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IOMTT: Monday’s Superbike race

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Posted on Jun 4, 2019 by The Isle of Man TT

It wouldn’t be TT 2019 if we didn’t have a twenty-minute delay due to a non-racing medical emergency and awkward spectators would it?

It was the Superbike race up first. This was scheduled to run on Saturday along with the Sidecar Race 1, however, as we are all aware, the weather didn’t exactly play ball last week. Due to this, the Clerk of the Course shortened the Superbike race from six laps to four. Many people will say ‘it’s not a proper Superbike race unless it’s over six laps’… I completely agree, but considering on the Sunday there were question marks over whether we would see any racing at all, I’ll take the four-laps thanks! Of course, as if we weren’t already short on time, we had a twenty-minute delay. A non-racing medical emergency, which of course can’t be helped, but what can be helped is spectators not being bloody awkward! I know a marshal who managed to survive the ‘axe-murderer of Laurel Bank’ a couple of days ago (you think I’m joking, I’m not…) and now they’re having to deal with more spectator-led issues. It really isn’t on. Can you all just behave yourselves and watch the racing like civilised humans rather than pack animals?!

Anyway, the race finally got underway at 11:05 with weather conditions reported as good all around the Mountain Course with the exception of possibly the mountain itself where winds were gusting up to 25-30mph. Head, tail, cross-winds – none of which make for pleasant racing up top, but I suppose that’s why we have ‘Windy Corner’. It didn’t seem to dissuade any of the racers as they all seemed to get off to a cracking start. Harrison led at Glen Helen on the opening lap, one of the fan favourites, and Hickman slotted into second just 1.1s back. As the Isle of Man TT is a time trial, it’s hard to imagine what 1.1s looks like around here. It’s something you never see. I still find it hard to comprehend that if number 10 catches up number 9 on the road, number 10 is 10-seconds faster than number 9 already even though it doesn’t appear that way as they flash by you. I know a lot of people may be used to the Irish road races where they’re set off in waves, but essentially the majority set off together. Not here. Each racer gets the tap on the shoulder every 10-seconds, therefore it can be quite difficult to distinguish correct positions until the quickest person has gone through the timing beams. This is a major pain in the bum with Hickman being #10…

James Hillier slotted into third at Glen Helen whilst Conor Cummins placed fourth only a tenth of a second behind Hillier. Okay, a tenth of a second could cost you a place on the podium if you’re at the end of a race, but it’s such a minute difference on lap 1! The two Michaels, Dunlop and Rutter, rounded out the top six. John McGuinness, Lee Johnston and Ian Hutchinson didn’t get off to a great start as they placed in 14th, 15th and 16th respectively, but the excitement was building at the front as Harrison was still fending off Hickman whilst Cummins moved up to third ahead of Hillier at Ballaugh. I think the Ballaugh to Ramsey section is one of the most technical parts of the course. After Ballaugh bridge you have to negotiate Ballacrye jump, the S bends by the wildlife park (Quarry Bends as it’s commonly known) and before you know it the throttle is pinned down (up? Manx for you..!) Sulby straight. Next, you’re braking hard to get yourself round the right-hander that is Sulby bridge and throwing it back over to the left to power on round past Ginger Hall. By the way, the Ginger Hall does amazing food and the TT course is on the ceiling in the bar section, so when you’ve finally had too much to drink you can have a rest and make your own TT race up in your head. Happy days! From the Ginger Hall you’re onto the bumpy, bendy bits. However, I presume, or you would hope, the suspension on these superbikes might help them to glide over the bumps a little bit better than your usual road bike especially at those kinds of speeds. It’s a bit of a blur round there!

… and then you see the ‘Welcome to Ramsey’ sign, through Milntown, past Ramsey Grammar School and brake brake brake throw it right for Parliament Square, throw it left and you’re on the way to the Hairpin. Harrison led by 1.4s, Cummins was only 3.8s back on Hickman, but around 8s clear of Hillier. They were starting the Mountain climb, round the gooseneck and off to battle those winds. A lot of riders compare the Mountain section to short-circuit racing which I understand, but you could so easily get lost as to which corner you’re at, what’s coming up next, etc. There’s even some tramlines to contend with and they’re not the best of things to deal with on open roads let alone on a superbike. Round windy corner, which I believe was very windy, and you’re heading for Kate’s cottage and then the pub – the Creg-ny-Baa. Great food too! From there, although I know some have run out of fuel between the Creg and the Grandstand, is pretty much the home straight with a few bends, dips and kinks. The end is very quickly in sight… the speeds they come round Hillberry probably helps with the ‘quick’ bit!

Harrion’s opening lap of 132.48mph gave him a slight lead over Hickman who remained second. Cummins retained third, but Hickman had pulled the pin and the gap to second was now 4.8s. The top three were the only three riders to lap at over 130mph. At the end of lap 1 McGuinness pulled into the pits and got off his Norton Superbike. He was forced to retire due to an oil pressure issue. Derek McGee was also a retirement. The rest of them were starting lap 2 and Harrison had made his way to Glen Helen before anyone had time to blink. There was, however, no change with Hickman still second and Cummins third, Hillier fourth. The only change near the front was Rutter had moved up to fifth pushing Dunlop down to sixth. Harrison put the hammer down between Glen Helen and Ballaugh to increase his lead to 4.8s, but Hickman retaliated over the Mountain to reduce that gap to 0.045s and Cummins re-gained the lead on the road ahead of Harrison. It was all still to play for as at the end of lap two it was time for a pit-stop.

At the end of lap two Hickman had finally overhauled Harrison and now had a 1.7s lead. Cummins remained in third whilst Hillier broke the 130mph barrier to continue in fourth with a comfortable 13s lead ahead of Rutter, Dunlop just behind in sixth. Jamie Coward was having a phenomenal race up into seventh with David Johnson, Gary Johnson and Davey Todd completing the top ten at the end of lap two. Hickman still led, but Harrison was eking back the lead slowly as the gap at Glen Helen had dropped to 0.69s. Both Harrison and Cummins had almost made their way to Ballaugh before pulling in due to a full-course red flag.

The race was declared a result as at the end of a lap two meaning Hickman won the 2019 Superbike TT race on-board the Trooper BMW, Harrison took second and Cummins third. Hillier finished fourth ahead of Rutter and Dunlop with David Johnson, Jamie Coward, Gary Johnson and Davey Todd rounding out the top ten.

A red flag in any race makes you a bit nervy, but a red flag during a road race makes your heart sink. Manx radio had stated there had been an incident at Snugborough, between Braddan Bridge and Union Mills, but there were no further updates at that time. When there’s been a red flag, I don’t think you can really concentrate on what’s to come until there’s been an update, but you’ve got to remember these are the TT races and the races must go on. You have to try and think ‘no news is good news’, but in reality, you know that never really appears to be the case. It really does seem heartless when it’s written down, but hand on heart no racer who has lost their life at the TT or any other race for that matter would want any races to be postponed or cancelled. It’s a difficult concept to understand, but we go again… It’s a sign of respect, it’s a show of solidarity. My heart goes out to the organisers during red flag situations particularly the marshals involved. We know when we sign-on to marshal we could be faced with an incident, but until that time you don’t really know how you will react. The race officials in the control tower not only have to deal with the incident at hand remotely but the media and the speculation too. On top of that they also have to stay one step ahead and figure out the remaining day’s schedule too. Although the Superbike race was declared a result, the sidecars were still scheduled to race and that’s exactly what they did. More about that later.

