| | Biker News - Regularly updated
Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix
-
A pedigree budgie, a toilet, several laps of the TT course and a very patient photographer – Milestones TT calendar is back, with more wittily-illustrated TT anecdotes.
 Milestones made its debut last year, after artist and journalist Rachael Clegg decided that making a TT calendar was her calling in life. Together with Al Jazeera photojournalist Peter Greste and assistant Shaz Nicol, Rachael created a calendar that paid visual homage to some of the most significant and quirky events in TT history.
The result is, once again, 15 leaves of unusual monochrome images, which will be launched at this year’s TT. Only the goose that appeared in last year’s calendar has now been replaced with a prized budgie.
In this year’s Milestones Rachael has a fracas with a stack of tyres, a blast at Waterworks and an encounter with a very rare budgie at Kirk Michael.
But however bizarre, these ‘happenings’ interpret real TT events involving the likes of Giacomo Agostini, Archie Birkin, Guy Martin, Ian Lougher and Joey Dunlop.
“The idea struck me on the way back from the TT in 2010. I’ve come across so many tales over the years but knew there must be more TT stories out there so I set to work...”
That was it. Weeks later Rachael was knee-deep in TT research. “I encountered dozens of unusual tales from the race’s 106-year history and used each tale as inspiration for the images, which I sketched out as I was doing the research.”
And while last year’s calendar brought about its own risks - including near-arrest at Brandish Corner wearing John McGuinness’ leathers - this year Rachael had to dive head-first in a tower of tyres, was caught naked on a toilet and strewn with bleeding mackerel. “It’s a very glamorous job,” she said.
The calendar is a fusion of Rachael’s background, obsession with history and her family’s racing legacy. She studied art and art history, worked at the Tate Gallery in Liverpool and taught art for several years.
“Milestones nods to my heritage – both my dad and granddad were TT racers so I’ve been going to the TT all my life. I would have a go myself but I have no road sense.”
The props used in Milestones were borrowed off the likes of John McGuinness, Guy Martin, Ian Lougher, Rachael’s father, TT veteran Vin Duckett, an eccentric Manxman, farmer John Quine and a budgie enthusiast.
“That’s what’s great about the Isle of Man; I needed a budgie so I walked into the pharmacist, asked if anyone had a budgie I could borrow and came out with a packet of paracetamols and a number for a budgie fancier.”
With a posh budgie, umpteen Dunlops and Manx mackerel, Milestones 2014 will no doubt raise a few smiles and shed more light on the TT’s hidden history.
Milestones: an Isle of Man Road Races calendar costs £15 and is available at www.milestonescalendar.com
-
The Department of Economic Development Motorsport team has negotiated for the Senior TT Trophy to feature in a prestigious one-day exhibition alongside some of the world's most iconic sporting trophies.
The exhibition, which will take place at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day on 19th October, will also feature The FA Cup, The Ashes Urn, the Rugby League Challenge Cup and the Calcutta Cup.
The trophy was donated to the Auto Cycle Club, now the Auto Cycle Union, by Joseph the Marquis de Mouzilly St Mars, the President of the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme in 1905-1906. His name can still be seen on the award. The Senior TT Trophy was first presented, to Charlie Collier, in 1907 who won the first TT Race.
The Senior Trophy was based on the Montague Trophy, awarded to the winner of the TT car races, which pre-dated the motorcycle TT, and was handed to the rider of the winning single cylinder machine.
Standing 197centimetres tall and weighs 59.5 kilograms, it features Mercury, the Winged God of the Messengers from Roman mythology, crafted in silver standing atop a winged wheel. The effigy is mounted on a tiered plinth featuring engraved shields detailing the winner of every Senior race.
Past winners read like a who’s who of motorcycling including Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Stanley Woods, Joey Dunlop and Giacomo Agostini. Current champion John McGuinness, who has won twenty TT Races, has won the Senior TT six times.
Although insured for at least £1.5million, it is a priceless, unique part of the TT’s heritage. It is kept in the Isle of Man, under tight security provided by G4S Secure Solutions (Isle of Man) Limited, and will travel to Ascot with G4S's Divisional Manager for Security Services Lloyd Mister.
