Best and worst of the TT

By Richard Petrie
BBC Sport

John McGuinness took a Superbike double last year

The best and worst aspects of the Isle of Man TT Race fortnight were evident in the opening weekend of action at this year's event.

Practice for the pre-TT classic event on the Billown circuit at Castletown saw a double tragedy with sidecar driver Tony Smith from Kent and his passenger Barry Pepperrell sustain fatal injuries after they crashed their machine at Iron Gate.

The fatalities cast a dark shadow over the annual races at the ancient capital of the Island, the traditional curtain raiser for TT fortnight, which took place on Monday.

The deaths will be a bitter blow for the organising club who are among the most efficient in the British Isles.

Conditions were good for Saturday night's first practice session for the main event on the Mountain Course and favourite John McGuinness immediately set the benchmark for the rest to follow in the Superbike class.

Young Yorkshire rider Ian Hutchinson, a winner at the North West 200, again showed his credentials with the second fastest time in Superbikes and the quickest time in the Supersport category.

Nobody will have been surprised to see the ever consistent Bruce Anstey top the Superstock times first time out.

Riders still come from all over the world to take up the ultimate challenge of man and machine

For anyone who attends the TT on a regular basis, the unique allure of the event and the infectious bug generated by a trip to the Island will be all too familiar.

For road racing fans, the first week in June means TT time as much as the last week in December means Christmas time.

With course preparation and machine preparation complete, this usually quiet island with around 75,000 inhabitants, is transformed into the road racing capital of the world.

The races have had more than their fair share of tragedies over the years but riders still come from all over the world to take up the ultimate challenge of man and machine.

Indeed, American Mark Miller, one of this year's debutants and a former AMA rider described his first lap of the circuit as "the most fun I have ever had on a motorbike".

Island heroes

For spectators and motorcyclists too, the unique buzz and atmosphere of the festival is something to be savoured, a chance to spend time with like minded bikers at a place where you are made to feel welcome.

The anticipation builds as the bikes line up at ferry ports across the British Isles even if the boat journeys are not always the most pleasurable part of the week.

Accommodation is becoming an increasing problem and with many unable to avail of hotels and guest houses, homestay arrangements with local residents and camping are becoming ever more popular.

The TT may no longer be the world grand prix event it was until the mid 1970s, but the event still throws up its own heroes and conjures up memories of great riders and machines of the past.

Famous names such as Stanley Woods, Geoff Duke, Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini have been joined on the roll of honour by Joey Dunlop, Steve Hislop, Phillip McCallen, David Jefferies and John McGuinness.

One year ahead of its centenary, the Isle of Man TT continues to defy the critics and remains an attractive event on the motorcycling calendar with new stars expected to enter the hall of fame this year.