Just after the sidecar race finished, although not through the official channels, there was the news no one wanted to hear.

Not something I ever wanted to write but here we go…..

Daley, as Daisy says, is now sleeping with the fairies. That’s all I can bring myself to say right now. The last image I saw of my husband, was of a man so happy with life and so proud of his racing. xxxxxx pic.twitter.com/wWCaDJwUht

— Daley Mathison (@DaleyMathison) 3 June 2019

Daley Mathison’s wife tweeted that her husband had lost his life.

Shortly after the ACU issued an official statement confirming that Daley Mathison had been involved in the incident at Snugborough which occurred on the 3rd lap of the Superbike race and had sadly died.

The statement read as follows:

ACU Events Ltd regrets to confirm that Daley Mathison, 27, from Stockton on Tees, Durham was killed in an incident during the Superbike Race today at the Isle of Man TT Races. The accident occurred at Snugborough, just over 2 miles into the Course, on the 3rd lap of the race.

Daley was an experienced competitor and was seeded 19th for today’s race. He made his Mountain Course debut in the 2013 Manx Grand Prix Newcomers A Race, finishing fifth. His TT career included three consecutive podiums in the TT Zero electric bike Race in 2016, 2017 and 2018 including the runner up position in the race last year, representing Nottingham University.

He also achieved an 11th place finish in last year’s Superstock Race and a pair of 13th place finishes in the 2017 and 2018 Senior TT Races.

He set his fastest lap of the Mountain Course – 128.054mph – in the 2018 Superstock race which made him the 34th fastest rider of all time. He set the second fastest TT Zero lap ever with lap of 119.294mph in the 2018 race.

In total he started 19 TT Races with 14 finishes and 3 podiums and won 6 silver and 8 bronze replicas

ACU Events Ltd wishes to pass on their deepest sympathy to Daley’s wife Natalie, his family and friends.

Unfortunately with the likes of social media something like this isn’t kept quiet anymore and usually it is published on every site before official confirmation. However, this time, maybe for the first time in years I saw no speculation. Maybe I was fortunate enough not to see it, or maybe it wasn’t there to see. Those of us who know this sport, who respect this sport know that nothing good ever comes of speculation. It’s heartbreaking that families and teams don’t get the privacy they need to process what has happened first before it is publicly announced. However, Daley’s wife, Natalie, has dealt with the the social media aspect so admirably. No one knows how they will react until it happens to them. My thoughts are with Daley’s family, team and friends at this sad time.

I really struggled to write this. It’s hard to convey any kind of excitement about the first two-laps of a race when you know the outcome of lap 3. We all know the risks of the sport and I’ve never been one to shy away from the negatives because it is, unfortunately, part of road racing. However, we often criticise certain news outlets for only focusing on the dark side of this sport and I for one will not follow suit. The racers that went out afterwards in practice and those who went on to race in the Supersport race in the evening showed so much courage to get back out and race around this 37.73 mile course. They went back out to continue to live the dream for those who no longer can’t. They get back on two-wheels and race down Bray Hill because it’s their therapy, their happy place and they deserve their moment too. Please don’t try and tell us our sport should be no more, that we should suppress such natural born talent on a motorcycle because some people who aren’t even involved in this sport are worried about the consequences. We will always treasure the moments we had with those who are no longer here to live their dream and we will ensure their dream and their life lives on through racing.

Words by Samantha Wanless

IOMTT: Tuesday’s Practice Session

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Posted on May 28, 2019 by The Isle of Man TT

Yesterday we all witnessed a brief monsoon, which probably washed a few campers out, so that was practice cancelled. Great weather for ducks, not so much humans. It did stop raining, but at that point, there is no way the road would have dried in time. In fact, it definitely didn’t.

Apparently I was a keyboard warrior for saying this, but no practice means no qualifying and no qualifying means no racing. It really isn’t difficult. I’m also not trying to be a party-pooper, I’m just trying to be realistic. This isn’t short circuit racing where you stick a set of wets on, change a few settings and off you go. This is road racing and for numerous years now the Isle of Man TT is not raced in the wet hence why practice sessions get cancelled. I’m not going into the reasons why, etc. except for there’s a rather long and plausible list.

In the regulations it states the following with regards to qualifying:

• To start a race, a newcomer to the TT Mountain Course qualifying for the first time must complete a minimum of six laps on a solo machine or four laps on a sidecar machine. This applies to sidecar passengers as well as drivers.
• All other competitors must have signed on and commenced qualifying by the end of Monday’s session.
• Competitors who have qualified to start in any previous race on the TT Mountain Course (TT or Festival of Motorcycling) shall be required to complete a minimum of five laps for solos and three laps for sidecars, unless the Clerk of the Course grants permission otherwise.
• For all Isle of Man TT Race classes a minimum of two laps must be completed on each machine entered, one of which must be within the qualifying time. For TT Zero machines, one qualifying lap on the machine entered is required.
• Any competitor who does not attain the required number of laps or qualification time may not be permitted into the race.

It’s essentially a large piece of jargon, but it’s very important. Each rider has to do a specific number of laps themselves and at least two-laps on each machine they’re racing. However, this is down to CoC’s discretion. Therefore, practice week is the key to race week. Yes, they can run practice session after races, move races days to allow a day’s practice, etc. but I believe there’s also a rule of how many laps a rider can do in a certain period of time. Many people purely come for race week or even the odd few days. I totally get that, I’m only here for the two weeks because I live here (although even if I didn’t I’d still try my bloody hardest to be here for two weeks), but my annoyance came from people saying: ‘oh it doesn’t matter about the weather in practice week, race week is going to be glorious.’ So far we’ve only managed to run two practice sessions due to the weather and fortunately the first session was timed. Usually it isn’t and currently, the weather isn’t looking too clever for the rest of the fortnight either.

Practice week is so vital and it is obviously a top priority for CoC Gary Thompson to run the sessions, but he can’t control the weather! There are contingency sessions ‘just in case’, but it must be a massive concern as well as a headache for those in the control tower to figure out how they’re going to fit in enough practice ahead of race week. Yes, races can be moved, they have the Tuesday and Thursday to use if needs be, but that might not solve the problem if the weather isn’t kind. Also, imagine racing/practicing every. single. day. The racers would be mentally and physically worn out by the time Senior came around. Sometimes it’s just not feasible. I believe in 2017 we had the same kind of issue and contingency plans, such as short-lapping the riders and introducing a speed-controlled run over the Mountain section, were put into place. I think the Superbike race was moved to the Sunday and various other movements happened. Back in 2013, it was Wednesday evening practice and the Superbikes hadn’t even turned a wheel due to the weather conditions and their first race was on the Saturday! I vaguely remember that being a year of concern with regards to enough practice time.