The Ascot exhibition will include other famous sporting trophies and mementos including the Jules Rimet Trophy won by the England football team in 1966, the Sid Waddell Trophy won by PDC World Darts Champion Phil Taylor in 2013, the World Snooker Championship Trophy won five times by Ronnie O’Sullivan, the European Player of the Year Award – The Ballon d’Or – won by Michael Owen in 2001, along with his Premier League Golden Boot awards and medals relating to the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup.
The display will also include a number of prestigious trophies from the world of horse racing, including the Champion Jump Jockey Trophy won a record 18 times by AP McCoy, along with his BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award from 2010; the Champion Flat Jockey Trophy; the Champion Racehorse Trainer Trophies; nine of the most famous trophies won by Frankel during his unbeaten career; and the silver salver to be presented to the winner of the 2013 £1.3 million QIPCO Champion Stakes.
The last time so many national sporting trophies were displayed together was over half a century ago at an exhibition in April 1956 at the Café Anglais, London.
Michael Owen, the former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and England striker, who is now an ambassador for British Champions Series, said: ‘It’s a real honour to have my awards and mementos sitting alongside so many famous cups, trophies and decorations. It’s on these occasions that you really appreciate Great Britain’s amazing achievements in so many different sports.’
Rod Street, chief executive of British Champions Series, added: ‘QIPCO British Champions Day has, in just two short years, become one of the world’s most important race days so it’s fitting that some of the most iconic trophies from other sports are on show alongside racing’s most coveted prizes.’
‘Champions Day is one of the highlights of the autumn sporting calendar and the exhibition celebrates the sporting achievements of some of our greatest champions. We’re indebted to the organisations and individuals who’ve agreed to participate, ensuring that our Day is a true celebration of Great British sport.’
-
The latest Isle of Man Government Treasury survey has shown a significant increase, over a three-year period, in the economic contribution that the TT Races makes to the Island's economy.
The increase is driven by a rise in visitor numbers, and a higher per-head spend while visitors are on the Island. The research was carried out at the 2013 TT Races and compared with data collected during the 2010 meeting.
The study has revealed that almost 40,000 (39,224) visitors attended the 2013 TT Races, a 27% increase on the 2010 figure (30,787). On average they stayed 6.5 nights and spent £668 compared to £620 in 2010. The total spending of TT visitors in 2013 was £26.2 million compared with £19 million in 2010.
Treasury has assessed the economic contribution of this figure to be £18.9 million with an exchequer benefit of £3.5 million, which represent rises of £5.2 million and £900,000 respectively.
Laurence Skelly, MHK, Political Member, Isle of Man Tourism, commented: "It is important that the Department maximises the contribution that the TT makes to the Island's economy and these results are extremely encouraging and reflect the Department's work in promoting the TT races and developing the commercial programme."
He continued: "As well as the positive economic growth through visitors, we are also seeing significant rises in the commercial income such as sponsorship and ticket sales as well as a notable increase in media coverage which helps to promote the event, the Island and our business interests worldwide."
The net cost of the TT Races to the Government’s Department of Economic Development, once commercial revenues and income have been offset against costs, is £2,617,210. Costs include race administration, course set up costs, grandstand and paddock security, IT, communications, marshalling, medical cover including the air med service, marketing and administration, prize fund and appearance fees.
-
Audience figures released on the 2013 Isle of Man TT races are showing a significant increase on last year's statistics with television, radio, print media coverage and the on-line audience all experiencing double digit growth year on year.
TV4 has reported that the North One TV shows are nearly 20% up overall on last year's viewers with well over six million people watching this year's programmes, an increase of almost a million on the 2012 audience.
The most watched show was Monday's Monster Energy Supersport 1 show with an average of 684,000 and a peak of 725,000 - about three times the slot average and benchmark audience share.
This year also saw next day highlights programmes screened in the USA via Discovery Velocity and with further international markets also reporting increased viewing figures, the worldwide TV audience is also expected to increase significantly by year end.
Neil Duncanson, Chief Executive, North One TV commented:
"The TT Races is now one of ITV's key sports properties and their executives are really pleased with this year's audience figures. Although it is still early days, our international partners are also reporting growth which bodes well for future distribution."
The official iomtt.com website, run by Duke Marketing, is reporting growth across a number of key international territories with a significant increase in the number of users tracking the event through live timing as well as an overall year on year increase in the number of unique users.
