The Last Hurrah at Phillip Island

markQLD

markQLD

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QLD Australia
A typical PI weather forecast
Phillip_Island_forecast.jpg
FFS ! :cool:

In 2003 the weather was challenging to say the least. ☔
During the 125cc race, hot coffee stopped my hands from freezing and kept me alive.
In 2005 I rode down to the Island on the Jota with Tony on his 750S. Good weather and great riding.

And this weekend is Phillip Island's last hurrah.
(well,, officially it's suppose to be?)

We'll remember the Island for the good times..
and leave it to the penguins.
 

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Why is it closing ? ........ I remember Troy Corser hitting a seagull ( with his Ducati I hasten to add ) off the start line at one of the WSB rounds ........

An explosion of white feathers everywhere ...........

And a riderless RC45 making it`s own way down the start/finish straight ( on fire ) being kept upright by the Armco ....... and Anthony Gobert stuffing it to people coming down into that tight slow righthander ..........


There was once talk of Brands Hatch being sold off and being turned into a housing estate ........ what sort of sick individual could even think of such an idea ?
 
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Only went to PI once; that was way back in the past century, 1977, in the company of MotoddRob and his girlfriend on his SF2. I remember it was windy as .... On the way down, a night ride, wombats all over the roads like a game of dodge ems, and the only time I was asked to blow into a breathalyzer- negative; got lucky; it's all about timing.
 
Yes Dave now that you mentioned it I remember that ride.
I did make it back a couple of times for the GPs when I was living in Sydney.
Adelaide Street circuit, yeah nah.
Don't agree with removing 400 odd trees to make it safe. South Oz has a great newish circuit with all the facilities at the Bend so why a street circuit?
 
rocketonarail said:
And a riderless RC45 making it`s own way down the start/finish straight ( on fire ) being kept upright by the Armco ....... and Anthony Gobert stuffing it to people coming down into that tight slow righthander ..........
Click to expand...
Close ... but actually Stephane Mertens on the Ducati Superbike. I was there and witnessed the whole thing - would have to be one of the most spectacular offs, up there with that monster at the Auastrian GP about 4 years back.

Heading down - in the fukn car, while my missus rides her GS with our neice on her RE - after 8 months i still don't have a usable fuel tank FFS. Gone from the ridiculous to the absurd. In future i think I'll do my own repairs.

Staying at a place about an hour from the track, ride across on the bikes Sat and Sun - wet indeed it will be. You can't take Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean out of The Island!
 
My take on why it lost the GP. The GP is now owned by the same company that runs F1, and they want more. F1 got more by running street circuits in the middle of major cities where they can attract clean skins to motor sports. Other than the Irish road racers and the TT, where are bikes raced anywhere safely on street circuits? To me, this experiment will fail; already the track in South Oz required removal of heaps of trees, and that's never going to happen.
 
piranha-bro2 said:
Close ... but actually Stephane Mertens on the Ducati Superbike. I was there and witnessed the whole thing - would have to be one of the most spectacular offs, up there with that monster at the Auastrian GP about 4 years back.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that ......... I was going by memory and got it wrong ....... I had all the `nineties WSB on video , and used to get up at three or four on a Sunday morning to watch the Australian / Japanese / Malaysian rounds live ...........
 
piranha-bro2 said:
Close ... but actually Stephane Mertens on the Ducati Superbike. I was there and witnessed the whole thing - would have to be one of the most spectacular offs, up there with that monster at the Auastrian GP about 4 years back.

Heading down - in the fukn car, while my missus rides her GS with our neice on her RE - after 8 months i still don't have a usable fuel tank FFS. Gone from the ridiculous to the absurd. In future i think I'll do my own repairs.

Staying at a place about an hour from the track, ride across on the bikes Sat and Sun - wet indeed it will be. You can't take Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean out of The Island!
Click to expand...

I had my old manual focus camera, it all happened too quick when you've got a can in your hand..

img032_zpsbf260c9d (2023_09_27 07_47_03 UTC).jpgimg033_zps411aad1b (2023_09_27 07_47_03 UTC).jpgimg034_zpsc08f0b71 (2023_09_27 07_47_03 UTC).jpgimg035_zpsb085848a (2023_09_27 07_47_03 UTC).jpgimg036_zpsbe075f8a (2023_09_27 07_47_03 UTC).jpg
 

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rowdypat said:
I had my old manual focus camera, it all happened too quick when you've got a can in your hand..
Click to expand...

.. which makes your photos even more extraordinary

Here is the video ..


I was lucky enough to work for Stéphane (and the Johnson Team Total) back in 1986 for his penultimate season in the 250cc World Championship.
very good memories :)
As it happens, life has brought us back to being neighbors
 
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piranha-bro2 said:
What a sensational view of it! I was up at the top of the track (frame left) and saw it from the rear. Was he injured when he hit the wall, Steph?
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Yeah I agree .. great photo :)

If I remember correctly, he fractured his collarbone ..
.. from hitting the wall or during the fall I really don't know.
I will ask him for confirmation.
 
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