taken on as the person to help to develop riders in its new Sherco academy. One rider was a very young Gary MacDonald, but his master outpointed him as Pons hit the Scottish Six Days Trial for the first time, with the Sherco stunner taking the win.

Despite a wet week at the Scottish Six Days Trial, it had once again lived up to all expectations for the endured six days of trials riding, taking in the long road and moor crossings, and with the wet weather for the majority of the week, it recorded that only 223 riders were classed as official finishers.

Tales of woe, from drowned machines to rider fatigue in the cold and wet, were recorded as one of the wettest six days over the previous few years as the river levels rose and became difficult to pass through.

Here we briefly reflect on the 2003 Scottish Six Days Trial through the words of a Scottish regular for so many years as a reporter, photographer and filmmaker, Colin Bullock.

MONDAY: 30 SECTIONS, 64 MILES

Mark Whitham had the honour of being the first man away, and with Leanachen the first group and Lagnaha the last, these were the choices for many spectators.

It was damp for much of the day, but Joan Pons (Sherco-ESP) got through all the Leanachen hazards feet up, and so did Gary Macdonald (Sherco), who was focussing on a good week’s riding. Gary and Joan had a dab at the drier Lagnaha, but there were some fine clean rides here, including by previous winners Thierry Michaud (Gas Gas-FRA) and Steve Saunders (Gas Gas). There were no less than seven riders clean on Monday, including Harold Crawford (Gas Gas), John Lampkin (Beta) and Saunders.

Joan Pons was on only two marks lost but had now had his day at the front of the entry and would start Tuesday at the back.

TUESDAY: 30 SECTIONS, 106 MILES

This always tends to be a long day, and there are plenty of viewing options for spectators. Forest Gate was our first port of call, just in time to see Amos Bilbao (Montesa-ESP) taking a big three on the big step at the double sub-section. By the time the riders reached Craig Lund, the weather had eased as the rain started to move away for a short time. Ben Hemingway (Beta) had his only loss of the day at the bottom section, and Jordi Pasquet (Gas Gas-ESP), Dan Clarke (Scorpa) and Sam Connor (Gas Gas) were notable clean rides throughout. Now at the tail end of the entry, Joan Pons took his second dab of the day, but overall, he was up to seventh.

WEDNESDAY: 30 SECTIONS, 70 MILES

The day belonged to the Sherco riders Joan Pons and Gary MacDonald, who went clean, feet-up all day, and continued their ascent up the results. Most of the top riders went through without too much of a problem at Cameron Hill, also blitzing through Trotters Burn at the end of the day. The riders on the first page of the results cleaned the final two hazards. Ben Hemmingway retained the leaderboard plate with Jordi Pasquet in second place, with Pons now up to third. At the halfway stage, the talk was all about Gary MacDonald; could he win?

THURSDAY: 30 SECTIONS, 116 MILES

It was a wet and miserable ride out to Chairlift, but a hardy band of spectators had made the long walk over the exposed moorland. Such was the extreme weather at Chairlift, you could hear the stones and rocks rolling beneath the water. News had come that the last sub at Ba House had been cancelled due to Ben Hemingway and Jordi Pasquet had the red plates on their machines as the trial’s joint leaders. However, Jordi was in trouble later in the day and had to retire with mechanical problems. Hemingway dabbed in the bottom sub, much to his obvious annoyance. Steve Colley (Gas Gas) was to show a line never seen before at Chairlift, taking on the steepest part of the rockery before dabbing on the flat. It even interrupted a conversation I was having with John Hulme (Gas Gas), with us both having to move a bit rapidly to allow the Manxman through!

The leaderboard changed at the end of the day with Gary MacDonald on a total of nine, a full six in front of Pons, with Ben Hemingway holding third on a total of 19. Joan knew he was still well in with a chance for victory, especially now being reasonably placed halfway through the entry. He had also been upgraded in residence from the Sherco race truck to a hotel!

weather was still very wet. Kilmalieu, Meall nam Each and Camasnacroise were the early sections, with Doire Dahm finishing off another long day. It was a day when things changed on the leaderboard. Gary Macdonald lost ten marks, including a five at Pipers. Joan Pons, by contrast, was very steady, and as he finished the top section at Doire Dahm, he knew he was in a good place as he gave the cameraman a satisfied thumbs up. He was now leading

Joan was away before 10.00am, with his main rivals half an hour later. 2002 winner Amos Bilbao started with three dabs on the first three hazards and then went clean over the following 29 sections. It was too little too late for Amos, but Ben Hemingway got around, losing only four, which meant he overtook Gary to take second. Macdonald did not have the best of starts, and his final-day score of 12 marks dropped him down to third overall. Pons had lost eight marks, including a five at section 20, but he was steady over the Ben Nevis sections to claim his win on his first visit to the SSDT. It started a hugely

(Montesa) 55; 12: Dan Hemingway (Beta) 57; 13: James Lampkin (Montesa) 62; 14: John R Shirt (Gas Gas) 65; 15: Sam Ludgate (Beta) 66; 16: Steve Saunders (Gas Gas) 70; 17: Harold Crawford (Gas

(Scorpa-FRA) 108; 39: Fumitaka Nozaki (ScorpaJPN) 111; 40: Sean Conway (Montesa) 111; 41: Wilson Craig (Gas Gas) 114; 42: James Noble (Montesa) 115; 43: Gavin Johnston (Beta) 123; 44: Chris