Lampkin Maintains A Busy Schedule

dougie lampkin 2016 tour storyFar from resting on his laurels, Red Bull athlete Dougie Lampkin has enjoyed an extended and intensive period of appearances, activities and projects since he claimed an historic tenth victory at the Scottish Six Days Trial back in May. 

With hardly time to enjoy the winners' champagne, Dougie was immediately off on his travels as he embarked on an almost three-week long trip to Sri Lanka and the Maldives as Red Bull once again provided the ex-multi FIM Trial World Champion with yet another unique opportunity to showcase and spread the specialised and slow speed discipline of Trial to new audiences. 

Absorbed in the local culture, cuisine and adopted as one of their own Dougie enjoyed an incredible journey in Sri Lanka that saw him visit a new venue almost every day as he followed a mythical trail, which encompassed some truly amazing locations. Despite having travelled the globe throughout his long and illustrious sporting career, Lampkin was still in awe as he got to ride in tropical forests, scale a towering waterfall and encounter a tea plantation first hand amongst his many new experiences. 

Having made a lasting impression in Sri Lanka, Lampkin then made the relatively short trip to the Maldives where he embarked on an island hopping tour that saw him and his Vertigo Combat become a regular user of the sea taxis that are the only real means to navigate the watery region. During their stay on the remote island of Dhuvaafaru, Dougie and his wife Nicola were the guests of a local family who hosted them in their own home to give them a real insight to their simple way of life that included actually having to catch fresh fish for dinner each night. 

From Dhuvaafaru, which has only been re-habited since 2008 following the devastating Tsunami of 2004,  provided the ideal base camp as Dougie visited a number of different islands to execute his demonstrations and fulfil his filming / photographic assignment, the latter of which were focused on the still uninhabited and abandoned island of Kandholhudhoo. The many derelict buildings on this once idyllic island proved to be the perfect playground for Dougie to explore as he personally got to witness the sheer devastation done to the area, memories of which will remain with the tough Yorkshireman for the rest of his life. 

 
On arriving back in the UK after a flying visit to the German Trial GP, there was still no time for Lampkin to rest as he then headed off to the Vertigo factory in Barcelona and onto the World Trial in Andorra before returning overnight to be part of his first event as a Belstaff Ambassador. Despite the damp British weather Dougie performed in the shadow of Westminster Abbey, London as hundreds of VIP guests arrived to get an early preview of the 2017 Spring range from Belstaff. A brand that has enjoyed a long and rich history with the Lampkin family and that is now being continued through Dougie's new and recent association as the company remains loyal to origins with its famous wax cotton material still being manufactured in the Yorkshire hills. 

Dougie rounded out his almost two-month long tour last weekend, as he once again took his place in and amongst the other two-wheel Red Bull athletes that head lined the GAS arena at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed event in the South of England. 

Commenting on his recent and packed schedule Lampkin said. "It's true what that they say about life beginning at forty, as since I hit the magical age earlier this year it seems like I have been busier than ever. 

"That's an observation, not a complaint," smiled Dougie as he continued. "During my fifteen plus years with Red Bull they have given me some amazing chances to spread the sport of Trial to new people the World over. The recent trip to Sri Lanka and the Maldives was up there with the best in terms of the sheer experience, it was a real eye opener and was an absolute pleasure to bring a smile to the faces of the local children and to understand something about their day to day lives. It is a remarkable place and one I will remember for years to come."