Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson says the safety of riders will always come before the prestige of the TT after he made the difficult call to cancel this year’s Senior Race.
The 2025 Senior TT was called off after competitors raised concerns over high winds during the inspection lap.
Originally delayed due to wet roads from earlier showers, hopes were raised as conditions improved ahead of the 6pm Inspection Lap.
However, riders reported unpredictable wind gusts, prompting Thompson to cancel the event.
Conditions
“It was clear, after speaking with a number of competitors from across the field following the Course Inspection Lap, that conditions were not where they needed to be,” Mr Thompson said.
“A couple of competitors said they’d be happy to ride to the conditions, but the overwhelming majority felt that the wind speeds – the way they were gusting, and the fact they were coming from the opposite direction to what they had experienced over the past two weeks – made the conditions too unpredictable and not fit for racing.”
He acknowledged the weight of cancelling the event’s showpiece race but stressed rider welfare was paramount.
“Delaying or cancelling any qualifying session or race is never an easy decision. Of course, in situations like this, the prestige and profile of the Senior TT naturally come to mind, but there are far more important matters at stake.
“Ultimately, we’re here to deliver the event in the safest possible manner – and unfortunately, that simply wasn’t achievable this evening.”
He paid tribute to all the staff, saying: “I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone, particularly the marshals, medics, officials, volunteers, and competitors for their patience and co-operation throughout a challenging event.”
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