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+--- Thread: 2015 Philip Island International Classic - Teams Announced (/showthread.php?tid=18591)
2015 Philip Island International Classic - Teams Announced - Malcolm - 13-01-2015
![[Image: philislandclassiclogo2015.jpg]](http://www.ttwebsite.com/gifs/TT2015/philislandclassiclogo2015.jpg)
Records are made to be broken - and this Australia Day’s big historic bike meet, the Australian Motorcycle News International Island Classic at Phillip Island, is about to set some serious record-breaking marks !
We’ve an astonishing 526 bikes entered – increasing from 490 in 2014; and a massive 56 races on the agenda – up from 44 previously.
The biggest roll up in the event’s 22 year history proves the popularity of the event amongst all lovers of bikes – and lovers of racing on and off the grid. A haul of retired greats are champing at the bit to compete at Australia’s world famous motorcycle mecca and prove they’ve still got the talent and verve of their competitive past - especially when pitted against today’s young guns.
Teams Announced
Just as it has been since 2005, the headline act at the 2015 Australian Motorcycle News backed Island Classic will be the Tahbilk International Challenge, which will pit Australia against the UK, America and New Zealand in the coveted teams' challenge.
And… drum roll please…the teams are:
Australia
No - Name - Club - Sponsor - Make & Model - Year - Cap
19 Shawn Giles, TBR, D&D, Springwood Suzuki Suzuki Katana; 1982; 1294
23 Laurie Fyffe, PCRA, Superbike Performance Suzuki Harris; 1980; 1166
24 Brendan Roberts, HMCRR of SA TBR, D&D, Springwood Suzuki, Suzuki Katana, 1982. 1294
32 Robbie Phillis, Albury/Wodonga, Arnolds Fruit Market, Mick Hone Motorcycles Suzuki XR69, 1982, 1240
36 John Pace, Motorcycle Sportman QLD DMR Motorsports / Goodridge, Suzuki Katana, 1982, 1100
52 Ryan Taylor, NPBB MCC Milspec Manufacturing / Pirelli, Yamaha TZ750D, 1978, 750
76 Scott Webster, Sandringham, Moto-Martin Suzuki, 1982, 1200
86 Cameron Donald Harley Club, DMR Motorsport, Suzuki XR69, 1981, 1260
91 Jed Metcher, Preston MCC, Scott Owen RaceDevelopments, RaceCentre, Batteries Suzuki Katana, 1980, 1300
96 Paul Young, Mt Gambier MCC, T-Rex Racing Honda Harris F1, 1982, 1100
99 Steve Martin, TBR/D&D/QBE Insurance, Suzuki Katana, 1982, 1294
124 Peter Mizzi, Preston, Honda CB1100R, 1982, 1100
Captain Rex Wolfenden
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New Zealand
No - Name - Club - Sponsor - Make & Model - Year - Cap
10 Damien Kavney, QEMSC Team Kavney Racing, Suzuki XR69, 1982, 1260
41 Terry Morris, Hartwell, Nico Bakker TZ, 1980, 350
50 Glenn Hindle, PCRA, Old Gold Motorcycles / Goulburn Power Centre, Suzuki XR69, 1982, 1170
76 Todd Sutherland, Post Classic, Helicraft NZ, Yamaha TZ350, 1980, 350
94 Grant Dalton, NZ Post Classic, Suzuki XR69, 1980, 1100
107 Roger Gunn, HMRAV, Suzuki Katana, 1980, 1300
111 Duncan Coutts, Suzuki GSX1100, 1982, 1100
133, Andrew McLaren, Auckland, McIntosh TZ350, 1979, 350
133 Wayne Gow, PCRA, Motociclo Moto Guzzi, Moto Guzzi LeMans 1982, 1000
203 Vince Burrell, NZCMRR, Moto Kiwi, Wayne Gow, KRS, Red Line Oil, Moto Guzzi Le Mans 1980, 1000
444 Mike Meskell, Suzuki Katana, 1980, 1260
949, Brad Phelan, QEHM, Yamaha RD 1976, 400
Captain Kevin Grey and Stu Avant
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United Kingdom
No - Name - Club - Sponsor - Make & Model - Year - Cap
10 Conor Cummins, Team Winfield, Honda Harris F1, 1982, 1150
17 Ryan Farquhar, Team Winfield, Yamaha Harris F1, 1984, 1250
26 Keith Higgs, PCRA/CRMC, Ballistic Harris Magnum, 1978, 1260
31 Craig Ditchburn, Hartwell, Milspec Manufacturing, Yamaha TZ750, 1978, 750
33 Richard Peers-Jones, Yamaha TZH., 1980, 347
33 Jim Agombar, Hartwell MCC, Denis Brown, Yamaha TZ, 1979, 750
35 Clive Warner, Hartwell, Yamaha TZ, 1979, 750
75 Glen Richards, Team Winfield, Suzuki Harris F1, 1982, 1277
77 Derek Brown PCRA, NGSPERFORMANCE.COM, Harris Kawasaki XR69, 1982, 1170
77 John McGuinness, Team Winfield, Honda Harris F1, 1982, 1150
99 Jeremy McWilliams, Yamaha Harris F1, 1984, 1297
121 Mike Edwards, Team Winfield, Suzuki Harris F1, 1982, 1230
162 Rick Kwok, PCRA, Kawasaki P&M TTF1, 1978, 1230
Captain Keith Higgs
