For UK trials riders, especially those from Scotland, there is great sense of patriotism and national pride attached to taking part in the Scottish Six Days Trial. This year's event once again promises to be a truly international affair, however, with more than 20 countries represented in the 275-competitor line up and with riders travelling from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand.
Who better to comment on the SSDT's global appeal than its first ever foreign winner, 59-year-old Yrjo Vesterinen. Finnish by birth, Vesterinen has lived in the UK since the early 1980s where he has built and grown Apico International, a leading off-road motorcycle parts, accessories and clothing business based in Lancashire. Vesterinen made history when he won the SSDT back in 1980 - no other non-British rider had won the event until then.
Vesterinen made his SSDT debut in 1974 at the age of 21 as a Bultaco factory rider after the brand's chief UK importer invited him to enter, and he was voted best newcomer that year. However, it was not an easy rise to the top for Vesterinen. For the 11-times Finnish Champion, 7-times Scandinavian Champion, 3-times World Champion and the only non-British winner of the British Championship, conquering the SSDT had been top on his list of unfinished business for quite some time before he eventually won.
Vesterinen had in fact competed in five SSDT events (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1979) before he claimed his first and what would be his only SSDT win. His main World Championship rivals during the 1970s, which included the likes of Martin Lampkin, Sid Lampkin and Mick Andrews, had all won the SSDT, but unlike Vesterinen they were all British.
"I always struggled with the Six Days. It wasn't something that came to me naturally so I suppose that's why it took me so long to actually win it. For a long time it didn't seem to suit my riding style or mentality, but I have always enjoyed the social aspect of the event." Vesterinen explains.
"The SSDT is not an easy event to win. If you are a professional trials rider, like I was at the time, the sections in the SSDT are not particularly difficult, but this means that there is less room for error. The whole event has been won with just one mark lost so if you do make mistakes, or have a bad day, then it can be hard to recover."
Vesterinen recalls a particularly challenging year: "1977 was my worst year. I think I finished around 15th place, which was a very, very bad result for me. I was so frustrated that I decided not compete the following year. It was hard to get over the shock of having been beaten so badly, and I did not want it to affect my World Championship campaign."
Determined not to be defeated, Vesterinen returned to the SSDT in 1979 and took part a further four times before retiring from competitive motorcycle sport in 1983.
Despite having a love-hate relationship with the SSDT for so many years, Vesterinen continues to make the journey to Fort William each May. Last year, Vesterinen rode his original winning bike through Fort William High Street as part of a special parade to celebrate the event's centenary.
To find out more about the Scottish Six Days Trials, visit the website at www.ssdt.org