WARNING - Motorcycle Racing is Dangerous !
16th December 2010
The following pictures were taken at this year’s 65th Anniversary SKERRIES 100 Road Race meeting last July. This track, outside Skerries -North Dublin, is comprised of normal roads which are closed off for the purpose of road racing. One of my favourite spots on this course is between the “Hairpin” and “Sam’s Tunnell”. Racers accelerate very hard out of the bend and reach speeds in excess of 150mph – yes 150mph – a rate of acceleration which is faster than nearly any production supercar !
In the first shot Michael Dunlop acknowledged me by “pulling a wheelie” – I acknowledged his mastery by capturing the wheelie at the perfect moment. When you’re looking through a 500mm lens the racers appear and again disappear at an incredible speed. You tend to focus on a spot on the road, listen for the noise and then hope you’ve got everything ready for the action.
Bang ! They’re gone again !
Then you put the picture into a monthly competition and the judge comments that these shots are easy to take !
Easy ? - nothing in life is easy !
Well the next picture shows how fast things can go wrong !
The thundering noise gets louder, the first bike appears closely followed by another, they're traveling so fast it's hard to read their numbers. You start shooting and you try to keep your prey in focus. Then one bike comes close to where you are crouched – very close! The safety bale shakes and momentarily inturrupts the photography. What happened there ?
Well, on looking back on the shots on camera the story unfolded. As John Burrows (No: 16) exited the bend his foot slipped off the pedal – he began to loose control and looked towards the spot where he thought he would end up (look closely at his eyes !). That bloody photographer is in his path !
While he struggled to regain control Adrian Archibald (No: 13) seized his oportunity and overtook John on his inside. John regained control and skimmed past me – I could smell the exhaust fumes and I felt the stones hit me as he passed. This all passed in a matter of a few seconds.
Wow ! Now you know why road-racing is dangerous !
Sadly, at this meeting, Myles Byrne (No: 32) from Knocklyon, Dublin lost his life in an accident near the start / finish line. Later on in the year Victor Gilmore was tragically killed in Killalane in September (the Killalane circuit adjoins the Skerries 100 circuit). Both men gave enormous enjoyment to their many, many fans and will be sadly missed. May they rest in peace.
I will never be involved in publishing photographs of an accident which results in a fatality – it is not how road-racing should be remembered.
In the first shot Michael Dunlop acknowledged me by “pulling a wheelie” – I acknowledged his mastery by capturing the wheelie at the perfect moment. When you’re looking through a 500mm lens the racers appear and again disappear at an incredible speed. You tend to focus on a spot on the road, listen for the noise and then hope you’ve got everything ready for the action.
Bang ! They’re gone again !
Then you put the picture into a monthly competition and the judge comments that these shots are easy to take !
Easy ? - nothing in life is easy !
Well the next picture shows how fast things can go wrong !
The thundering noise gets louder, the first bike appears closely followed by another, they're traveling so fast it's hard to read their numbers. You start shooting and you try to keep your prey in focus. Then one bike comes close to where you are crouched – very close! The safety bale shakes and momentarily inturrupts the photography. What happened there ?
Well, on looking back on the shots on camera the story unfolded. As John Burrows (No: 16) exited the bend his foot slipped off the pedal – he began to loose control and looked towards the spot where he thought he would end up (look closely at his eyes !). That bloody photographer is in his path !
While he struggled to regain control Adrian Archibald (No: 13) seized his oportunity and overtook John on his inside. John regained control and skimmed past me – I could smell the exhaust fumes and I felt the stones hit me as he passed. This all passed in a matter of a few seconds.
Wow ! Now you know why road-racing is dangerous !
Sadly, at this meeting, Myles Byrne (No: 32) from Knocklyon, Dublin lost his life in an accident near the start / finish line. Later on in the year Victor Gilmore was tragically killed in Killalane in September (the Killalane circuit adjoins the Skerries 100 circuit). Both men gave enormous enjoyment to their many, many fans and will be sadly missed. May they rest in peace.
I will never be involved in publishing photographs of an accident which results in a fatality – it is not how road-racing should be remembered.