I’m not being a keyboard warrior, although that did make me chuckle, I’m just being honest. I’ve always supported the TT, not because it’s the ‘fashionable thing to be into’, but because it’s a passion. There’s more than just race week at the TT. Just because you aren’t here to witness it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Obviously I want practice to happen, I want everyone to qualify and of course I want a fabulous race week, who doesn’t?! All the racers want to qualify and be ready for race week too, but we all know what the weather can be like. It’s out of everyone’s control!

Anyway, back to this evening’s session because it did go ahead. It was freezing out there, but they managed to get some laps in and that’s all that matters!

Michael Dunlop on the Tyco BMW Superbike Photo: Lucas-Croydon Photography

Superbike/Supersport/Superstock/Newcomer all together in one big session. As always, it didn’t go strictly according to plan. Firstly, roads were due to close at 6:00pm. I’m very lucky that my employer allows me to leave work at half 4 to allow time for me to get to my marshals post. However, it took me 50-minutes to get to the bottom of Barregarrow… At 6:00pm the traffic was backed up from Ballacraine to Greeba, so eventually, everyone had to turn off at Ballacraine off the course. It’s a bit of a logistical nightmare closing 37.73 miles of public roads, but it has to be done if we are to go racing! Hedges were full of sweaty humans in leathers, the white line turned into a personal lane for motorcycles and people were walking along main road footpaths that hadn’t been walked on for approx. 365 days. These weren’t the only issues! There was a non-racing medical emergency that had to be dealt with so there was a precise 11-minute delay to the start of the session. Finally, at 6:31pm the beasts were unleashed and the Superbikes were having their first taste of TT tarmac of 2019.

Holy macaroni shall we say. That little flutter you get from hearing ‘bike on voddy straight’. I think I probably say ‘ooo I’m nervous’ more times than I care to image, and then there it is. Nothing compares to hearing then seeing a Superbike flash by. It’s insane. All your senses go into overdrive. The biggest smile slapped on my face. Superbikes are out and they’re flying. Michael Rutter on the Bathams Racing Honda and James Hillier on the Quattro Place Wicked Coatings Kawasaki led the field away, both Superbike mounted, with Honda Racing’s Ian Hutchinson and David Johnson following suit. Silicone Engineering Kawasaki’s Dean Harrison had issues before he’d even turned a wheel as the Superbike machine cut-out just before he set off. The team quickly wheeled out the second Superbike machine just in time.

After completing his British Superbike round and therefore missing Sunday’s practice session, Hickman set-off along Glencrutchery Road on his Superstock machine and down Bray Hill only to encounter an issue at Quarter Bridge. He found his way back to the grandstand and immediately went back out on his Triumph Supersport machine. In fact, Hickman didn’t have much luck at all during this evening’s practice session. Hicky PR, as they’re known on Twitter, were also confused as to where Hickman had got to a few times… turns out he was hungry and took a de-tour through McDonald’s:

Ok. So … here’s your #HickyPR run down on that slightly confusing session Superstock went out.
Returned to paddock via Douglas.
Supersport went out.
Superbike went out.
Returned to paddock via McDonalds.
Superstock went out.
P1 Supersport P7 Superstock.

Hickman managed to put the Supersport machine at the top of the timesheets, so that Big Mac must have worked wonders! 123.29mph… not bad for the world’s fastest road racer, eh? Oh, and thanks to HickyPR for keeping us all entertained as usual!

Manxman Conor Cummins was fast out the blocks as he set the best sector times on the opening lap to completed a lap of 128.09mph on-board the Milenco by Padgetts Superbike. That’s a mighty fine looking machine, go take a look at it if you’re having a gander down the paddock! Rutter completed his lap at 124.22mph whilst John McGuinness stopped at Sulby to make adjustments. Dunlop clocked an average lap time of 126.65mph whilst Hutchinson was slightly slower at 125.39mph. However, it wasn’t Hutchinson’s evening. We heard the emergency button being pressed and knew there was an incident. It was at the 11th milestone. Anyone who’s been to the TT will know that’s unfortuntely a very infamous part of the course. It’s not very giving, well, road racing isn’t at the best of times, but when that part bites it usually bites bad. Next thing, they’d lost the rider. Panic panic. Nope, just the marshal not completing his sentence. The rider had walked away from it unscathed by the sounds of things, but probably spitting feathers and that rider was Hutchinson. I don’t really think he was in the mood for a chat hence why he walked away for some thinking time and to let the adrenaline simmer. Good news is, he’s reportedly okay, but no doubt he’s going to hurt in the morning.

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Photo: Impact Images

Cummins’ was on a mega second lap and the pace had increased dramatically – on for a 129mph+ lap. The radio announced he had been blagged flagged as the Honda machine had reportedly been smoking. Soz hun, not today. Just the smoke from my tyres because I’m SO DAMN FAST. I’m joking, it’s important to check if a bike is smoking. It could be oil or anything, but fortunately, on this occassion, Cummins got the all clear and made it back to the Grandstand at an average speed of 104.96mph. Gary Johnson was also black flagged as a beady-eyed marshal had noticed his camera was loose. I’m pretty sure Gary probably ripped that off and chucked it in a hedge somewhere to complete his lap. On the fourth lap, Harrison almost touched the 130mph barrier on his Superstock machine with a lap speed of 129.34mph with Hillier the third rider to break the 128mph mark with a speed of 128.07mph on his Superbike. Harrison continued on his mission to dominate the timesheets as right on his last lap his stuck his Superbike at the top of the leaderboard with a stonking 129.53mph, close to that of his Superstock machine. Almost forgot, shout out to Rob Hodson for making me almost s**t my pants. He did apologise afterward, always the gentleman!

I am aware that there were various incidents during the solo session today. Here is what the official news has stated so far:

Paul Williams – Off at Governors. Rider OK
Jason Corcoran – Off at Glen Helen. Taken to Nobles with reported neck injury.
Emmett Burke – Off at Gooseneck. Taken to Nobles with reported leg injury.
And, we’re aware of this one: Ian Hutchinson – Off at 11th Milestone. Rider OK, although Honda Racing have said he’s ‘battered and bruised’.

Wishing all the above a speedy recovery and hopefully, Williams and Hutchinson aren’t too bruised tomorrow morning. Also, Daniel Mettam, who parted company from his machine at the Black Hut on Sunday, has been discharged from Nobles which is always good news.

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The Crowe Brothers! Photo: Lucas-Croydon Photography

The solo session was flagged and it was soon time to see the sidecars out for their very first session. The temperature had dropped significantly by 8pm and I was starting to lose any kind of feeling in my toes let alone my fingers. The midges started to appear in full force, and before anyone says it, they’re immune to Avon’s Skin So Soft thanks to us marshals. If anyone has an alternative, let me know! With that in mind, we were all dithering around trying to keep warm whilst downing a hot coffee before they reached us.

