Irish road racing events cancelled - season in doubt

[The Spin Doctor]

News emerged earlier this week that the motorcycling road races at Kells, Athea, and Cork were cancelled. A meeting was due to be held today to decide if the Skerries 100 event can go ahead. So far the sport's governing body, Motorcycling Ireland, has been unable to secure insurance on ANY motorcycle event in the Republic this year, which also includes trials, motocross and endurance disciplines.

Over the years I've made a few trips to Ireland to watch the grassroots events and one race I got to was at Athea in Co. Limerick down in the south west of Ireland. It's a tiny village and the race around the circuit is pretty bonkers.

Sadly, On Sunday, the event was called off in what the Limerick club described as a blow to the whole community,

Michael Dalton, president of the newly formed SouthWest Motorcycle Road Race Club, said this year's event was to be a lifeline for the local village which has seen widespread business closures in the last 10 years.

"We were bringing back road races here after a long absence and we were hoping it would be a lifeline to many businesses to keep going," he said.

"This community is devastated that we have had to cancel the races. Ten years ago there were 13 pubs, 11 shops, three butchers and four filling stations and today there are just three pubs and one shop."

I can understand that. We spent several nights being put up by a local family who host for the race event, and of course we also spent money in the village whilst we were there watching the race.

The races were due to take place in August and the organisers say there's simply no time now to finalise arrangements even if insurance could be found.

I have no idea what the solution is.

Insurers can't be expected to run at a loss. The organisers of the Ulster GP wanted the Northern Irish tourist board to front up what were huge amounts of cash for the Ulster and NW200 events - almost all the tourist boards budget for ALL tourist events in North Ireland. Local sponsors do their best and most riders race for next to nothing at these events.

Athea was to be live-streamed for the first time ever this year, which presumably would have brought in some cash. Donations around the circuit are collected but selling tickets to the event has been proposed and would bring in some more.

But clearly there's a gulf between income and insurance right now.

I hope a solution can be found but I really do fear that these events won't return.

I covered the story in this morning's Elevenses, and closed out the webcast with a short video I shot at Athea - as a personal thank you to everyone who's put on these races in the past.

The link's not working at the moment but the video is here at the end of the show:

[Yorick]

Old news Spin


However, on Wednesday night it was announced that the MCUI had secured a new, lower insurance rate and that – coupled with a crowdfunding campaign raising nearly £90,000 – was enough to save most of the racing in Northern Ireland for 2023.

This means the North West 200 will go ahead in May as planned, which Padgetts Honda rider Todd – who has won at the event before – is important for those taking part in the TT.
https://www.autosport.com/roadracing/ne ... 20tripling.

[Bigjawa]

Well, in the North, people put their hands in their pockets and the insurance got paid, I was under the impression that it was for everything on the whole island and not just up here?

But it needs to be remembered that not everyone loves road racing, a lot of people who live near the circuits absolutely hate it, especially the farmers who don't want people tramping over their ground and having to move livestock about. Armoy was sabotaged with slurry and the mid antim with diesel. There's bugger all chance of the tourist board coughing up money for a dew days of bike racing when so many people come to see a load of old stones or some elderly trees that don't cost them anything. And charging is pretty much going to be impossible, people will just hedge hop, this is one of the reasons the UGP failed, people got fed up of being charged to stand in a muddy field only for the racing to be cancelled due to the nearly guaranteed rain.

[The Spin Doctor]

Old news Spin


However, on Wednesday night it was announced that the MCUI had secured a new, lower insurance rate and that – coupled with a crowdfunding campaign raising nearly £90,000 – was enough to save most of the racing in Northern Ireland for 2023.

This means the North West 200 will go ahead in May as planned, which Padgetts Honda rider Todd – who has won at the event before – is important for those taking part in the TT.
https://www.autosport.com/roadracing/ne ... 20tripling.

Wrong country Yorick! Limerick isn't in Northern Ireland - I'm talking about the big bit SOUTH of the border!!

But whilst the NW200 is going ahead, the Ulster GP - organised by the same mob - has just been cancelled again, because they wanted a silly money grant from the NI Tourist Board! They already pump a huge chunk of the cash which goes to fund promotion of ALL tourist events in Norn Iron into the NorthWest, so there was nothing like the sum left over for the Ulster.

So the organisers cancelled, they haven't paid the chunk of funds which was going towards the umbrella insurance cover organised by the MCUI, which means there's some doubt over whether they can actually pay the bill now.

[The Spin Doctor]

Well, in the North, people put their hands in their pockets and the insurance got paid, I was under the impression that it was for everything on the whole island and not just up here?

But it needs to be remembered that not everyone loves road racing, a lot of people who live near the circuits absolutely hate it, especially the farmers who don't want people tramping over their ground and having to move livestock about. Armoy was sabotaged with slurry and the mid antim with diesel. There's bugger all chance of the tourist board coughing up money for a dew days of bike racing when so many people come to see a load of old stones or some elderly trees that don't cost them anything. And charging is pretty much going to be impossible, people will just hedge hop, this is one of the reasons the UGP failed, people got fed up of being charged to stand in a muddy field only for the racing to be cancelled due to the nearly guaranteed rain.

Nope - very different. Different countries, and as my report in the webcast explained:

Motorcycling Ireland president Sean Bissett said the body had "tried everything possible" and criticised the lack of support at Government level.

