Malcolm Rathmell

Malcolm Rathmell
Rathmell on a Montesa Cota 348 at the 1977 SSDT
Nationality British
Born (1949-06-18) 18 June 1949
Otley, West Yorkshire, England
Current team Retired
Website http://www.mrsltd.co.uk

Malcolm Rathmell (born 18 June 1949), is an English former international motorcycle trials rider. He won the Scottish Six Days Trial in 1973 and 1979, and clinched the FIM European Trials Championship in 1974 (The series was to become FIM Trial World Championship in 1975). Rathmell is a six time winner of the British Trials Championship between 1971 and 1981 and six time winner of the Scott Trial between 1971 and 1980.

Biography

Born in Otley, West Yorkshire, England, Rathmell first contested the FIM European Championship in 1970 before finishing runner up to Mick Andrews in the 1971 championship,[1] a year in which he also won the Scott Trial for the first time. Though rarely off the podium in 1972 the championship was a repeat to the previous season, followed by a 3rd place finish on the factory supported Bultaco for 1973. In 1974 Rathmell almost switched camps from Bultaco to Ossa but found himself facing legal action from Bultaco for breach of contract.[2] Sticking with Bultaco for 1974 worked out for Rathmell as he won the European Championship. He did however switch to Montesa for the 1975 season for the first year of the FIM Trial World Championship and added world round wins in Belgium, Poland and the United States and finish 3rd in the championship. A Runner up position to Bultaco rider Yrjo Vestarinen in 1976 and a 3rd place in 1977 were to be Rathmell's best attempts at recapturing the title on the Montesa.[3] For 1978 a Suzuki ride could only yield a 16th place finish after which Rathmell rounded out his international career back with Montesa through the 1982 season.[4] Malcolm Rathmell Sports Limited opened in the UK in 1991 as an Aprilia importer and is currently the sole UK distributor for Sherco Motorcycles.[5]

European Trials Championship career

[6]

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Points Rank
1970 Greeves / Bultaco GER
-		 FRA
-		 GBR
2		 BEL
-		 IRL
2		 SPA
6		 FIN
-		 SWE
-		 POL
-		 29 5th
1971 Bultaco GER
-		 GBR
4		 BEL
2		 IRL
2		 FRA
3		 SPA
3		 SUI
-		 FIN
1		 SWE
6		 59 2nd
1972 Bultaco BEL
2		 IRL
2		 FRA
1		 SPA
5		 GBR
-		 GER
2		 ITA
3		 FIN
2		 SWE
3		 SUI
-		 73 2nd
1973 Bultaco IRL
6		 BEL
1		 SPA
6		 FRA
8		 POL
2		 ITA
10		 FIN
1		 SWE
10		 SUI
10		 GER
5		 58 3rd
1974 Bultaco USA
2		 IRL
7		 BEL
2		 SPA
2		 GBR
1		 FRA
10		 ITA
1		 POL
2		 GER
2		 FIN
2		 SWE
3		 CZE
7		 SUI
1		 93 1st

World Trials Championship career

[6]

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Points Rank
1975 Montesa IRL
8		 BEL
1		 SPA
3		 GBR
2		 FRA
2		 POL
1		 ITA
3		 CAN
4		 USA
1		 FIN
5		 SWE
8		 SUI
3		 GER
6		 CZE
3		 99 3rd
1976 Montesa IRL
5		 BEL
1		 SPA
4		 GBR
1		 FRA
1		 GER
-		 ITA
4		 USA
3		 SWE
6		 FIN
2		 SUI
5		 CZE
2		 87 2nd
1977 Montesa IRL
1		 GBR
1		 BEL
1		 SPA
7		 FRA
-		 GER
4		 USA
9		 CAN
2		 SWE
2		 FIN
8		 CZE
5		 SUI
2		 100 3rd
1978 Suzuki IRL
10		 GBR
10		 BEL
8		 FRA
9		 SPA
-		 GER
-		 USA
7		 ITA
-		 AUT
-		 SWE
-		 FIN
-		 CZE
-		 11 14th
1979 Montesa IRL
4		 GBR
1		 BEL
3		 NED
7		 SPA
-		 FRA
7		 CAN
1		 USA
4		 ITA
8		 SWE
9		 FIN
4		 CZE
-		 77 5th
1980 Montesa IRL
6		 GBR
3		 BEL
8		 SPA
7		 AUT
5		 FRA
-		 SUI
5		 GER
5		 ITA
-		 FIN
-		 SWE
-		 CZE
-		 40 8th
1981 Montesa SPA
-		 BEL
6		 IRL
4		 GBR
3		 FRA
-		 ITA
9		 AUT
8		 USA
-		 FIN
-		 SWE
-		 CZE
-		 GER
-		 28 11th
1982 Montesa SPA
-		 BEL
-		 GBR
9		 ITA
-		 FRA
-		 GER
-		 AUT
-		 CAN
-		 USA
-		 FIN
-		 SWE
-		 POL
-		 2 23rd

Honors

Related reading

References

  1. ↑ McManus, Peter, ed. (2013). Derbyshire Motorcycle Maestros. MEP Publishers. pp. 167–177. ISBN 978-0-9542912-7-3.
  2. ↑ Whyte, Norrie, ed. (1974). MCN Annual 1975. Patrick Stephens Limited. pp. 13–19. ISBN 0-85059-182-1.
  3. ↑ Ward, Frank, ed. (1977). MCN Yearbook 1976/77. Patrick Stephens Limited. pp. 45–48. ISBN 0-85059-244-5.
  4. ↑ Morrison, Ian, ed. (1991). Guinness Motorcycle Fact Book. Guinness Publishing. pp. 161–164. ISBN 0-85112-953-6.
  5. ↑ "Rathmell Motorsports". malcolmrathmellsports.com. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  6. 1 2 "FIM World Championship". trialonline.org. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

External links

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