The Formula Two sidecars were let loose at 8:04pm. As it’s the first session for the sidecars it’s more a chance to test out some settings and have a bit of a fiddle. I don’t personally feel you can take much from this session other than it’s great they’ve finally got a couple of laps in! Dave Molyneux and passenger Harry Payne set-off, but retired at Laurel Bank. There were other outfits who had stopped to make adjustments, like Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes, and then there were the Birchall’s who were probably sandbagging as usual with a lap of 111.55mph placing them fifth. It was John Holden/Lee Cain who set the best opening lap at 114.99mph with Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley, Alan Founds/Jake Lowther and Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney (111.80mph) slotting into 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

Although it may not be too much of a shock for those who follow anything on three wheels, newcomers Ryan and Callum Crowe, two brothers who’s dad is five-time TT winner Nick Crowe, pulled a 109.76mph out the bag on their very first lap on their 675cc Triumph. By the way, if you’re out and about watching the sidecars you can’t miss the Crowe brothers. Nope, not because their outfit is painted in whacky colours (it’s white and blue), but because the noise it makes is tremendous. It makes your ears vibrate for a good couple of minutes after. They’re definitely ones to watch so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for that pair! As some of you may also know, Maria Costello (alongside the Lightweight solo class) has decided to take up the three-wheeled sport and completed a lap just shy of 100mph at 99.37mph whilst fellow passenger newcomer Sarah Stokoe (driver Mike Jackson) completed a lap of 102.32mph.

Despite a few tumbles, all in all, a great evening for practice despite the cold conditions. I don’t believe the sun was too much of an issue, but we can only hope it will be for the next week or so. The weather forecast is looking very bleak for tomorrow, potentially a break in the weather at the weekend, but even then it’s not looking promising.

Time will tell, but for now, I’ll leave you with this little memory that popped up today of a racer who is sorely missed:

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Back in 2016 Dan Kneen was unable to race due to sustaining an injury prior to the TT, so he came down to the bottom of the Barregarrow and joined the Orange Army. I remember him saying: ‘Is that what it looks like when I’m racing? It’s not that scary when you’re the one on the bike.’

Words by Samantha Wanless

First 2019 IOMTT Practice Session

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Posted on May 26, 2019 by The Isle of Man TT

It may be a day later than planned, but the first 2019 Isle of Man TT practice session has been completed over a rather blustery Mountain.

Dean Harrison on-board the Silicone Engineering 600cc Kawasaki

The first practice was due to take place yesterday (Saturday), however due to extensive hill fog and intermittent rain the Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson chose to cancel the session at approx 3:30pm. The prompt decision is something as a marshal I am very grateful for and it meant we could go grab a takeaway instead rather than stand around for hours in the rain awaiting a decision. Happy days!

There is a contingency plan in place one of which allows the roads to close on Sunday for practice until no later than 6:30pm. CoC announced this would happen to allow the solo and sidecar newcomer’s to complete their speed controlled lap followed by Supersport, Supertwin and all newcomers. The schedule was provided as follows:

11.45: Mountain closes Barrule Park Ramsey to Bungalow
12.00: Mountain closes Bungalow to Creg Ny Baa
13.00: All roads closed
13.30: Solo Newcomers’ speed controlled lap
13.35: Sidecar Newcomers’ speed controlled lap
13.50: Start Supersport / Lightweight Practice
17.30: Roads open except Mountain section
18.30: All roads open

Obviously it’s great to say we’ll use the contingency plan, but the weather needs to behave itself first. I got woke up by my other half at 5:30 this morning saying the rain woke up him… I can tell you now, I was dreading opening the curtains when I woke up properly. I’d already pretty much written off today, but then the sun started to poke its way through and the wind was acting like an official TT hairdryer. Next thing, I’m grabbing bags of crisps, snacks and whatever else I can find from the cupboards to put in the scruffy racing bag ready to marshal. A marshal’s diet is very important you know. We thrive on chocolate, crisps and sarnies, but are partial to cake, biscuits and most definitely coffee.

…okay, I may have grabbed more than some snacks. Full Factory Marshalling this!

After we’d set-up, roads closed and there we had it… a 30-minute delay. The road was still drying in places, particularly under the trees, but most vitally there were not enough marshals in certain places around the course. Every marshal’s post has a minimum number. If that minimum number is not met, the TT racers cannot turn a wheel. A plea went over the Marshal’s radio asking those who were over minimum to shuffle around. It appeared there were technically enough marshals, they just weren’t dispersed evenly. This led to a further 15-minute delay, and then another 5-minute delay. If you are here to watch the TT, please consider signing on to marshal. If you’re unsure as to what it all entails, you can find out more here. 50-minutes later than scheduled, it was GO time!

First out were the solo and sidecar newcomers. They must complete a speed-controlled lap before they can be let loose on their own. If the speed controlled lap is not completed, whether it be mechanical faults, etc., they will be given another chance during the next practice session. I believe all solo’s completed their lap, but one sidecar outfit, unfortunately, didn’t. When they had all nearly completed their first-ever lap, the flood barriers were opened as well as the throttles on the Supersport and Supertwin machines. It was finally time to release the beasts down Bray Hill for the very first time… and boy were those throttles pinned.

During practice two riders set off together with a 10-second interval between each pair. This is obviously unlike a TT race where they set off alone 10-seconds apart. Time trial remember… Before Michael Dunlop set off he said live on the radio ‘I need to sort my shit out.’ Er, yes please. If you could do that before you begin your lap that’d be ace, or at least before you get to the bottom of Barregarrow because you scare me enough as it is on the first lap…! Always fills a marshal full of confidence that. The two men first off the line were Ashcourt Racing’s Lee Johnston and Honda Racing’s Ian Hutchinson. Throttles pinned they were down Bray Hill on their Supersport machines. It doesn’t take long until they reached cronk-y-voddy. With the wind strong, we could hear them storming their way through Glen Helen. We knew it wouldn’t be long until they flashed by, but it wasn’t who we were expecting. It was Dean Harrioson on-board the beautiful Silicone Engineering Kawasaki shortly followed by Johnston and Hutchinson. Wow. First thought, in fact the same I thought I have every year on the first day of practice, this is f!*king BONKERS.

Usually the first practice session is untimed, however it was announced that it would, in fact, be timed today and the laps will count towards qualifying. It can be quite difficult to keep up with timings when there are different classes out and about around the course, but it’s even more difficult when you’re marshalling. You don’t really get the privilege of listening to the radio because you can’t hear yourself think let alone hear what Chris Kinley has to say. You don’t look at your phone unless there’s an interval, so timing-wise, you’re quite blind! However, I’ve heard the new live timing app isn’t that great anyway and that all sounds like a political farce, but I’ll save that for another day shall I? Instead, I keep myself entertained by oohing and aahing at different race lines, telling newcomers to put their knee away even if they can’t hear me and testing my race number/rider name skills. Oh, this is whilst fuelling myself with coffee and cake. It’s quite the multi-tasking effort you know!

