Maurice Mawdsley, long-time commentator, based at the start-finish on Castletown By-pass during the Southern 100 Road Races held on the Colas Billown Course was honoured for his service at the Southern 100 Club’s Annual Dinner held at the Best Western Palace Hotel recently.

The presentation was made by fellow commentator, Roy Moore, who had had the pleasure of working alongside Maurice during the races, Roy recalling some of the more amusing moments during their nearly 30-years of broadcasting together on the southside bourse every July.

Roy Moore - Tim Glover - Maurice Mawdsley - Chris Kinley
(Ellan Vannin Images)

Maurice first sat in the drivers cab of an old Isle of Man Transport double decker, which had been converted into the main commentary point and race control in 1988, moving to the splendour of the present Race Control Buildings in 2005 until switching off his Mic after the Southern 100 International Road Races in 2016.

Maurice’s first year, 1988 was intended to be a one-off, standing in for the then race commentator Peter Kneale, who had had to go on a previously arranged trip to Ireland, but Maurice’s tenure lasted 29 years !

In thanking the club for the presentation, Maurice said how much he had enjoyed his annual trip down south to the friendly races and how much he enjoyed the comradery of all involved and the hospitality and kindness shown to himself and his wife Marilyn and stated that the commentary point based initially in the old buses and now the present building was the best anywhere for the view, which is now echoed by Tim Glover who took over the helm in 2017, having previously commentated on the Pre-TT Classic & Post TT Road Races.