Over the two weeks of practice and racing over 1,000,000 unique users visited the official Isle of Man TT website www.iomtt.com creating 7.6 million page views. This compares positively with same period in 2012, which saw just under 800,000 users. The website's live timing service, TT Live was seen by around 200,000 fans across the world.
Social media proved very popular with the total number of people following the official Isle of Man TT facebook page growing to over 140,000 during the race period and twitter users up to nearly 40,000. Approximately 750,000 people saw messages posted to the official facebook page - a near doubling on TT 2012's figures while the new new online TT shop (shop.iomtt.com) also saw notable growth.
Across the various online platforms a strong trend towards the growth of a global fanbase continued. Britain and America continue to be the largest sources for online fans but countries such as Brazil, India, Japan, Poland, Italy are contributing an ever-increasing number of a fans.
The new Isle of Man TT Races App, created by Agency Mobile, was downloaded 73,000 times across the race fortnight and was the most downloaded sports app on iTunes during the event and the second highest grossing sports app. There were a total of 1.4 million active 'sessions' with 13,000 active daily users.
As well as providing live timing, the app also offered access to the Manx Radio TT commentary, further boosting the number of people listening to the live race commentary. This year there were 1.86 million successful connections to the various digital services provided by Manx Radio via iomtt.com and the TT Races App. These listeners are in addition to the audience who listened live via the dedicated 1368AM service and FM broadcasts available on the Island.
Mannin Media, producers of the TT races official programme reported that the programme sales, through on-line and retail outlets, were up a total of 9.5% year-on-year, the highest circulation since the Centenary TT races in 2007. This year also saw the introduction of Mannin's 'digital TT review magazine which is now available for I-pad, android and Kindle tablets.
Laurence Skelly, Political Member, Isle of Man Tourism, commented: "The TT Races now provides a real profile and platform for the Isle of Man worldwide as well as generating visitors to the Isle of Man. We are able to use the different media channels that we have to promote our Island's culture and heritage as well as building a worldwide fanbase for the TT Races and generate incremental commercial revenue."
-
Michael Sweeney followed illustrious former race winners including Freddie Frith, Bob McIntyre, Charlie Williams and TT rider liaison officer Richard 'Milky' Quayle in winning the Junior Manx Grand Prix, appropriately on the day that the meeting celebrated its 90th anniversary with a past parade of former winners. The Irishman emulated his 2010 Junior MGP victory with a dramatic last lap victory after race leader James Cowton ran out of fuel on the last mile.
Northern Ireland's Stephen McKnight, who finished third in both the 2011 and 2012 Junior Manx Grand Prix races, had the honour of being first away from Glencrutchery Road but by Glen Helen on the opening lap Yorkshire man James Cowton, starting fourth, had established a lead of almost a second over Ireland's Michael Sweeney who was fastest qualifier. Stephen Harper was a further two seconds back in third with McKnight and Tim Poole completing the top five.
McKnight was first back to the grandstand (19:12.996/117.8049mph) but Cowton was the fastest on the opening lap with 18:55.123/119.659 which gave him an eleven second lead over second placed Michael Sweeney (19:06.369/118.485) with McKnight (19:12.996/117.804) in third and Andy Lawson (19:14.801/117.620) moving into fourth, pushing Stephen Harper (19:16.303/117.467) down to fifth.
Cowton held the lead on the second lap with 19:02.121/118.926 but an efficient refuelling pit stop from Sweeney's team at the end of the second lap saw him close the gap by an estimated six seconds with 2009 Manx Grand Prix Senior Race winner Michael Russell's lap of 19:10.118/118.099 moving him into the top three.
Cowton again put the hammer down and established an eighteen second gap by Glen Helen and his third lap of 19:52.315/113.920 saw him going into the last lap with a 25 second lead over Sweeney with Russell retaining third.
However, in a dramatic conclusion to the race Cowton, after going through the final checkpoint at Cronk-Ny-Mona still holding a 16 second lead was reported to be out of fuel at the Nook, just a few hundred yards from the finish of the near 150-mile race.
Sweeney came through to win in 1:17:20.911/117.070, with Michael Russell (1:18.01.810/116.047) moving up into the runners-up spot and 2009 Newcomer Race C runner up Andy Lawson (1:18.11.598/115.805), who moved from sixth going into the last lap, taking the final podium place.
A race report will be available on youtube by the end of the day via the Manx Grand Prix Races dedicated Youtube channel at www.youtube.com/themanxgrandprix
|