Unsurprisingly it was Harrison who took to the top of the timesheets – 121.97mph quickly followed by a 124.39mph lap. He was hungry for that Senior win last year and I think he’s back to take another bite of the action proving to be a very popular guy in the road racing paddock. Harrison put in six-laps all together, but I felt like I’d seen him more times than that. Every lap I saw him get smoother and smoother; it was almost as though he had ironed out all the bumps and he was gliding along. Then boom. A 126.09mph lap. That’ll do, lets park it. Now he’s qualified in this class, he’ll probably work on perfecting the settings on his Superbike machine going forward, but maybe he won’t. We won’t know until the day! When being interviewed after their laps, it was clear the winds were proving to be a bit of a nightmare up over the Mountain. Conor Cummins said there were tail-winds, head-winds, cross-winds and windy corner was windier than usual. It doesn’t get any more windy that that, does it? Gary Johnson didn’t seem too phased and even told everyone he’s survived wind, so if Gary can we all can! Joking aside, the high winds are very challenging up top. It can completely blow you off-line, unsettle the bike. However, it didn’t deter many racers as most completed at least four if not five laps.

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Manxman Conor Cummins on-board the Padgett’s Milenco Honda Supersport machine

It was great to see Michael Dunlop back on the roads as he set a lap speed of 123.9mph with Manxman Conor Cummins clocking 123.71mph on his fifth lap of on-board the Milenco Padgett’s Honda. If you get chance to go down to the bottom of Barregarrow, go and watch Conor from down there. He has got it so finely tuned that the bike drops away from him, arms extended and away he goes. It’s just so perfect. He doesn’t fight to stay tucked in, he just goes with the flow and it’s clearly working. Prez Racing’s Jamie coward was fourth on the timesheets at 123.19mph and James Hillier managed to not cause chaos down at Barregarrow to clock 121.9mph placing him fifth. Ian Hutchinson finished in 12th for the Honda Racing Team just ahead of the legendary John McGuinness. I must admit, I wasn’t too impressed with his overtaking manoeuvre on a higher numbered rider just as they were to tip into the bottom of Barregarrow. Maybe understandable during a race, but personally I don’t think it’s called for during practice. Thankfully it was all okay, but I definitely think it would’ve been safer to have waited till after Barregarrow considering the stretch to Cammal Farm is straight… Onto McGuinness – he does indeed have a Supersport ride after announcing yesterday he had partnered with his Padgett’s family once again to ride the stunning Milenco machine. So get that scribbled in your race programme! He didn’t go too mad on his first time back at the TT since his NW200 accident, despite doing a couple of parade laps last year, placing himself 13th. Respectable first practice place.

The Supertwins were also out amongst the Supersport machines with Jamie Coward topping the leaderboard at 119.96mph and defending champion Dunlop putting in a 118.52mph lap placing him second. Last year’s runner-up Derek McGee finished in fourth with a 116.19mph lap whilst Stefan Bonetti, after his mega win at the NW200, posted the fifth fastest time at 116.02mph.

McPint on-board the Norton Lightweight machine

I personally don’t think that lap times/speeds really matter on the first day of practice, but I’ve put them in for you just in case you are bothered. Yes, it’s great that it has counted towards their qualification within the Supersport and Supertwin classes because it can sometimes be very difficult to qualify every machine due to delays, cancellations, mechanical issues. However, it really isn’t necessary to go all balls out for the ‘fastest racer in first practice’ headline. I’m just glad they’ve managed to get a few laps of practice under their leathers because it really is so vitally important for them to get the laps in. With over 200 corners, I don’t think I could ever do enough laps around here to know them all inside out and I live on the Isle of Man! Some of these racers take part in British Superbikes/Supersport, other road races and of course they must obtain enough signatures for their Mountain Course license, but they don’t get to race here every weekend. Some do race in the Classic TT, but many only race the TT meaning the last time they took to the Mountain Course was approx. one year ago. I’ve said it many times, but the road surface changes significantly. Trees disappear, appear. Curbs appear, get lowered. Your yellow drain braking marker might have disappeared or a new drain cover has appeared. That year really has an impact on a racer’s memory of the course, the bike settings, everything. For me, the first practice session is the most important. Racer’s will now spend the evening relaying all their information back to their teams. Adjusting front/rear suspension, altering tyre pressures, gearing. This first practice session is about fettling the bike back in and sorting out your own head. Johnston spoke about how he was clearly feeling a little rusty, but it’s now time for them to process the 37.73 miles in an attempt to perfect their lap times. It must be so mentally draining, but the adrenaline and the TT in its entirety is clearly worth it. First practice is literally just the beginning for these racers and there is certainly more to come.

The session was thankfully relatively uneventful although New Zealander Daniel Mettam did part company with his machine at Black Hut in the Supersport session and was taken by airmed to Nobles Hospital. His condition is reportedly not serious, but no further details have been issued. Tomorrow evening we should hopefully see some more practice with roads closing at 6pm and an approx. aim of a 6:20pm flood gate opening. Let’s see what tomorrow brings…

One last little, but important note about today’s practice session – I couldn’t help but think about Dan Kneen, James Cowton and William Dunlop. I’m sure I’m not alone by trying not to think too much about it on the lead up to this year’s TT, but I have certainly missed seeing them race these roads today. They’ve definitely not been forgotten, but are most definitely missed by all. x

(Full practice times can be shown here, although the website doesn’t appear to be very user-friendly, so good luck if you’re attempting to use it!)

Words by Samantha Wanless

‘Twas the night before the 2019 IOMTT

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Posted on May 24, 2019 by The Isle of Man TT

There are less than 24-hours until the 2019 Isle of Man TT begins and the excitement levels are building.

Usually, the Grandstand is a barren, mushy-looking field with some concrete patches. The flags and banners are nowhere to be seen and the Grandstand just becomes that normal building you drive past. Pit lane is forgotten, the timing boards bare. Doesn’t sound like that usual Grandstand everyone knows and loves, right? It takes months of back-office preparation to ensure the logistics of the two weeks are finely tuned. It takes weeks to paint the black and white curb stones on corners of the public roads, erect the air fences around specific parts of the course and to tie hay bales around gate posts and the like, but it’s almost time.

I get a little giddy when it’s time for the North West 200. A) The racing is absolutely amazing there, who doesn’t love road racing? B) When it finishes the majority of the larger teams ship themselves straight over that evening or the next day to the Isle of Man and overnight the Grandstand becomes the place to be. It might not be that magical first practice session we’re all eagerly awaiting, but it’s certainly the start of what’s to come. The flags reappear on the top of the Grandstand, banners are pinned to the recticels with Monster Energy and Bennetts lining the lampposts. Then, the race trucks pitch up in all their glory putting our little Manx puddle-jumpers to shame. Huge motorhomes roll off the Ben-My-Chree, vans filled with race bikes, spanners and beer. They all start to appear and suddenly that barren, mushy-looking field becomes one of the best paddocks you could wish for – a road racing paddock.

The Grandstand with all it’s flags ready to race.

