With less than fifty days to go, the Countdown to this year’s TT has now begun in earnest. Many of the leading contenders for the 2012 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy will be heading to the Isle of Man for the official launch of the 2012 event on Wednesday 18th April from 7pm at the Villa Marina.
All of the solo race winners from the 2011 TT Meeting are confirmed to attend including seventeen time champion John McGuinness, Michael Dunlop, Gary Johnson and Bruce Anstey while sidecar race winners John Holden and Andy Winkle will also be sharing their thoughts on defending their 2011 title. The Birchall Brothers, who will be racing for former Champion, Klaus Klaffenbock’s new team and fourteen-time champion Dave Molyneux who is returning to competition this year, will also be appearing.
Other race winners from previous years include Ryan Farquhar, who will be hoping for victory in the new Lightweight Race, veteran Ian Lougher, competing in his 28th TT meeting and 2008 Double TT Race winner Australian Cameron Donald. Ian Hutchinson will be updating fans on his recovery from injury and last year’s fastest newcomer Simon Andrews will be answering questions about his new factory Honda ride with Honda TT Legends.
High profile Tyco Suzuki teammates Guy Martin and Conor Cummins, who both enjoyed starring roles in the highly successful TT film TT3D Closer to the Edge, will be discussing their ambitions to finally be standing on the top step this year.
A number of the TT’s newcomers will also be introduced for the first time including Northern Ireland racer Lee Johnson, Ryan Farquhar’s protégé Jamie Hamilton, Scotland’s Jimmy Storrar and BSB star Karl Harris.
The free to attend event, which is rapidly growing in popularity, will see the headline acts and high profile newcomers appear at the Villa Marina in an informal chat show style evening hosted by Manx Radio TT’s Chris Kinley and Tim Glover. The event will be broadcast live by Manx Radio and will be available worldwide on-line at www.manxradio.com.
The event is part of a two-day launch that also sees many of the leading UK and European journalists visiting the Isle of Man and interviewing the contenders for this year’s race. Titles confirmed to attend include PS Magazine (Germany), Superbike (Italy), Motociclismo (Spain) and Moto et Motards (France).
All of the leading UK and Irish bike magazines and best-selling newspaper MCN will also attend while UK based national newspapers include the Daily Telegraph and Ireland’s Belfast Telegraph and Newsletter have also confirmed. ITV4’s The Motorbike Show will also be filming material that will set the scene for this year’s TT.
Journalists are scheduled to visit many of the Island’s leading attractions and many will also experience guided laps either on motorcycles or a coach trip with rider liaison officers Richard Quayle and John Barton describing the experience of competing on the Mountain Course.
Geoff Corkish, MBE, MHK, Political Member, Isle of Man Tourism commented:
“The Official TT launch has really grown in popularity and is now part of the annual calendar with fans and journalists looking out for the date. It plays an important role in promoting the event and the Isle of Man returning huge editorial coverage and also adds significant value for our commercial partners.”
