goaill fea Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 My father once told me of a race, it used to go from Snaefell to Blackpool Tower in the 1970`s - 1980`s, i think it was organised by someone called "king coal" or ( cole, Kole ), does anyone have any info or memorabelia of this ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molly Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Keith shimmin (Q&S Motors) told me about that using bikes, mini cooper minis as fast as poss to the breakwater and onto a power boat. sounded quite an epic race. If youre ever walking around cristal port soderick , hes the guy who has the duck pond. Nicest guy you could ever meet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 It was the other way I think - Blackpool to Snaefell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaill fea Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Is Keith Shimmin still going ? god he must be knocking on a bit now, i remember when he was at QS motors in Queen St, and he looked old then, Was he the organiser of this ? Keith shimmin (Q&S Motors) told me about that using bikes, mini cooper minis as fast as poss to the breakwater and onto a power boat. sounded quite an epic race. If youre ever walking around cristal port soderick , hes the guy who has the duck pond. Nicest guy you could ever meet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaill fea Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Why did it stop, as this sounds a popular event ? Keith shimmin (Q&S Motors) told me about that using bikes, mini cooper minis as fast as poss to the breakwater and onto a power boat. sounded quite an epic race. If youre ever walking around cristal port soderick , hes the guy who has the duck pond. Nicest guy you could ever meet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molly Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Still going strong yes and in good health apart from a bad ankle , not sure he was the organiser or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 I finished third in the engineless class in the first year, it was sponsored by Heineken. We were allowed to get powered transport until we were at sea. I ran down Snaefell, fast car to Laxey, rowed out to John Ranscombe's yacht, had a six hour rough crossing to Fleetwood, picked up by a guy on a bike who raced to Blackpool Tower, clocked in and had to drink a can of Heineken which you had to carry with you. We then went for another run on the way back but the weather turned bad and it took ten hours. I still have my race number somewhere and a results sheet. A couple of years later I raced to the airport with a competitor on the back of my bike, people were pulling over to allow you a clear run but to be honest there were some dodgy trips going on, I don't think it would go down so well with the motoring public now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaill fea Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 How was that the "engine less class", with a fast car to laxey ? I finished third in the engineless class in the first year, it was sponsored by Heineken.We were allowed to get powered transport until we were at sea. I ran down Snaefell, fast car to Laxey, rowed out to John Ranscombe's yacht, had a six hour rough crossing to Fleetwood, picked up by a guy on a bike who raced to Blackpool Tower, clocked in and had to drink a can of Heineken which you had to carry with you.We then went for another run on the way back but the weather turned bad and it took ten hours. I still have my race number somewhere and a results sheet.A couple of years later I raced to the airport with a competitor on the back of my bike, people were pulling over to allow you a clear run but to be honest there were some dodgy trips going on, I don't think it would go down so well with the motoring public now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molly Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 How was that the "engine less class", with a fast car to laxey ? I finished third in the engineless class in the first year, it was sponsored by Heineken. We were allowed to get powered transport until we were at sea. I ran down Snaefell, fast car to Laxey, rowed out to John Ranscombe's yacht, had a six hour rough crossing to Fleetwood, picked up by a guy on a bike who raced to Blackpool Tower, clocked in and had to drink a can of Heineken which you had to carry with you. We then went for another run on the way back but the weather turned bad and it took ten hours. I still have my race number somewhere and a results sheet. A couple of years later I raced to the airport with a competitor on the back of my bike, people were pulling over to allow you a clear run but to be honest there were some dodgy trips going on, I don't think it would go down so well with the motoring public now. Id guess he means the water crossing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 How was that the "engine less class", with a fast car to laxey ? I finished third in the engineless class in the first year, it was sponsored by Heineken. We were allowed to get powered transport until we were at sea. I ran down Snaefell, fast car to Laxey, rowed out to John Ranscombe's yacht, had a six hour rough crossing to Fleetwood, picked up by a guy on a bike who raced to Blackpool Tower, clocked in and had to drink a can of Heineken which you had to carry with you. We then went for another run on the way back but the weather turned bad and it took ten hours. I still have my race number somewhere and a results sheet. A couple of years later I raced to the airport with a competitor on the back of my bike, people were pulling over to allow you a clear run but to be honest there were some dodgy trips going on, I don't think it would go down so well with the motoring public now. There was a separate class for totally engineless entries, totally solo entries, powered sea, scheduled sea, powered air etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaill fea Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Could this be a new tourist venture for someone, i wonder ? ( you obviously could`t use the steam packet to get to Blackpool tower ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaill fea Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Do you still have any flyers for this ? How was that the "engine less class", with a fast car to laxey ? I finished third in the engineless class in the first year, it was sponsored by Heineken.We were allowed to get powered transport until we were at sea. I ran down Snaefell, fast car to Laxey, rowed out to John Ranscombe's yacht, had a six hour rough crossing to Fleetwood, picked up by a guy on a bike who raced to Blackpool Tower, clocked in and had to drink a can of Heineken which you had to carry with you.We then went for another run on the way back but the weather turned bad and it took ten hours. I still have my race number somewhere and a results sheet.A couple of years later I raced to the airport with a competitor on the back of my bike, people were pulling over to allow you a clear run but to be honest there were some dodgy trips going on, I don't think it would go down so well with the motoring public now. There was a separate class for totally engineless entries, totally solo entries, powered sea, scheduled sea, powered air etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 I'll have a look and see what I can find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 My dad took part in this in the early 70's (72/73), car from Snaefell to Ronaldsway, scheduled flight to Blackpool (there was a private aircraft class too) then motorbikes from Blackpool Airport to the Tower He had another bike/rider waiting the other side of every set of traffic lights, so if they were on red he could run across & jump on the other bike I'll dig out some photos and I did obtain a race guide from one year which I'll scan when I find it :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaill fea Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 This sounds like a cross between the "Wacky Races" and "Monty Carlo Or Bust", Why did it cease ? My dad took part in this in the early 70's (72/73), car from Snaefell to Ronaldsway, scheduled flight to Blackpool (there was a private aircraft class too) then motorbikes from Blackpool Airport to the TowerHe had another bike/rider waiting the other side of every set of traffic lights, so if they were on red he could run across & jump on the other bikeI'll dig out some photos and I did obtain a race guide from one year which I'll scan when I find it :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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