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Motoring: BIKES: All Roads Lead to Thundersprint Spectacular

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 May 2005, 15:00 CDT

THE organisers have done their hard work. Now the fans have to turn up.

And this weekend's Thundersprint event in Northwich lives up to expectations, there should be at least 100,000 of them. Think about it for a minute - that's pretty well the capacities of Anfield and Old Trafford football grounds put together. Not bad for a bike event in a mediumsized Cheshire town, even if it is quite free for spectators.

From being one of the northwest's moveable biking feasts, Thundersprint is now well and truly settled in Northwich. But it's still a feast, giving spectators the chance to see dozens of classic racing bikes being put through their paces by riders whose names are a roll-call of top-notch competitors from the last four decades.

This year the attractions are spread out over the whole weekend, and also include a range of alternative attractions to keep those amused who have attended more out of a sense of family duty than real bike enthusiasm (alas). This means fun-fairs, folk singers, craft stalls and everything else that goes into turning on the carnival atmosphere.

The bikes, though, are the real reason for Thundersprint happening, and as well as the sporting events there will be more trade stands than ever before. Organiser Frank Melling reckons a complete walking tour of all the attractions would take up about two and a half miles' worth of shoe leather - for Liverpool readers that's a complete lap of the city's Sefton Park plus a bit more for good luck. There's an element of racing for fun about the track events, but it has to be said that some competitors are taking their fun pretty seriously.

Vivaldi Potatoes is one of the events' main sponsors, bringing along the Vivaldi Potatoes Superbike racing team. Fun it maybe compared with some events, but a team that's bringing along six sets of qualifying tyres obviously means business.

Honda's 1960s GP star Jim Redman has long been one of the most high-profile Thundersprint competitors, and although many of his rides are demonstration runs these days, he insists that he is determined to add a Thundersprint winner's medal to his collection before he finally gives up racing. Meanwhile he'll be available as always in the paddock to chat to chat to race fans and swap memories of a career going back over 40 years.

Belgian start Freddy Lambilotte will be among the overseas contingent this years, with a BMW outfit that should attract many admiring looks, as well as recalling that days when BMW were the sidecar racers supreme.

The formal programme of events starts on Saturday lunchtime with the opening of the concourse display and judging later in the afternoon, while Sunday's programme centres around the cavalcade through the streets of Northwich at noon and then the sprint session from 1.30pm, preceded by a Spitfire aerobatic display. It's all over by 6pm - and that's when planning for the 2006 event starts, say organisers

Source: Daily Post; Liverpool

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