Postponed ‘til 2021

Sam Hewitt

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9th June 2020

An early sporting victim to Covid-19, thePre-65 Scottish was postponed. Enjoy our look back at some action from a few years ago.

Words: Tim Britton Pics: Fiona Watson

Trials riding is generally an inclusive sport, making no distinction regarding age or gender and the deciding factor on success or otherwise is down to ability and practice.

This is the beauty of events such as the Pre-65 Scottish in Kinlochleven, which adheres to the old format of all riders tackling the same sections regardless.

**Racer and telly star Guy Martin was guest of honour one year and rode too, he admitted he’d seriously underestimated the trial, but finished on this 350 Ariel.**

**Victor Ronda looking stylish on his ex-Peter Gaunt Royal Enfield. Sadly for Victor it wasn’t to be his year.**

Yes, there are easy sections which everyone will sail through with few problems – the first part of Pipeline for instance – and in order to lose marks something has to be very wrong or the petrol turned off.

To prove the Scottish weather can be fine, there’s this shot of Bon Accord member Ken Whitaker, taken in 2007. Ken is half of a father/son team in the Pre-65, his lad Murray is a regular top three finisher.

Delays happen in trials when there is a section as long as Pipeline, the gathering at the start of the continuous double-sub in 2008 includes 110 Lennart Franesjo, 150 Joan Rovira, 136 Rrafaeil Sirvent, 172 Jim Pickering, 132 (we think) Alan Nicklin, 162 Martin Wilmore, 134 Peter Salt, 156 Keith Gardener.

Then there are other sections which are designed to give the top riders something to think about.

Throughout the entry there are a multitude of ‘contests’ as riding buddies try to outdo each other regardless of where in the finishers’ list they will be and it doesn’t matter if they’re looking for first, 21st or 101st, the thing is to ride the section feet-up.

The riders’ parade through Kinlochleven is now a fixed part of the trial and popular with residents, caught here are 133 Bryn Matton from Kent, 85 Murray Whittaker from Stonehaven Aberdeenshire, 138 Hamish Jamieson also Aberdeenshire and 87 Ross Mackay, Aberdeenshire.

From an editor’s point of view there are always many more pics of an event than could ever be used in one feature, so with the 2020 Pre-65 Scottish being postponed until 2021, it provides the ideal opportunity to dig out some photos from a selection of Pre-65s I’ve ridden.

They are all, bar one, taken by my other half who carts the camera to various sections while I ride the event to obtain valuable news and rider views throughout the two days…