DOUGIE LAMPKIN - MISSING IN ACTION
MANCHESTER - GREAT BRITAIN
TUESDAY 28/03/11
Since making his Gas Gas trials debut at Sheffield Indoor trial back in early January, Dougie Lampkin’s name has been somewhat missing from the headlines. So just what has the twelve times World Champion been up to?
Q: Dougie, since Sheffield at the start of the year we’ve not seen much of you - so how have you been filling your days?
DL: I’ve been spending 90% of my time at the factory in Spain to be honest – just flying home to see the family at weekends. I’ve had a really busy schedule recently, but I feel we’ve moved forward leaps and bounds with the new 2012 Gas Gas trials models. As well as this I’ve been working closely with Adam (Raga) as he continues his campaign in both the FIM Trial World Championship and Spanish Trials Championship. I’ve also competed in a handful of enduro events, although my main focus is now on the forthcoming trials season.
Q: Are you pleased with Adam’s progress?
DL: Yes Adam is improving all the time and finished in a well-deserved third place at the end of the FIM X-Trial World Championship, which we were both pleased with. He will celebrate his 29th birthday next month and is continuing to improve as each event passes – I’m confident 2011 will be a great season for him.
Q: Were you pleased with your enduro results?
DL: I had some mixed results when it came to enduro really. The Indoor series was meant to be five rounds although three were cancelled, so I never really got going during the championship. I’ve ridden Hells Gate before and it’s one of the toughest events in the World – this year was no exception so I was more than pleased to come away with second place overall.
Q: So when can we next expect to see you compete in the UK?
DL: The next time I’ll be riding my Gas Gas in public will be at George White’s Swindon showroom during April 16th – 17th. The weekend, called the Blast, acts as a season opener and features all sorts of different motorcycle related entertainment. My next competition will be during the first week of May at the Scottish Six Day Trial (SSDT), Fort William, which I’m now fully focused on.
Q: How are you feeling heading into the 2011 SSDT?
DL: The SSDT holds a special place in my heart, as I’m sure it does for most British riders. It’s such a special event and the fact that this year is it’s centenary makes the whole thing even better. Because I’ve spent so much time at the factory recently it’s given me plenty of time on the bike and I’m feeling really happy with the settings. Obviously last year my result at the SSDT wasn’t what I wanted, but I’ve put that behind me and as long as I have a little luck on my side there’s no reason I can’t challenge for the win once again. I am really looking forward to May and to being back in the thick of it, as I still love riding as much as ever.
