Defending Southern 100 Champions Return - Printable Version +- TT Website Forum (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums) +-- Forum: Isle of Man TT Website (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=3) +--- Forum: Southern 100 Meetings (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=237) +--- Thread: Defending Southern 100 Champions Return (/showthread.php?tid=26755)

Defending Southern 100 Champions Return - Malcolm - 04-07-2018 Last years’ Southern 100 Solo and Sidecar Champions have confirmed their intentions to return to the Colas Billown Course to defend their prestigious titles at the 2018 International races sponsored by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. Team Silicone Engineering’s competitors Dean Harrison, John Holden and Lee Cain set a unique piece of history last year, becoming the first team to take both the Southern 100’s most prestigious titles, the Solo and Sidecar Championships, both sponsored at the time by Manx Gas. Dean Harrison will be endeavouring to keep his hands on the Ennett Memorial Trophy, although one man from Ballymoney, Michael Dunlop will be doing his utmost to wrest the title and trophy back for the fourth time, having previously won the championship in 2011, 2012 and 2106. Neither Dean or Michael can expect the Hunts Motorcycles Solo Championship race and the others leading up to it will be a dual between the two of them, as in every race they are entered in there are another 26 competitors looking to take the chequered flag and the honour that goes with winning. Regular Southern 100 entry, James Cowton is very likely to be mixing it with the current and previous champions, now that he is on the McAdoo Kawasaki machines, whose earlier riders, Bob Jackson and Ryan Farquhar have taken the championship. McAdoo’s newest signing, Adam McLean showed he likes the Colas Billown Course, winning the 600cc race in the Post TT Races and will no doubt be continuing this form and making his presence felt. Jamie Coward, Yorkshire neighbour to James Cowton, are good friends and rivals and their race battles are renewed almost race by race and will continue without a break during the three days racing, no doubt joined by Lincolnshire rider Ivan Lintin. The Young-guns will also be wanting to enhance their personal cv’s. Ian Lougher’s rider Joey Thompson is already a race winner at Billown; Newcomer and TT Privateer Champion Davey Todd, along with Brian McCormick and Michael Sweeney are more than capable of upsetting current form. Local interest will fall upon Ryan Kneen, riding no. 14 in memory of his brother Dan. Jamie Williams who is being mentored by 35 times Billown course winner Chris Palmer, Dean Osborne and Dan Sayle who will only be riding in the Lightweight races. Dan will have the likes of Paul Robinson, Alistair Haworth, Seamus Elliot and the Gooding brothers Mick and Mark to contend with. Like Dean Harrison, John Holden and Lee Cain took their first Sidecar Championship last year and have every intention of holding onto The Peel Engineering and Oates/Molyneux Trophies after the eight lap Daryl Blake Construction Sidecar Championship Race on Thursday afternoon. However, it won’t be an easy task as three times winner in 2013, 2015 & 2016 Tim Reeves will be wanting his name back on the prestigious trophy. This year Tim has his 2015 winning passenger Mark Wilkes back in the chair with him. The ambitions of the two crews could easily be overturned by the likes of Wayne Lockey / Kenny Cole, and Conrad Harrison and Andy Winkle, second and third last year, plus Steve and Matty Ramsden along with another previous winner Greg Lambert and Julie Canipa. The quality of the Sidecar entry is second to none and should guarantee some breath-taking racing around the 4.25-mile Colas Billown Course on Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon on Championship Day. (Photos of Solo Champions Dean Harrison and Sidecar Champions John Holden & Lee Cain coutesy of Tracey Killey.)