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Previously won by the likes of Geoff Duke, Ryan Farquhar, Michael Evans, Nathan Harrison, John Simpson and most recently Dan Ingham, Senior MGP success is a huge springboard moment in pure road racers careers.
One could be-forgiven for thinking are we in Monaco, Los Angeles, Paris given how idyllic it was in Parc Ferme before the blue-riband Manx Grand Prix race entered the horizon on schedule at 2:15 PM.
Lap One:
Hawick’s Chris Cook, second place finisher last year, got off to an absolute flyer, opening by Ramsey Hairpin a lead past five seconds with Caomhan Canny second, Supersport & Junior race winner Jamie Williams third.
At the Bungalow, Cook, closing rapidly in on leader on the road Williams, remained five seconds plus ahead of Canny.
As lap one ended, Cook, (120.595) led new ‘Tommy Club’ member Canny (120.229) by a reduced margin of 3.431 seconds.
Williams (119.478) third, was 7.1 further back but 5.218 to the good over Galashiels Johnny Stewart (118.932).
Completing the leader-board top eight were Don Gilbert (118.359), Ryan Whitehall (118.098).
Brook Built Racing’s Adrian Harrison (117.695) and Graham McAleese (117.552).
Lap Two:
Now first on the road Cook, had moved 12.066 seconds clear of Williams but what was his gap to Canny?
Answer 6.701 seconds, Cook, aboard blue, yellow liveried ZX6R Kawasaki apparatus looked to be in the zone.
This premonition bared more fruit at Ballaugh with the Scotsman expanding the race-lead to nigh-on 8.8 seconds.
Early race retirements included Grant Thomson at Braddan Oak, Dan Forbes stopping at Quarry Bends and Sidecar TT hero Dan Sayle.
Back to race proceedings and in command race leader Cook continued to pull the pin through Ramsey, the Bungalow, elevating the gap to Canny to 10.97 seconds.
As pit-stop time beckoned, Cook’s (120.994) lead at the end of lap two stood at a trimmed down margin of 8.741 seconds.
Canny in second had 14.935 on Williams (119.593), Gilbert (118.744) held fourth with Stewart fifth (118.169) only 0.038 of a second behind.
Ryan Whitehall (118.765) occupied sixth whilst a notable retiree in the pits was Skerries ace Andy Farrell.
Lap Three:
Aided via a sterling pit-stop, Canny had significantly cut Cook’s lead by Glen Helen, closing to within 2.58 (2.582) seconds.
By Ballaugh though Cook had swelled the race-lead, surging his upper-hand to 4.19 seconds plus.
Setting similar pace at Ramsey, Cook had the edge on Canny at the Bungalow, Cronk ny Mona and the start-finish, finishing the penultimate race lap with an advantage of 5.687 seconds.
Williams third, was 33.907 astray of Canny, Isle of Wight flyer Whitehall jumped up to fourth.
Gilbert dropped to fifth with Stewart completing the top six as the final lap of this year’s Manx Grand Prix entered fruition.
Lap Four:
Winning by 8.146 at Glen Helen, Cook was looking good to finish one place higher than his second-place result in 2024.
Whilst Cook and Canny who has fought his way back to optimum race fitness, after a major incident at Tandragee in June, looked baring misfortune, set for first, second place finishes, JLG/NCE Racing’s Williams was starting to feel pressure from a charging Ryan Whitehall.
Post Ramsey, the Bungalow, the top four order had not altered but the gaps between Cook and Canny, Williams and Whitehall were decreasing rather than increasing.
An incredible finish saw Canny (120.846 – final lap speed) amazingly overhaul Cook for victory glory, winning by 0.529 of a second.
Williams (119.002) hung onto third by the tiniest of margins, finishing P3 by get ready for this only 0.007 of a second!
Horsham’s Gilbert banked fifth behind the unlucky Whitehall, Stewart took sixth, McAleese gained seventh as Shann, Adrian Harrison, Ryan Garside wrapped up the leader-board top ten.
Top newcomer in eleventh was the extremely impressive Eddy Wormald (116.159) whilst fellow Mountain Course newbies Lee Hara (116.215), Matthieu Pauchard (115.021) scored equally respectable fourteenth, twenty first place finishes.
