BBC NI | NW200

Practice, Preview & A Dunlop Double?

Wed, 12 May 2010 15:26:20 +0000

Feet held up for the first practice session - even though, as expected, I got no sympathy from anyone on the grid!

Freezing last night - rider Jimmy Moore from Alaska was complaining - so it really must have been bad.

Going to a premiere showing of the BBC documentary Joey Remembered this afternoon - the programme will be broadcast on BBC1 NI on Saturday night at 10.55pm, as we approach the 10th year anniversary of his death.

The NW200 wouldn't be the same without the Dunlop name - and I was really impressed with both William and Michael last night - do you agree with me that there could be a Dunlop double on Saturday?

Don't forget our preview programme, live from the paddock on Friday night - we'll be broadcasting on BBC1 at 10.35pm from the HM Plant and RiderMotorcycles garages - it's a busy place at the moment as Michael Rutter has major Ducati Superbike problems!

In the show we'll have loads of features including at home with Ryan Farquhar, behind the scenes with Alistair Seeley, the inside track on the new Mathers Chicane, and today we've been filming with Gary Mason, Steve Plater, and Stuart Easton at the famous Dunluce Casle... we'll also have special guests dropping in to see us including one who's flying in specially, from America!

Look forward to hearing from you.

Ice Man Cometh

Thu, 06 May 2010 17:19:23 +0000

Stephen Watson faces his own race to be ready for the NW200. As the pic below shows, the NW200 presenter is struggling to be fit for next week's race fest. Too many miles at the Masters and too much cantering at the Cookstown 100 have left his legs in bad way.

Fallen arches, damaged achilles and now a dodgy knee, mean he's laid up at home trying to balance all the prep for the live preview TV programme along with his plans for the rest of race week, culminating in a full day of presenting from the grid come race day on Saturday 15 May.

However, he is undeterred : "I'll definitely be there, there is no way I'd miss the NW200. .....I don't know what shape I'll be in by the end of it, but I can't wait for it to start"

If anyone has any homemade remedies or suggestions for his creaking joints please post them here.

Duddy Time

Fri, 15 May 2009 20:13:47 +0000

Hello from a very wet and dull Portstewart. It's a miserable day but the weather doesn't stop the NW200 attracting its fair share of visitors, including some big names in Irish sport. Freshly crowned A1GP Champion, Adam Carroll, arrived in style this morning in his black Porsche Carrera ...very nice. I took him for a walk around the paddock and he was impressed with the size of the operation and is an avid fan of the biking, keeping an eye on the practices via our online coverage.

As you can see by the pic below, Derry boxer John Duddy, called in to the New Media hub to see for himself, how we bring you the live streaming. The middle-weight, who fights out of New York, revealed he is a Spurs fan. After his recent fight ended in defeat he had a small piece of good news delivered to him by a friend, who told him that Spurs were 2-0 up at Old Trafford against Manchester United.........but, as we now know, the Champions elect ( it hurts me to say that as a L'pool fan ) went on to record a stunning comeback, to win the match 5 - 2 !!

I had a call from Jonathan Rea who is in South Africa for the World SuperBike Championship and was able to watch the practice session at the NW200, online. Right, off to prepare for tonight's preview programme on BBC 1 NI.

Here's hoping for at least some dry weather tomorrow. Stephen

Watson Writes... (part two)

Thu, 14 May 2009 13:53:31 +0000

We're getting ready for the second practice session tonight and I'm looking forward to getting onto the grid to bring you the live coverage on the website. Hopefully it won't rain!

Just been talking to Michael Dunlop, who says he's not fussed what the weather does tonight as his Tuesday practice went well. But I did discover that he wears two different coloured boots - one orange and one blue. He told me it's a fashion statement, but the truth is that he can acquire one (and I don't know how) from the Belfast Motorbike Show and the other from the Dublin Bike Show.

Also bumped into a North West fan who told me that Steve Plater made an unscheduled pit stop during Tuesday practice when he had to call into a petrol station to borrow money and refuel. I find this very hard to believe. Please, can someone confirm?

Embarrassing moment of the week could well be for Stephen Thompson. I have been told by a very good source that, while showing the newcomers around the circuit on Tuesday, he overshot the chicane at Juniper and ended up in the hedge. Very much a case of do as I say, not as I do. Please, can someone send us a photograph?

FInally, I would also just like to say happy anniversary to timekeeper Sally Best, who's here for the 60th time. If you've benn coming to the North West longer than that, let us know.

Watson Writes... (part one)

Tue, 12 May 2009 19:49:04 +0000

Hello from the North Coast! I'm Stephen Watson and this is the first of my blogs, in which I'll be keeping you up to date with what's happening here at the Triangle all week.

My job this week is to present all our live inserts on BBC Newsline every day, as well as host two live preview programmes on Wednesday and Friday, and front the live coverage on the grid on Saturday. If you have any quirky stories you think we should be covering please let me know.

Yet again we are beaming the North West 200 all over the world on this website, so wherever you are watching please let me know - I'd be delighted to hear from you. As I write this during Tuesday pratice we've just had emails landing in the inbox from Paul in Tenerife, Gregory in San Diego, and Curtis in Florida to name but a few. I still find it amazing that so many people can now see this fantastic event in every literally every country on the planet - including John on an oil rig in Angola!! If you are enjoying the coverage then do tell us, and send us any questions you would like answered by our team of experts.

It's always nice to see familiar faces popping into say hello. One of the first visitors to the paddock area this week was European Tour golfer Graeme McDowell. A Portrush man, he flew in from America on Monday afternoon, and called in to see us en route to the Irish Open in Baltray. TAS team boss Hector Neill gave Graeme the run down on the new Suzuki Superbikes, but he couldn't resist asking the Ryder Cup star for a quick lesson - if you see him give him some stick!

I'd also like to hear your thoughts on any potential local winners this week. Can Michael Dunlop win a 600cc race like he did at Tandragee? Can Ryan Farquhar or Adrian Archibald get on the top step of the podium? Or will it be Alastair Seeley flying the flag again for Northern Ireland with the Ulster based TAS team?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,
Stephen.