Why are the presentations awarded before the last rider has crossed the line?
I think it is very wrong of the organisers to do this, after all there are still people out there racing. If I ever enterd the T.T.(and I will) I would like to see what is going on. And if I were to finish on the rostrum I would want to wait for everyone to finish. I know it has been the same way for years but I think change would be nice. At least all the riders could go for a beer together. By the time I finish everyone would be well on the way to being drunk. So this suggestion is really for me.
Hope I don't upset anyone!
And if I do, Oh Well!

I agree with you Lez. Same at the Manx. I often follow the progress of people at the front and the back. The later people lose out by not being mentioned at all on the radio after the leaders have crossed the line. This can be quite a worry if they have broken down somewhere, and you hear nothing.
Also, its a tremendous feat to finish at all, and should be recoginised. Godd luck when you get there...anyway, you might be on the podium and forgotten about the last finisher!

Totally agree.It is ignorant and totally discourteous,and I have condemned this practise for as long as I remember.When the winner crosses the line the lap scoring board fails to function correctly,and the newcomer who is on the last lap is regarded as a nobody.But as we all know---all the world loves a winner!!!The also rans are scum----NOT

Yes, agree, bad manners. Everyone who competes on that course deserves to be acknowledged over the finish line. Could you imagine it happening in a marathon.

Never thought about it before I always to busy but I agree 100%.

In 1977 & 1978 I sponsored Charlie Williams in the Junior, Senior and Classic races on the very best Maxton Yamahas that money could buy at great personal, expense, he won the Junior and finished 2nd in the Classic in 77 and finished second in the Junior again in 78 for me.

I never got to see any of the presentations to my rider because I was always racing in the same races with a lower starting number.

In the old days with a 120 starters in some races such as the senior some of the very late starters would be going through the the grandstand to start their last lap when Ago, Mike Hailwood or whoever was on the rostrum, actually did it myself once when my starting number was 100 in the senior on a T500 production bike which was a bit slow in comparison with the M.V.

Must agree that when you finish 4th 5th or 6th the attitude is a bit different to when you struggle home in the last three with some problem or other and that,s from personal experience.

I started last in the 1980 Senior MGP; not only were the winners on the rostrum, but I did not see another competitor from the Grandstand to the Bungalow Bridge, after which I caught about six others - that was a lonely ride. Even the spectators had melted away and I was certain the roads open car was on my tail!

Like most people I have often felt that the presentations were almost stampeded on us while other riders were still scrambling around to finish. Almost disrespectful I thought. However when trying to understand the reason for this it became apparent that the organisers, hated though they may be, must have had good reason for such action.
Just checking the 2003 TT timetable, take Wednesday 4th of June for instance,
Junior 600cc start 10.45 am 4 laps
Sidecar races B start 13.15 pm 3 laps

The times for the above were Junior, first Bruce Anstey 1-15-13 last Marc Bichouard 1-32.50
Sidecar B, first Dave Molyneux / Craig Hallam 1-04-25 last Pierre Duval / Loic Ansquer 1-35-09

Even if we disregard the weather and everything went to schedule then the Junior race would have been won at 12-02-03 pm, leaving 1hour 13 min before the start of the Sidecar race B. Now if they had waited until Marc Bichouard arrived at the finish at 12-31-00 that would leave only 44 min until the start of the next race.
There are many matters to be resolve before the next race, all the marshals must get back and report in and also go out to clear the road again. Fitting a victory ceremony in for the first three riders may be just too tight if they wait for ever rider to get back to the grandstand.
Carrying this further to the end of the day when the roads must be reopened for the residents who may or may not be interested in motorcycle racing. If you do the sums there is a real time pressure on the organisers.
We may be being a little unfair if we accuse them of an unfeeling attitude to the tailenders. They have to try to keep everyone happy, the riders, the fans, the press and the residents around the course. As well, some fans have to get to the ferry or airport.
We have to keep the roads closed for the minimum time possible, as we do not want this used against the TT.
Perhaps someone who was there can correct me with the actual start times due to the weather on that Wednesday.

I agree with a lot of what you say there, Don (quid novum?), but what is sad is that the people who do finish, as Bill described...the roads must still be closed, get no welcome when they finish.
Many of you will be sick of hearing my wee story about meeting Hailwood at the 77 Manx, but I assure you, when I met him, only he and I were in that finishing area, and the rider I was waiting for finished a few minutes later, followed by the course car. He was delighted thay had slowed to let him finish, but astonished to find not a soul but me there!

Vah! Denuone Latine loquebar? Me ineptum. Interdum modo elabitur.
Oh! Was I speaking Latin again? Silly me. Sometimes it just sort of slips out.

Am i dreaming or was there a story about a racer not accepting their trophy untill everyone had crossed the line ?? Help me someone i don`t think its old age !!!!

The late great Ronnie Smith is your man Stella.

Paul

Thanks paul, Would not have wished for a better answer than that !
cheers,
Stella