Novice marshals who signed on for the first time during the TT this year 138...........good to see so many :wink:


Novice marshals who signed on for the first time during the Manx GP this year 255 :shock: :shock:

Well done ALL of you

Heard someone on the radio this morning saying marshals had not been asked properly if we could cover Saturday.
We were asked every day, and it must have been fairly clear from the start as people had boats to catch, work to go to etc, BUT we were still being asked on Friday, and, furthermore people were still coming forward.
There was no way it could have gone ahead, and I am surprised and disappointed to hear a fellow marshal criticising the TTMA team in this way.
Just imagine if we had all turned out on Saturday, with cancelled arrangements etc, and then it had become clear it could not go ahead... people would have been very annoyed, justifiably. The right decisions were made and the corret, thorough procedures were undertaken.
Gone are the days when we would turn out and hang about all day for nothing. Wherever possible decisons are made early.. for our convenience.
Many, many thanks to the dedicated TTRA organisers... you are real stars.
Pity the Manx had'nt been this week...

Incidentally, another factor, not mentioned much, is that many riders had to go too. Boats to catch, other races to compete in, and jobs to get back to.

I believe that virtually ALL riders would be prepared for racing on the Saturday as this has always been a possibility and also has actually happened in the past and since they allow time to 'recover' from their post-racing celebrations, I can't imagine many would be hot-footing it onto the boats on Friday evening. Also, most riders would be prepared to re-arrange for a later sailing rather than miss the chance to race if it were delayed to the Saturday!
I know personally of a bunch of marshalls who were NOT asked if they would be available on the Saturday. There may even have been Manx residents who had not previously volunteered but would have come forward on their day off from work, had they known about the possibility of a cancelled race? Could it be that the marshals are being 'used' as an excuse when in fact there was no intention of roads being closed on the Saturday, for some reason? Or even that the weather forecast was also poor for the Saturday and so this wasn't considered as an option? (Benefit of the doubt.)
I understand that the MCN is claiming that the Senior didn't happen because of a lack of marshals. This is hardly true when in fact the case was that the weather was responsible, surely?!
Just another opinion.

I don't know why there was no possibility of racing on the Saturday, maybe the weather, but it wouldn't have been any worse than Friday. Riders will always be prepared to race on the Saturday but of course after all the expense and work that goes into the manx during the year, a rider would be daft to not forfeit a days work and miss the big race, I never have booked to come home before saturday night at the earliest, but I can see why marshals may not be so enthusiastic.
But if it was in MCN it MUST be TRUE :roll: :roll: :?: :?:
Cheers
Russ