Fans hail Isle of Man TT as the 'ultimate race'
BBCFans visiting the Isle of Man TT have described the excitement of watching the "ultimate race" from up close around the course.
Tens of thousands of visitors have travelled to the island for the event, which continues until 7 June, with the final qualifying rounds set to conclude later.
Fans will then pick their favourite spots around the 37.7-mile (61km) course to watch the first day of racing at the 2025 event on Saturday.
John Little from Belfast said the the draw of coming to the event was down it being "totally different" to other motorcycle races and "the one everyone wants to win".
The biker, who is visiting the festival with friend Paddy Corey, said the racing felt like an "addiction", which meant "you just have to keep coming".
Mr Corey, from County Tyrone, said he returns to the island year after year because he's able to witness the "speed of the bikes and the way they're ridden around the course up close".
"It is the ultimate race, the speeds, the turns and the bends. It's amazing how the riders do it," he said.
The competition takes place on closed public roads with riders reaching lap speeds of up to 136mph (219mph).
Adam Deen, who was visiting the island from Burnley, said it was "unbelievable" to watch the bikes "go at stupid miles-an-hour, especially past terraced houses".
"When you watch it on TV you don't really get a feel for it, but when you watch it on the course you can feel it in your chest, you can smell the exhaust fumes," he said.
On the island with his partner Shania Evans for their second their TT festival, Mr Deen said he was excited to watch professional riders Peter Hickman and 2024 Senior TT winner Davy Todd in action.
But it was a thrill to "see everyone out there, hats off to all the riders", he added.
About 60 solo competitors and 30 sidecar pairings are set to compete in the 118-year-old races.
Sam Jones, from Morecambe, has been to almost every race after "getting hooked" whilst visiting the centenary event in 2007.
"The adrenaline that you're getting just spectating, never mind being on the bike, is amazing," she said.
"The speed they go at, the skill, they're just unbelievable aren't they?"
She said, after rain saw some qualifying sessions being cancelled, they were "praying to the weather gods for sun for the racing".
But the wet conditions would not put her off returning and she had "already booked for next year", she added.
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