Isle of Man TT: Bike fans share excitement ahead of Senior race

BBC News

07-06-2025

Bike fans on the Isle of Man have been sharing their excitement ahead of the Senior TT Race at the 2025 festival. The event, which started on 26 May, is scheduled to culminate with the blue ribbon six-lap event on Saturday.Gerrard Fox from County Caven, who will be watching at Kirk Michael while rooting for Michael Dunlop, said he would never miss the final race of the competition.Visiting for his fifth festival, he said: "If you live for bikes, all your Christmases come at once when you get on the ferry to the island.
"It's so different to when you're watching it on the telly, it makes you feel alive."On the island with his partner Martina Kavanagh, she said: "People don't understand it, they say it's such a dangerous sport."But it's amazing to think about what they're doing, and the love and passion they have for for it."The biking community here is just brilliant."
Rob and Ali Graham, from Colby, are hoping the changeable weather forecast, which has caused delays and postponements at the 2025 meeting, will not see a reduction in the number of laps at the Senior TT.Ms Graham said the couple, who have been involved in rallies and the Southern 100 on the island for many years, "like to see a six-lap race because it really tests them, but if it has to be four it's better than nothing at at all".Mr Graham said: "It is a spectacular event and the weather makes it – it's just been disappointing for them for this year, but has to be safe for the riders and enjoyable for the spectators."
Ann Campbell, from Onchan, said she enjoyed all that the festival brought to the island each year, including the annual visit from the Red Arrows and the live entertainment. "Some of the locals prefer to go on holiday but the majority of us like to stay here, because there's nowhere in the world that has a bike race like this."Next week this will all be gone, at the moment you get to hear the bikes roar past and it gives you a little tickle in your tummy."She said she would be heading to the Creg-ny-Baa to watch the Senior TT, which is her favourite spot to take first-timers to because "we sit in the field and it feels as though they're about a yard away from your feet".
But for Derek Adams, from Stoke on Trent, the climax of the week of racing on the 37.7-mile (61km) course "isn't the highlight" of his holiday."Yes, it's the big race but also as long as we get to see some racing - we're happy."Visiting since 1990, he said "we've been coming here that long, we aren't just here for the racing"."The whole atmosphere of being at the TT is just brilliant, it isn't just the bikes, it's the people too."
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