The following article appears in this weekend's Manx Independent, under the heading 'TT timing system to come under the spotlight' :-

"The new transponder timing system at the TT will come under the spotlight in Tynwald next week. John Houghton (Douglas North) wants to know why a results book was not produced for competitors, especially after they had to pay to have the transponders fitted to their bikes. The computerised system did have a few glitches over the fortnight but is regarded as the way forward for the event.

'The late Peter Kneale (former TT press officer and commentator) used to do a results book for the competitors that was packed full of information and very impressive to read,' he said. 'It's very sorely missed.'

He claims the transponder system should have made it easier for a book such as that to be produced. He will quiz Tourism and Leisure Minister David Cretney, who is Chairman of the TT co-ordinating committee, about the issue next Tuesday."

All I would add to the above is that at the Southern 100 Presentation Night on Thursday, all competitors were provided with a results book, along very similar lines to Peter Kneale's TT books, within 3 hours of the final race finishing. Yet again the Southern 100 club show the TT organisers how to make the competitors feel appreciated !

Congratulations to the Southern 100 on another exciting and well run event, the presentation another succsess. not like wednesdays TT cock up sorry I mean presentation. A good night was had by all and yes all riders got the full result's book , roll on next years Southern and well done to George and his team.

While we complement the organisation of the Southern 100 we should always acknowledge the vastly different scale of the TT over the Billown course and the logisitics involved.
Some things in life do not easily translate from small to large. An enlarged negative can never be as beautifully clear as the original and the friendly corner shopkeeper may not be successful if he were asked to run Tesco's.

Don, I'm not happy with your attempt to let the ACU Team down lightly in the context of comparing their performance with George Peach and his merry band!

Either you can organise or else you can't. The scale of the organisation is irrelevant.

As regards the TT Results Book, this has been produced for very many years, certainly since pre-War days.

It is only to be fervently hoped that the new TT Press Officer, who must surely be appointed soon, will revert to the old, proper and correct, practices.

why will there be a NEW press officer i thought we had one ?
May not suit everyone but i doubt you will find anyone with the heart and soul that Mr Cannell puts into the TT anywhere else, or is this another case of trying to bring in outsiders ?

Don, if the ACU were running Tesco's the corner shop would be a sight cheaper and much more friendly.

Yes we have still got a Press Officer Eric !
And we got Geoff Cannell coz he was only Manx
person applied suitable ??
No we don't want an outsider/non Manx doing
what he does best ??

But I certainly know a good Manx person who could
replace him............ideas anyone ????????

And do you know Geoff personally Eric ??

Only 34 days to first practise...................

After speaking to different friends of mine, who raced at the TT this year. They all have said what a shambles the whole two weeks were, and some have said they would not bother going back. What is needed is some younger people involved in the organising side, in the race office etc. When a rider goes into an office they expect to be spoken to in a proper manner, not like an idiot. Lets not forget if it was not for the riders paying entry fees etc, then these people would not have their cushy little jobs and all expences paid. If the TT is to survive, and I for one hope it does, then some drastic steps need to be taken.

Well said Gary ! and i bet the people i`ve been talking to were different to the ones you were ? but they are all saying exactly the same thing !
Stella.

I haven't heard anything about replacing the press officer, but I for one would NOT like to see Geoff replaced. I think he does a great job, and lets not forget how hard it must be to do live radio in an exciting race without saying a slightly wrong word, if you know hat I mean.
Keep up the good work Geoff!!
Russ Henley

I agree the Southern for me was apart from the tragic accident must be the best run meeting of the year roll on 2004.

no i do not but have had a couple of conversations with him on other topics

The Southern was always the best and most enjoyable race of the year for me looks like nothings changed since I was last there twenty years ago.

You can't knock the old hands all of the time, look at the who's who photos on the S100 web site, looks like a bunch of old lags who have done thirty years in Strangeways, what a bloody crew.

Des Evans, Gordon Clague and the rest of them, all looking a bit iffy these days, but what great bunch of lads, Gordon used to be a scrutineer or chief scrutineer, because I was on my own he always used to let me take one bike through and get on with getting out to practice and would see that all my other bikes were done and ready for me when I came back to change over.

The old hands at the T.T. Colin Armes and his wife, Len Harfield, and Derek Jackson, Fred Hanks all spring to mind, were always helpful to riders and bent over backwards to see that riders were sorted out and okay. By the sounds of it the people and things have changed a lot

Seems to me it's the way all sport is going, we live in a changing world and not for the better, glad I was at it in the 60s/70s and early 80s so I aint got no bad memories apart from absent friends.

Defintitely going to try and get to the Southern in 85 for the Anniversary.

seems like this thread is losing its way??
Re press officer,personally i think Geoff has done a good job,,but i got the impression this year at the TT, that he was being stuck in the middle too much,
Yes he is the press officer,but who does he work for at the end of the day?? The ACU, or the IOM govt???
I hate to be a sceptic,but do you really think that the questions asked in the House and the Think Tank will be anwsered?? honestly??
To the point of the S100 running a great meeting,yes they do by far!!
But if they were to take on the TT whilst the ACU have got a foothold in it,it will be a no go,
Lets face it we all know that people from the various clubs get invovled in the running of the TT,but always find they hands tied!!
This is my personaly impression after being involed with the TT for a long time,

The computerised system had a few glitches? I believe the technical term is " It were rubbish".

well sorry but to put the other side being of the island i followed the races by the computer and it was not rubbish i got all i needed

well sorry but to put the other side being of the island i followed the races by the computer and it was not rubbish I got all I needed

Well eric you are obviously not familiar with the information that transponders "should" provide you with. You or your team should be able to get updated times whilst the racer is out on track updated constantly and also showing you if your on a faster lap etc than before. You will also be able to get printed info on lap sectors etc to show you where your loosing time etc at the end of your session. Will not go on to much but if a racer has paid out a loto money which they have, i certainly feel that they deserve to get what they are intitled to as regards service. Its a great shame that its not worked properly as at the circuits that do use its its Great !!
cheers,
Stella

You obviously didnt look at the lap times then, Eric. I believe the unnoficial lap record, courtesy of the transponder system, is now in the thousands of miles per hour, and no doubt you also didnt notice that some races, 3 I believe, were timed manually, because the transponder system failed. I hope you're more alert than that when you're marshalling! LOL. I dont believe that the competitors should be required to buy something, ie transponders, just so the organisers can find out whether the system works or not, that should have been sorted out first at the organisers and system suppliers expense.

There was a suggestion that the transponders should have been tried out for one year on the horse trams but that was not done--
However we must face the fact that this is the 21st century and it won't be long before we are travelling through time itself..

After 55 years of involvement with the TT and motorcycle sport in general I see "GREED" being the buzz word of the moment...Is it sport any more ???

I was at the speedway last night for a change and I saw petty officialdom ruin a whole evening..

It took one hour to run off six heats each heat lasting 60 seconds !!

Is that what the public want to see ??

Yet at Assen the racing is continuous and as one race finishes the next lot are out..

Did anyone see the Donnington "NO PASS" parade.....BORING ????!!!

Just WHAT is happening ??

Finally Geoff does as Geoff does and he did his best in difficult circumstances...........

But could it all be MUCH better ??

Things MUST change in 2004 or we wind it up !