Borders sidecar rider Steve Kershaw hoping for another go at Isle of Man TT races after managing top-ten finish on debut

This year’s fortnight-long TT festival was hampered by almost-daily rain, and with no racing permitted in wet conditions, that led to a sizeable reduction in track time for both solo riders and sidecar teams.

Lauder’s Kershaw and Merseysider Gibbons were able to fit in a newcomers’ lap of the near-38-mile circuit before rain halted proceedings on day one of their trip and they managed to fit in the required amount of qualifying laps on their Honda LCR outfit over the next six days when the weather allowed, though, ending the week eighth-fastest on 110.5mph.

Their first race was postponed until a week ago on Monday because of bad weather and, due to extra races having to be shoehorned in, it was cut from three laps to two.

Though happy just to get going better late than never, that happiness proved to be short-lived as less than seven miles into their first lap, their radiator cap failed, leading to coolant spraying out and their engine overheating, forcing them to pull up at Ballacraine and retire as Manx brothers Ryan and Callum Crowe went on to set a new lap record at just over 121mph and take another win to add to their double victory last year.

Last Wednesday’s scheduled race two was also pushed back due to rain-enforced suspensions, until Friday, and it too was reduced to two laps of the mountain course, but Kershaw and Gibbons’ bike was equipped with a higher pressure cap second time round, donated by the latter’s uncle Pete Founds after he and passenger Jevan Walmsley were left out of action by an 130mph crash earlier in the week.

That replacement part did the trick and the Borders team finished seventh overall in 40:59.409, increasing their speed to 110.7mph.

They also placed third in the standard engine category behind Newcastle’s Lee Crawford and Scottish sidekick Scott Hardie, third overall in 39:14.612, and Anglo-French pairing Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle/Clement, fourth overall in 39:31.416.

The Crowe brothers claimed win No 4 by over a minute from former champion Ben Birchall and Patrick Rosney in 37:42.692, hitting speeds of over 120mph.

Despite it not going entirely according to plan, Kershaw was encouraged enough by his first TT entry to fancy another go, saying: “This has been a fabulous experience.

“I don’t think any of us expected it to be so mentally draining for the whole two weeks. With the weather so changeable, we were constantly waiting for updates, so there was no way to relax.

“When we did get on track, though, it was everything and more that I hoped it would be.

“Race one was such a disappointment, with a ten-quid part letting us down after it worked fine all through practice.

“Race two, however, made up for everything. To get a top-ten finish and come home with a silver replica trophy means the world to all of us.”

That replica trophy, awarded to all competitors within 110% of the winning time, is believed to be the first brought back to the Borders since Denholm’s late Steve Hislop won 1994’s senior TT race.

Kershaw added: “The team would like to thank the sponsors who made it happen and all the others who have contributed.

“They also wish all competitors injured over the fortnight a full and speedy recovery and hope to see them all there next year.”