Superbike rider dies during North West 200 qualifying
Al Jazeera
A motorcyclist died during the Superbike qualifying session at the North West 200 in Northern Ireland on Thursday. It is the 20th fatality at the event since 1929 and the first since 2016. The victim's family requested anonymity but allowed the remainder of the event to proceed.
A motorcyclist died during the qualifying session of the prestigious Superbike North West 200 (NW200) in Northern Ireland on Thursday.
According to a statement from the organizers, the Coleraine and District Motor Club, the rider crashed at the Station Corner of the NW200 circuit during the morning Superbike qualifying.
“The session was immediately red-flagged, the medical team attended, but the rider succumbed to injuries,” the statement said.
The victim’s family requested that the rider’s name not be disclosed but allowed the event to continue through Saturday.
This is the 20th fatality at the North West 200 since its inception in 1929, and the first since 2016, when rider Malachi Mitchell-Thomas died during a Supertwins race.
The North West 200 runs on a more than 9-mile (15 km) public road course along the north coast of Northern Ireland, through the towns of Portstewart, Coleraine, and Portrush.
The track is known for its high-speed straights but also features tight corners and unpredictable coastal weather. The event draws tens of thousands of fans to the Ulster region each year.