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United States
No - Name - Club - Sponsor - Make & Model - Year - Cap
7 Wade Boyd, Moto Tire Guy, Rosemunde Grill, Benders Bar, Kawasaki KZ1000 Classic, 1980, 1000
16 Danial 'Joe' Weir, Vicious Cycle / Larry Cook Racing, Suzuki GS Katana, 1982, 1260
45 Edwin Haazer, AFM, Sunset Racing, Kawasaki Z1000 MKII, 1979, 1200
66 Rob Mesa, Galfer Brakes, G-Force Racing Development, Yamaha TZ, 1978, 750
117 David Crussell, Scott Clough Racing, Yamaha TZ, 1978, 748
135 Ralph Hudson, Ironwood Racing, Suzuki GSX1100, 1982, 1177
136 Brian Filo, AHRMA - AMA, Framecrafters, 650 Central, Racetech Yamaha P & M, 1978, 1260
888 James McKay, Nevada MCC, Sudco, Precision Track Days, Suzuki GSX 1260, 1982, 1260
999 Anthony Bann, Sandringham, Suzuki GS1000, 1978, 1280
999 - Jason Smith, Jimi Mac Racing, Precision Track Days, Sudco Suzuki GS1100, 1982, 1100
Captain David Crussell
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The Tahbilk International Challenge will be held over four races, with the top five point scorers from each team going towards the final tally. The rules allow for machines manufactured between 1973 and 1984 to compete, and for capacities ranging from 350-1300cc. All engines must be air-cooled.
Two Wheel Talent Test
Australia has an unblemished record in the Tahbilk International Challenge, but worked up a real sweat to defeat the Jeremy McWilliams-led UK team in 2014. It was a massive fright, and in 2015 a number of new faces have been drafted into the Australian squad to provide even more bite, including Jed Metcher, Ryan Taylor, Paul Young and veteran John Pace. That trio will link up with Tahbilk International Challenge hard men such as Cameron Donald, Rob Phillis, Shawn Giles, Steve Martin and Brendan Roberts – all now retired from full-time racing except for Donald, but still enjoying the thrill of the hunt.
Metcher, who's just had three plates and nine screws removed from his left foot – the residual of a prior injury -- represents a real injection of Tahbilk International Challenge youth, and he's just completed a second shakedown test on the Suzuki Katana he'll race in 2015.
“This test was a really important one, as next time we hit the track on this Katana, it will be for real,” said Metcher. “I’m quite happy with the setup improvements that have been made since last time I rode the bike at Broadford in November.
"We have been working really hard developing a more powerful engine on the workbench which should be ready for the event and a big help."
Young, a former road racing star turned journalist at Australian Motorcycle News, will take on his first Tahbilk International Challenge on a Honda Harris F1 machine, and Ryan Taylor, who has dominated the Period 6 ranks at recent Island Classics, will be aboard Yamaha's towering TZ750.
Australia's biggest hard chargers in the Tahbilk International Challenge are again expected to be former national superbike champions Martin and Giles, as well Donald and Roberts.
The quartet was all fast in 2014, with Giles eventually scoring the individual honours alongside Briton Jeremy McWilliams -- both awarded the Ken Wootton Perpetual Trophy.
The UK team will again fight hard for the prize in 2015 with the ageless McWilliams at its disposal, as well as Ryan Farquhar, Conor Cummins, expatriate Glen Richards and the always quotable Isle of Man hero John McGuinness, who said he was "crunching his plums" in race four last year just trying to keep up with the main bunch.
Richards could be a real X-factor: the native South Australian was a successful long-time campaigner in England before retiring from full-time racing – a national supersport title the pinnacle. If he's on song at Phillip Island, he could be the man to help bridge the gap between Australia and the United Kingdom.
The American squad is headed by Rob Mesa, James McKay and David Crussell, while the Kiwis will keep the others honest with Damien Kavney leading the charge alongside Glenn Hindle, Roger Gunn and Terry Morris.
There are two non-riding team captains, Australia's Rex Wolfenden and New Zealand's Stu Avant, the latter a former international who once led a British 500 GP race. Avant is a co-captain with Kevin Grey, and America's chief is Crussell.