Kells Road Races say they will not give up as all NI events cancelled
The committee of the long-established Kells Road Races say they are determined to try to secure insurance cover for this year's event, despite soaring costs leading to the cancellation of all motorcycle events in Northern Ireland, writes Louise Walsh.
The 29-year-old Meath club say they have already started searching for public liability cover after the 'devastating' news that events such as the North West 200 will not go ahead in 2023.
The organisers are facing quoted costs for pubic liability insurance tripled to some £400,000.
Other cancelled events included the Ulster Superbike Championship, the Cookstown 100 and the Ulster Grand Prix
The reasons for the increased premiums include instability in the insurance market and insurers getting concerned by the number of claims in the sport.
Kells Road Races secretary and PRO Diarmaid Corcoran is determined that the club will leave no stone unturned to ensure this year's planned event goes ahead.
"The news in Northern Ireland has been disappointing and devastating for the thousands of Irish motorcyclists involved in the sport," he said
"Maybe if we had been told sooner, we might have been able to come up with other options. All clubs seem to have been priced out of the market
"In the past, two insurance companies have shared the public liability and personal injury risks but I'm told one of those companies isn't even giving a quote this year for events in the Republic.
"There has been a number of claims settled and a number of claims pending, which has probably driven that decision. Maybe it's time to look at pre-determined awards for injuries, like in other clubs, instead of case-by-case costs determined by the courts
"The cost of insurance for Kells Road Races in recent years has been between €20,000 and €25,000 and it would probably triple this year, if any quotes are obtained
"That's why we are trying to get our own insurance cover for Kells Road Races this year. All our sponsors have come on board again and we have already started looking at all options, including maybe an umbrella group of various clubs, like other industries affected by insurance issues have done
"We have to try, that's the main thing. And if nothing can be done, then we will take the year out to rethink and regroup and hopefully come back with a new plan for 2024
"There is an inherent love for motorcycle events in Ireland and that's why we aren't prepared to give up just yet."
In a statement issued by the Motorcycle Union of Ireland (Ulster Centre) on February 9, chairman John Dillon said that after a number of meetings "the consensus was that the costs proposed were, at this time, unsustainable for most clubs in order to provide the public liability cover to run our planned events".