Malcolm Rathmell

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 Trans America 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. In 2013, Rathmell was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements.

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, 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. Sticking with Bultaco for 1974 worked out for Rathmell as he won the FIM Trans America Trials 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. For 1978 a Suzuki ride could only yield a 14th-place finish after which Rathmell rounded out his international career back with Montesa through the 1982 season. Malcolm Rathmell Sports Limited opened in the UK in 1991 as an Aprilia importer and is currently the sole UK distributor for many off-road products.

British Trials Championship career

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points Rank 1970 Bultaco STD- VIC5 LOM- TRA- SSD6 BEM- WEL5 SCO- PER- KNU- 20 11th 1971 Bultaco VIC1 COL2 KIC9 CLE5 SSD3 AJE8 DUL- RED2 SCO1 HOA2 76 2nd 1977 Montesa COT6 STD7 CLE3 WYE2 LOM1 ALA3 WOE1 TRA2 WEL3 HOA4 101 3rd 1978 Suzuki VIC2 KIC4 COT2 ALL6 PRE1 DIC7 SCO2 PER1 PEA2 95 3rd 1979 Montesa COL1 EAS2 COT1 VIC2 LYN2 ALA2 WOE1 JOH1 HOA3 PEA5 124 1st 1980 Montesa STD2 COL3 CLE2 LOM3 MIT1 ALL- RED2 TRA4 PRE1 WEL2 106 2nd

European Trials Championship career

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Points Rank 1970 Greeves / Bultaco GER- FRA- GBR2 BEL- IRL2 SPA6 FIN- SWE- POL- 29 5th 1971 Bultaco GER- GBR4 BEL2 IRL2 FRA3 SPA3 SUI- FIN1 SWE6 59 2nd 1972 Bultaco BEL2 IRL2 FRA1 SPA5 GBR- GER2 ITA3 FIN2 SWE3 SUI- 73 2nd 1973 Bultaco IRL6 BEL1 SPA6 FRA8 POL2 ITA10 FIN1 SWE10 SUI10 GER5 58 3rd 1974 Bultaco USA2 IRL7 BEL2 SPA2 GBR1 FRA10 ITA1 POL2 GER2 FIN2 SWE3 CZE7 SUI1 93 1st

World Trials Championship career

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Points Rank 1975 Montesa IRL8 BEL1 SPA3 GBR2 FRA2 POL1 ITA3 CAN4 USA1 FIN5 SWE8 SUI3 GER6 CZE3 99 3rd 1976 Montesa IRL5 BEL1 SPA4 GBR1 FRA1 GER- ITA4 USA3 SWE6 FIN2 SUI5 CZE2 87 2nd 1977 Montesa IRL1 GBR1 BEL1 SPA7 FRA- GER4 USA9 CAN2 SWE2 FIN8 CZE5 SUI2 100 3rd 1978 Suzuki IRL10 GBR10 BEL8 FRA9 SPA- GER- USA7 ITA- AUT- SWE- FIN- CZE- 11 14th 1979 Montesa IRL4 GBR1 BEL3 NED7 SPA- FRA7 CAN1 USA4 ITA8 SWE9 FIN4 CZE- 77 5th 1980 Montesa IRL6 GBR3 BEL8 SPA7 AUT5 FRA- SUI5GER5 ITA- FIN- SWE- CZE- 40 8th 1981 Montesa SPA- BEL6 IRL4 GBR3 FRA- ITA9 AUT8 USA- FIN- SWE- CZE- GER- 28 11th 1982 Montesa SPA- BEL- GBR9 ITA- FRA- GER- AUT- CAN- USA- FIN- SWE- POL- 2 23rd

Honors Trans America Champion 1974 - (Was called World Championship from the following Year on) 6 Times British Trials Champion (1972,74,75,76,79,81) 6 Times Scott Trial Winner 2 Times SSDT winner F.I.M Legend Award (2013)

Related reading FIM Trial World Championship Scott Trial Scottish Six Days Trial