"We have met various Ministers in the Dáil seeking help three times but everywhere we go, we get a no," he said.

"We met what we thought were all the right people but we've had no help at all. Unfortunately, claims in industry are high at the moment as the courts are dealing with a backlog and this isn't helping matters.

"We have not given up. We were dealing with insurance companies in Northern Ireland for over 30 years until 2022 but when Brexit happened, they couldn't deal with us any more.

"So we are trying to find another company. We still are waiting on one broker to come back to us. Even if we got insurance now, we might still be able to get some events running.

"We have to keep trying. If we don't get insurance this year, we won't get it next year because we won't have a track record."

[Yorick]

Old news Spin


However, on Wednesday night it was announced that the MCUI had secured a new, lower insurance rate and that – coupled with a crowdfunding campaign raising nearly £90,000 – was enough to save most of the racing in Northern Ireland for 2023.

This means the North West 200 will go ahead in May as planned, which Padgetts Honda rider Todd – who has won at the event before – is important for those taking part in the TT.
https://www.autosport.com/roadracing/ne ... 20tripling.

Wrong country Yorick! Limerick isn't in Northern Ireland - I'm talking about the big bit SOUTH of the border!!

But whilst the NW200 is going ahead, the Ulster GP - organised by the same mob - has just been cancelled again, because they wanted a silly money grant from the NI Tourist Board! They already pump a huge chunk of the cash which goes to fund promotion of ALL tourist events in Norn Iron into the NorthWest, so there was nothing like the sum left over for the Ulster.

So the organisers cancelled, they haven't paid the chunk of funds which was going towards the umbrella insurance cover organised by the MCUI, which means there's some doubt over whether they can actually pay the bill now.

Bollox. I've never understood Ireland

[Noggin]

Bollox. I've never understood Ireland

Don't feel bad, nor do most politicians (or other English!)!!

[The Spin Doctor]

Bollox. I've never understood Ireland

Top bit speaks incomprehensible English and waves the Union Flag.

Bottom bit speaks incomprehensible Gaelic and waves the green white and gold tricolour.

(The above may be an oversimplification)

[Cousin Jack]

Bollox. I've never understood Ireland

Don't feel bad, nor do most politicians (or other English!)!!

Even the Irish dont understand Ireland. But they will fight anyone who dares criticize it.

[Count Steer]

Having discovered such things are on iPlayer I watched the Cookstown 100 highlights today. It was wet. Some of the bits where they took a bend over a nice slippy white line made my sphincter twitch.

I suppose it's down to the traditions of motorcycling that road races only seem to be held in the wettest part of the world. They could put on some corkers in the hotter, dryer places.

[Cousin Jack]

Having discovered such things are on iPlayer I watched the Cookstown 100 highlights today. It was wet. Some of the bits where they took a bend over a nice slippy white line made my sphincter twitch.

I suppose it's down to the traditions of motorcycling that road races only seem to be held in the wettest part of the world. They could put on some corkers in the hotter, dryer places.

Where is the fun in that. Watching other peoples sphincters twitch is fun.

[Horse]

the Irish ... will fight anyone

Going by a family I know, you could have left it there.

The 'best' one was a family wedding that ended with a sister kicking a big dent in brother's car.

[Bigjawa]

Having discovered such things are on iPlayer I watched the Cookstown 100 highlights today. It was wet. Some of the bits where they took a bend over a nice slippy white line made my sphincter twitch.

I suppose it's down to the traditions of motorcycling that road races only seem to be held in the wettest part of the world. They could put on some corkers in the hotter, dryer places.

The Cookstown circuit is fucking awful in the wet, the whole area is basically a bog so water runs off the land and onto the road.

[The Spin Doctor]

Having discovered such things are on iPlayer I watched the Cookstown 100 highlights today. It was wet. Some of the bits where they took a bend over a nice slippy white line made my sphincter twitch.

I suppose it's down to the traditions of motorcycling that road races only seem to be held in the wettest part of the world. They could put on some corkers in the hotter, dryer places.

It is possible to make high-grip white paint... I know that, because my dad was working in a lab developing the stuff in the late 40s, early 50s before he joined the Met as a fingerprint expert.

The 'round the town' event at Paeroa in NZ (just at the bottom of the Coromandel peninsula) was v hot and v dry in 2018.

[Bigjawa]

It is possible to make high-grip white paint... I know that, because my dad was working in a lab developing the stuff in the late 40s, early 50s before he joined the Met as a fingerprint expert.

The 'round the town' event at Paeroa in NZ (just at the bottom of the Coromandel peninsula) was v hot and v dry in 2018.

The organisers would have to pay for it though as the DFI are skint, if you go literally 50 metres off the actual circuit the roads are in a bloody awful state. With the lack of a devolved government in NI, Westminster have turned the money tap off. Its entirely possible that road circuits will be in no fit state to be raced on by next year.

[The Spin Doctor]

The organisers would have to pay for it though as the DFI are skint, if you go literally 50 metres off the actual circuit the roads are in a bloody awful state. With the lack of a devolved government in NI, Westminster have turned the money tap off. Its entirely possible that road circuits will be in no fit state to be raced on by next year.

Can't say I'm surprised...