A road racing paddock is one of the friendliest places you could ever walk into. I’ve never been able to put my finger on why this is, but I strongly believe it’s because the road racing community are a family. We all know how dangerous road racing can be, we all know someone who’s been bitten by the Mountain course or worse. Yet year on year the same racers, teams & spectators come back because it’s what they do, it’s what they love, it’s in their blood. Road racing is a bug.

Teams help fellow teams, riders help fellow riders… yet when the visor comes down as they await the tap on their shoulder to fly down Bray Hill they become rivals who are all competing for the same reason – that top step and a prestigious TT victory.

The 2019 Isle of Man TT begins tomorrow. Curb stones line the way, stone walls, lampposts, electricity boxes, pavements, trees and bridges not to mention roundabouts, tram lines and hairpins to contend with as well as the ever-changing weather. There are arguably 216 corners to negotiate around the 37.73 mile course which is primarily a public road for 365 days a year. You know the drill, it’s time to go road racing!

Below is the qualifying schedule, but it is subject to change as we all know due to weather and other circumstances beyond anyone’s control. It’s currently raining on the island, which is just bloody typical, but here’s hoping the weather forecast for tomorrow is wrong else we won’t be seeing anything…!

As always, it’s the newcomers’ speed controlled lap – first the solo’s, then the sidecars. No, that doesn’t mean they’re confined to 50mph the entire way, more in the 100mph+ figures. This is usually led by either a current or former TT racer. Richard ‘Milky’ Quayle often slides back into his leathers to lead a pack, possibly Steve Plater and rounded off by a Travelling Marshal. It must be such a daunting lap. Imagine spending months watching on-board laps, driving around the course seven-million-times, processing all the corner information, remembering where drain covers are, braking markers, riding the course in your head 24/7 and then on top of all that racing round other tracks to ensure you have enough signatures for your Mountain Course Licence. Information overload. That first-ever closed road lap must be mind-boggling; they are literally living the dream. I find it’s great for those who marshal to have a speed controlled lap first too just so you can keep that spare pair of underwear for a couple of hours longer… I’m pretty sure the newcomers will need a new set before they reach Ballacraine mind.

Following the speed controlled lap, we are given the chance to allow our eyes to adjust to the phenomenal speeds of the Superbikes as they’re kept confined to their tents until Monday. The Lightweight and Supersport machines are allowed out of the blocks first as well as the Newcomers on any machinery. Superbike or supersport, it still doesn’t prepare you for the bull that is Michael Dunlop to fly down Barregarrow and scare the shit out of you. Every year I am left speechless. I watch in awe not quite believing what I’m actually seeing. I believe that usually no times during the first practice count towards qualifying times. Let’s not forget that most of the racers may not have raced here since the 2018 TT… The road can change quite significantly during that time too – the camber, new surfaces, new tree roots unsettling the road. It’s vital to allow a brief bit of time to re-adjust to the differences, tinker with the bike’s initial settings and refresh your mind of the Mountain Course. The first night of practice is exhilarating. You swear multiple times, you take a few steps back, but most importantly it hooks you all over again. It reminds you that although it looks superhuman what these racers are doing… they really are human, just a little bonkers with a shit-load of talent, so make sure you find yourself a hedge to watch from!

When the roads are open you should definitely head down to the Grandstand. It’s completely free for you to walk around. Take it alllllllllll in because it’s the closest you could ever get to the pre-race action. You’ll get to see inside the top team’s tents – race bikes being worked on by the mechanics, you might even get chance to speak with a racer. Also, please make sure you visit the privateer teams. They may only have small pitches, but they’ve put their heart and soul into getting themselves race ready for the TT and I tell you what, it isn’t easy!! It takes a lot of time, effort and money. They deserve as much attention as the front runners because remember, everyone has to start somewhere! You get to see every type of set-up, but you can’t beat the famous race bike in the back of a van set-up. The road racing paddock isn’t shut off like MotoGP, racers don’t tend to hide away and everyone is welcomed into this crazy little community. You’ll see kiddies racing round on balance bikes, big kids racing round on Honda Grom’s. It’s just an amazing place to be, it buzzes with the sound of bikes. They’ll be race bikes on the dyno, families frantically cleaning leathers and polishing their outfits. It’s a family affair.

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There are also lots of other different things to see and, although it can get a bit crowded, there’s no better place to be. There’s a beer tent (because everyone loves beer, I think there’s even two now), an ice-cream van (because it’s always hot on this island…), hot and cold food and so much more. To get you closer to the action you will also find companies like Dunlop Tyres behind the grandstand with tyres labelled with racers names as well as the Arai shop who provide helmet servicing, visors and much more to both the racers and the public. There are clothing stores: RST, Red Torpedo and official Isle of Man TT merchandise. You can find anything from helmets to boots, leathers to hoodies. You name it, it’ll probably be behind the Grandstand! It all gets a little crazy before practice and insanely crazy before race days, but the atmsophere is electric and if you’ve never been to the Grandstand on a race day you are most definitely missing out.

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I can’t even begin to imagine how exhausting yet exhilarating it must be having the throttle pinned for 37.73 miles, arguably 216 corners for approx. 18 mins… and then doing that SIX times with a lap average of 135mph on two wheels, but we’re about to find out once again.

It’s almost time to take on the Mountain Course, we’re all geared up ready to go.

Words by Samantha Wanless

As a side note, local company SMP Group Ltd also has a fabulous competition where you could win two VIP Hospitality tickets for SENIOR RACE DAY! Head over to their Facebook page for more information, and don’t forget to take your picture with SMP Group’s TT Wallaby ‘Joey’ to be in with a chance of winning.

‘Joey’ the TT Wallaby sponsored by SMP Group Ltd

Becoming an IOMTT Marshal

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Posted on May 10, 2019 by The Isle of Man TT

If you’ve ever been to watch the Isle of Man TT races, Southern 100, Manx Grand Prix or Classic TT you’ve probably seen groups of people standing around before roads close looking like this:

…Guy Martin bobble hat optional!

…also known as the orange army aka TT Course Marshals.

Before any racing can take place on the famous TT Mountain Course, there is a Marshal threshold which must be met. The TT Course spans 37.73 miles with over 200 corners lined with trees, Manx stone walls, curbs, and other furniture. As mega as Gary Thompson (Clerk of the Course) is, he can’t survey every little nook and hairpin from the control tower on Glencrutchery Road. If he can see Kirk Michael from there, he’s definitely got superpowers. This isn’t short-circuit racing. There is no safety car deployed to bring racers down to a steady speed when an incident occurs, there is no run-off area. It’s down to the Marshals. It isn’t for the faint-hearted, but I’m sure you all know that already.

This is road racing and it’s road racing on a massive scale.

