It seemed like a boy band was playing on the island on Friday morning, it was wet, wet, wet!! It was forecast to rain until 1 pm and then clear up. Practice was scheduled for the afternoon and also evening sessions. The roads were due to close at 12:30 pm for the first practice, Gary Thompson announced a one hour delay during the morning and then he cancelled the session.

I did a lap of the course around 2:30 pm, there were a few damp patches under the trees but in the main the road was dry all the way to Ramsey. Climbing up from the Gooseneck the mist started to come down and in places it was down to twenty yards visibility. It didn't clear until I was on the decent to Creg-ny Baa at Keppel Gate, no chance of practice being able to go ahead.

The hope was that Mannanan's Cloak would lift before the evening session was scheduled to get under way. South Barrule was still shrouded in mist as I headed for Quarterbridge. There was a good crowd gathering as we prepared to close the road then at quarter to six a message over the tetra radio said that an announcement would be made in five minutes. There was a rumour that they would let the bikes race until Ramsey and then be lead over the mountain by a travelling marshal and under waved yellow flags. This was just a rumour because the announcement that was subsequently made was to cancel the practice much to the disappointment of the crowd. The mist was not lifting and this along with gusts of wind up to 45 mph made it to dangerous for Gary to allow practice to go ahead. Hopefully conditions will improve for tomorrow's practice sessions.

Nine times TT winner Charlie Williams is on the island selling his autobiography C.W 'It was the Best of Times'. Priced at only £9.99 it is terrific value compared with contemporary riders autobiographies and it is not ghost written. Charlie has an encyclopedic memory for events which always embellished his Radio TT shows and now his role in the VIP marquee. This has now been reproduced in his autobiography which covers his whole career TT and his time on the continental circus, visit www.chariewilliamstt.com  for more information.

The own goal of not having any entertainment at the Bottleneck Carpark at the end of Douglas promenade needs to be fully investigated. Last year the Hooded Ram Brewery won the bid to run the site, this year they failed to fulfil the licencing requirements? Bushy's are providing excellent entertainment in the Villa Marina Gardens but the end of the prom there is nothing but a let down to the fans and a wasted commercial opportunity.

With no action, the photographs are from Tuesdays practice.

Photographs by Mike Hammonds:

Michael Dunlop starting another lap

Dominic Herbertson, Davies Motorsport / Belgrave Motor Company 1000cc Kawasaki


Newcomers, the Morgan brothers Kevin and Steve


Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes


Mike Hammonds

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