Post Race Reaction:
Caomhan Canny
“Madness, absolutely madness, I just kept hitting me markers, I got a board at the Creg saying 4.5 and I just thought it’s going to take something special, I can’t drop no time so I just done the best I could, I just don’t understand how I come back.
I’m a very competitive person I suppose and after Tandragee it just brings a whole lot more emotion to the event for me.”
“I always expect a bit too much from myself when I am riding a bike and I always expect to be riding well but it just does not happen like that.
It makes it a-lot sweeter after eight weeks ago at this stage, broke my pelvis in three places, tore ligaments in left ankle, dislocated my right shoulder, my ac joint and just multiple injuries and it just makes it so, so much more-sweeter.”
Photo credit: Mark Corlett, Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
Answer 6.701 seconds, Cook, aboard blue, yellow liveried ZX6R Kawasaki apparatus looked to be in the zone.
This premonition bared more fruit at Ballaugh with the Scotsman expanding the race-lead to nigh-on 8.8 seconds.
Early race retirements included Grant Thomson at Braddan Oak, Dan Forbes stopping at Quarry Bends and Sidecar TT hero Dan Sayle.
Back to race proceedings and in command race leader Cook continued to pull the pin through Ramsey, the Bungalow, elevating the gap to Canny to 10.97 seconds.
As pit-stop time beckoned, Cook’s (120.994) lead at the end of lap two stood at a trimmed down margin of 8.741 seconds.
Canny in second had 14.935 on Williams (119.593), Gilbert (118.744) held fourth with Stewart fifth (118.169) only 0.038 of a second behind.
Ryan Whitehall (118.765) occupied sixth whilst a notable retiree in the pits was Skerries ace Andy Farrell.
Lap Three:
Aided via a sterling pit-stop, Canny had significantly cut Cook’s lead by Glen Helen, closing to within 2.58 (2.582) seconds.
By Ballaugh though Cook had swelled the race-lead, surging his upper-hand to 4.19 seconds plus.
Setting similar pace at Ramsey, Cook had the edge on Canny at the Bungalow, Cronk ny Mona and the start-finish, finishing the penultimate race lap with an advantage of 5.687 seconds.
Williams third, was 33.907 astray of Canny, Isle of Wight flyer Whitehall jumped up to fourth.
Gilbert dropped to fifth with Stewart completing the top six as the final lap of this year’s Manx Grand Prix entered fruition.
Lap Four:
Winning by 8.146 at Glen Helen, Cook was looking good to finish one place higher than his second-place result in 2024.
Whilst Cook and Canny who has fought his way back to optimum race fitness, after a major incident at Tandragee in June, looked baring misfortune, set for first, second place finishes, JLG/NCE Racing’s Williams was starting to feel pressure from a charging Ryan Whitehall.
Post Ramsey, the Bungalow, the top four order had not altered but the gaps between Cook and Canny, Williams and Whitehall were decreasing rather than increasing.
An incredible finish saw Canny (120.846 – final lap speed) amazingly overhaul Cook for victory glory, winning by 0.529 of a second.
Williams (119.002) hung onto third by the tiniest of margins, finishing P3 by get ready for this only 0.007 of a second!
Horsham’s Gilbert banked fifth behind the unlucky Whitehall, Stewart took sixth, McAleese gained seventh as Shann, Adrian Harrison, Ryan Garside wrapped up the leader-board top ten.
Top newcomer in eleventh was the extremely impressive Eddy Wormald (116.159) whilst fellow Mountain Course newbies Lee Hara (116.215), Matthieu Pauchard (115.021) scored equally respectable fourteenth, twenty first place finishes.
Post Race Reaction:
Caomhan Canny
“Madness, absolutely madness, I just kept hitting me markers, I got a board at the Creg saying 4.5 and I just thought it’s going to take something special, I can’t drop no time so I just done the best I could, I just don’t understand how I come back.
I’m a very competitive person I suppose and after Tandragee it just brings a whole lot more emotion to the event for me.”
“I always expect a bit too much from myself when I am riding a bike and I always expect to be riding well but it just does not happen like that.
It makes it a-lot sweeter after eight weeks ago at this stage, broke my pelvis in three places, tore ligaments in left ankle, dislocated my right shoulder, my ac joint and just multiple injuries and it just makes it so, so much more-sweeter.”
Photo credit: Mark Corlett, Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