More than 530 Marshals are required for the Isle of Man TT Races to commence. 530 volunteers is a phenomenal number and it’s common knowledge that every year race officials struggle to meet the minimum number of Marshals required. There are often pleas on Manx Radio for more people to sign-on. I have been watching the TT Races since I was probably around five or six. Obviously you can’t become a Marshal at that age… try 16+. Road racing was something I was brought up around and our holidays were never to Spain or Europe, it was always to the Isle of Man for TT and Manx Grand Prix. A few years ago there weren’t enough Marshals to allow a race to take place, so I decided it was time to sign-on. There was no point me being sat in a hedge watching the racing when I could be stood as a Marshal doing exactly that – watching racing. For me, it was a no-brainer. I signed-on, collected my Marshals pack and headed to my post. Laurel Bank. Definitely not an ideal spot for your very first time, but we’ve all got to start somewhere. I’m not going to pretend it’s all unicorns and sparkles. It’s not. Things happen. Racers are literally brushing the Manx stone walls with their leathers as they come through the sweeping corners of Laurel Bank and you’re stood on that very corner. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive. Of course I was. I’d heard numerous incidents at Laurel Bank, I’d even seen them. However, I knew there were very experienced Marshals around me who had dealt with said incidents in the past at that very location. You’re on edge 90% of the time, but that definitely decreases with the more sessions you do.

Bottom of Barregarrow

The spot I usually Marshal at now is the bottom of Barregarrow… once again, I know how to pick ‘em! I usually only Marshal for practice week as I can’t guarantee I can book time off work. People think it’s amazing if you live on the Isle of Man, you get to watch the races, blah, blah. Nope, not if you have to work! Anyway, you’ll find that over time the same people gravitate back towards their favourite spot and year upon year they’ll re-appear as if they’ve never been away. You can’t guarantee you won’t bump into a nosher or two who likes to think they’re John McGuinness’ best mate, but usually Marshals are a great bunch of people to be around. They’re usually petrol heads and that’s good enough for me! Camaraderie quickly develops and you become best friends with your fellow Marshals for those two special weeks. You bond over the whistling kettle on the camping stove and fight over biscuits and cakes. What’s not to love? You are there for a special reason though and I feel that camaraderie is definitely required for what could be just around the corner. I’ve seen tank slappers, curb riding and dodgy lines even sidecar drivers racing without a passenger. I’ve seen enough to last me a lifetime, but I’ll know in two weeks’ time I’ll probably see it all again. Let’s face it, it’s everything you would see sat in a hedge anyway! This is racing after all.

That’s my little intro to how I became involved in Marshalling and my thoughts. I’m very proud to be a TT Course Marshal and it’s now something I sign-up to do every year. It genuinely makes you feel like you are actually part of the TT because without you there would be no racing. You’re part of a team and, despite the seriousness, you get to have a really good laugh with mental petrol heads like yourself.

Do you think you have what it takes to become a Marshal? If you think you do, read on. If you’re not sure, well, I’ll try to help you decide.

A course red-flag can only be actioned by the CoC

Firstly, there is no guarantee an incident won’t occur and this is worst case scenario for every Marshal. It’s best to go into something like Marshalling with your eyes open, but I’m guessing if you’re a road racing fan you’re already aware of all the risks involved. So, yes. You may have to deal with an incident. Secondly, you are Race Direction’s eyes and ears, but most importantly you are the only point of contact a racer has to warn them of what lies ahead. The third point is probably one of the most important ones to remember. It’s down to your team of Marshals to sensibly and suitably alert a rider of an incident, for example, that might be ahead. Stationary yellows may suffice or you may need to display waived yellows, but don’t jump around in the middle of the road like a muppet.

Sadly, over the last year or so, fingers have been pointed at Marshal’s regarding various incidents that have occurred. Why do people feel the need to slate people who volunteer to help this sport? Probably because it’s the easiest answer. Unfortunately, incidents happen. That’s racing. Don’t go blaming marshals. Don’t go blaming the rider. Don’t go blaming control or the CoC. Gary Thompson, Clerk of the Course, is one of the best. He’s experienced, his knowledge is impeccable and he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders. Since he has been CoC things have run smoother than ever. Marshals are no longer subjected to long delays, they’re kept up-to-date and are now well informed. Quick decisions are made about delays as well as whether racing is to be abandoned due to bad weather or similar and updates sometimes even included ‘we’re just rounding up some sheep on the Mountain. 20 minute delay.’ Definitive and concise decisions are made and by no means are they easy decisions. As a Marshal I’m very thankful to have Gary on our side, so please don’t be put off by those who feel the need to point fingers.

Quite honestly Marshals don’t get the credit they deserve. Yeah, okay, you get some who sign on just to watch in the best spots because it’s true… there ain’t no better view at the Bottom of Barregarrow than where us marshals stand. But there is a job to be done. An important one. The reason you are on the island, the reason you are watching is because you’re watching the greatest road race in the world. Without people doing this ‘job’, you ain’t watching it! You get some who take the p… and those are the ones which tar every other marshal with the same brush. Don’t write on social media how shit marshals are at such a point because I can guarantee you there will be at least two marshals at that post which are ready, reading every race number even to the point of seeing the plate colour in practice. It’s the small details. They’ll be watching and they’ll be ready regardless of who else is around them. Everyone is given a job from rider to bike, debris to airmed guide… and every marshal just hopes they don’t have to do their job.

My heart goes out to any marshal who has had to endure an incident and deal with the aftermath. I know it’s what we all sign-on for, we are prepped as best we can be, we are equipped with the best equipment and guidance from race control, but in that moment, that fraction of a second none of that would matter. Until your brain goes into overdrive and you’re subconsciously violently waving a yellow flag in a figure-of-eight just hoping other riders see you in time. For those who had to deal with any incidents, I commend you. You are brave and please just know that you all did whatever you could because that’s what we do. Don’t question yourself for a second. Remember, if you do have to deal with an incident there is help and support available afterward. You will always be able to talk to your DSM, CSM or any other Marshal.

It’s pretty daunting reading the above, but you really need to understand that every single Marshal who signs up has a responsibility to the riders who are racing. You are not just a number. As a Marshal you may be required to stand in what would usually be restricted areas to members of the public. This means you can experience spectacular views of the racing (and of the Isle of Man) from points you would not be able to if you weren’t signed on to Marshal. Yes, it’s fantastic, BUT I can guarantee when Michael Dunlop flies down the bottom of Barregarrow flat out on a Superbike first the first time that year a change of underwear is 100% required… You’ll begin to understand why these areas are restricted. *best add underwear to the essentials list*

Before I forget, here is my essentials list:

Warrant card and photographic ID
Race Guide (for numbers, plates and names)
Bug/Midgie Spray
Midgie net for your head (trust me, you’ll thank me later!)
Thermals
Boots, proper boots
Waterproof jacket (and make sure it’s warm!)
Hat (sun and woolly)
Sandwiches, biscuits, cake, just food in general
Flask of coffee, tea, water
Spare pair of underwear *very important*

Interested yet? You should be! If you would like to sign on for TT 2019, you can do so here. If you can’t sign-on online, you can go to the Marshal’s hut behind the back of the Grandstand and sign-on there instead. It’s all very quick and simple!

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The Mountain Road on a beautifully clear day… that makes a change!

If you have never Marshalled before, that’s perfectly fine and you are definitely more than welcome to join the Orange Army! In fact, we need you! The more the merrier! Look at that view! You can Marshal for practice sessions, races or both. You can Marshal for one session or all of them. It is entirely down to you. If you are a new TT Marshal and are concerned you know nothing about what you need to do, don’t worry! Regardless of whether you have previous Marshalling experience at other motorsport events, you will be placed with experienced Marshals. There is now also a new learning platform for all Marshals who register for TT 2019. It is a mandatory requirement for all Marshals and must be completed before they turn up to their designated sector, myself included. It’s not scary or worrying. It’s a great little tool to help you learn the basics of what you need to know stood at the side of a closed road ready to watch a motorbike or sidecar skim the hedges at 200mph. I’ve actually found the learning platform very valuable because the last time I touched a Tetra radio or flags was nine months ago and we all know what can happen in nine months… Anyway, get it done!! It’s a very useful resource, but just be careful of the maps – I found them deceiving and I live on the island!

If you are wanting to Marshal it is a necessity to ‘sign-on’. Once you are signed on and you have collected your pack which includes your warrant card, discounts, and some other little goodies. You will also receive e-mails about attending the Marshal’s supper and other various events which are restricted to Marshal’s only. Previously there have been evenings with John McGuinness and various other racers which you can attend free of charge, but they change from year-to-year. I guess it’s how the racers can give a little back, think of it as a pat on the back! Once you have received your warrant card you have legal permission to Marshal. This also means you are covered by ACU insurance travelling to/from your Marshalling points as well as during your duties. The powers of a Marshal during closed roads used to be that of a Special Constable, now I believe the powers are ‘similar.’ However, you must always carry your warrant card as well as photographic ID to be insured, have the power, etc. otherwise you may be told you cannot Marshal. This is an ACU rule.

Equipment all laid out ‘in case of emergency’

Be warned – practice sessions and race days can be long and tiring! You must arrive at least 30 minutes before roads close for a briefing with the DSM (Deputy Sector Marshal) or CSM (Cheif Sector Marshal) to allow jobs to be allocated. I would actually recommend arriving at your position approx. 1 hour beforehand because you may have to carry equipment such as the stretcher, fire extinguishers, medical box, etc. out of the locked containers and into position. The job you are given will depend solely on your experience, training and also preference. Examples are flags, radio comms, rider and bike. It’s never great to be designated ‘rider’ or ‘bike’, but it has to be done in case an incident happens. The role as a Marshal doesn’t stop there, however. You are responsible for ensuring your portion of the road is closed to traffic e.g. barriers are erect. You should take a sweep of the road. Is there any debris? Damp patches? Oil? Discard the rubbish, close all gates and check there are no visible road surface issues. Should you have any issues with those mentioned, you will need to contact your CSM to report them.

This leads me on to a crucial skill that Marshals should know how to do regardless of whether you have completed further training or not. OBSERVATION. There was a famous incident a few years ago involving Guy Martin where he was black flagged in Ramsey due to losing a wheel nut… definitely not a good thing to lose when you’re travelling at 200mph, but at least it was spotted. I believe a spectator noticed a wheel nut land right next to them and, after checking their camera, they had a photo of said wheel nut in mid-air with Guy centre stage. Thankfully the spectator notified a Marshal who was able to contact race control in order to stop Guy at the next safest point. It is so vital you stay focused. Observe every race number, every plate colour. Is there anything leaking or hanging off the bike? Does the sidecar driver still have a passenger? Trust me… that definitely happened.

If you are already a registered Marshal and have completed at least three sessions, you can register for the Incident Management Course (IMC). You cannot become a fully accredited Marshal until you have completed this course, but you can Marshal without it.

You will receive a pack and a certificate once completing your IMC

You are encouraged to partake in the (IMC) which, on the Isle of Man, is provided by the St. John Ambulance Team who are fantastic! They are on a first-come-first-served basis and ones around TT/MGP are usually fully booked. It can be a long day so please be warned about that – 8.45am to 5pm approx. However, on the plus side, tea/coffee/lunch is all provided and it is all free. The IMC does exactly what it says on the tin. It is to ensure you are fully equipped with the knowledge you need to manage an incident should it occur. When I first looked into what the IMC entailed I was initially put off by the ‘role play’ side of things. I didn’t want to be the mad woman screaming or being carried around on a stretcher. I wouldn’t say I’m shy, but I suppose I didn’t want to appear stupid in front of people who have probably done their IMC multiple times. Anyway, there was nothing to fear. We arrived, had a briefing, coffee and cake too if I remember rightly, and then we were onto the nitty gritty stuff. You learn about the basic roles of a marshal; checking the road, distribution of jobs, noting a helicopter landing spot and learning how to approach said helicopter, ensuring medical boxes are sealed, what’s inside them, etc. You learn about the flags – green, yellow, red, rain, sun, stationary, waived, etc. You get to have a fiddle with the Tetra radio’s: learn how to turn it on/off, change channel, radio control, the emergency button, etc. It’s always good to go over simple knowledge like this because until it happens you don’t know how you’re going to react if an incident occurs.

Then it’s onto your first-aid bits. My favourite bit, but probably not if I have to put it all into practice. You can even be strapped to a stretcher if that’s what you’re into… It’s vital you remember that Travelling Marshal’s are trained in advanced first-aid and there are paramedics strategically dotted around the Mountain Course just in case. There is, of course, air-med, but until they arrive it’s down to you. I won’t go through everything you are taught, but you are first shown how to approach an injured rider. I never really thought about it, but if you’re lay on the floor with your helmet on, you’ve got seven million blind spots because you probably can’t (and shouldn’t) move your head. You are shown how to remove a rider’s helmet safely, the recovery position, bandages and most importantly CPR along with a lot more. Yes, that is how real your job as a marshal could be. I would insist you take this course. I know marshals who have saved lives because of first-aid training such as this. It is free and you will gain valuable information and knowledge which could potentially save not only a rider’s life but anyone’s life.

If you’re interested in taking the IMC, a list of dates can be found here. If you have any questions about it feel free to ask away in the comments below. I will be more than happy to answer any queries or forward them on to those who can assist further.

On a side note, one thing you should be prepared for if you are wanting to become a TT Course Marshal is the weather. You’ll probably end up looking like this:

The weather cannot be guaranteed, but don’t expect sunshine. You could be stood in the wind and rain for 20 minutes or more before a session is cancelled or you could be lucky enough to end up with a Manx tan! I can assure you you’ll get cold standing around, so definitely wear layers and don’t forget to take a hat! Just enjoy every moment of it because the TT really is f**ing amazing and you’re doing an amazing job by supporting it in the best way you can!

There are only 15 days until the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course closes for the first practice session of 2019. Becoming a marshal is easy, so there is no excuse not to sign-on if you want to. Don’t let there be a risk of cancelled sessions due to a lack of marshals.

Sign-on and help this world famous event take place.

Words by Samantha Wanless