Just to start with I thought I’d publish this brilliant portrait of Raplhie by Kim O’Reilly. I don’t know who she is but if ever a portrait captured the essence of its subject this one does.
Last weekend’s fiasco at Silverstone has angered pretty much everyone involved in the sport and for good reasons. If you have the time I do recommend strongly that you read Mat Oxley’s excellent blog where he separates the wheat from the chaff and squarely lays the blame where it belongs. Take time to also read the “Tail wagging the dog” article which appears as a link in the main article.
In related news, Tito Rabat was operated on in Barcelona on Sunday night to pin and plate the three major bones in his leg that were broken in his P4 accident. In news that surprises none of us, he was up and walking on it on Monday. These prima donna soccer players really do look like fools, don’t they? It seems that the major concerns of the first responders to Tito’s accident were not his fractures but his loss of blood. It was feared that Tito’s femoral artery had been severed and, should this happen, a patient can bleed to death in very short order. Thankfully all was done properly and in order and, in spite of the long delay, Tito was found to be better than first expected.
The eventual, and inevitable cancellation of the race was unfortunate but entirely proper. Ducati conspiracy theorists are foaming at the mouth on social media complaining that their team was not consulted and that they wanted to race on. Given Lorenzo’s abject performances in previous wet races it seems that they are living in a parallel universe. In an even more bizarre twist to the story, others are suggesting that Marquez and Rossi (presently running 1-2 in the title chase) influenced the decision so that their points advantage could be enhanced by not losing points at this round. It takes all kinds, doesn’t it?
As you know I live in Wollongong and, as always, many workers in our local industries use small motorcycles to commute to their jobs around the town. This leads to, and always has led to, some “innovative” solutions to protective gear while riding ranging from the ubiquitous works-issued rain gear (bright yellow, of course), to safety boots (steel) toe-capped and to welding gloves! This morning on the way home from town I passed a rider with the usual mish-mash of gear on and his concession to foot safety was elastic-sided boots. It doesn’t take much imagination to think of what would happen to them if he were to have an accident. I am absolutely opposed to government encroachment on our freedoms and I always will be and this was one example of why any attempt to make a certain degree of safety gear while riding mandatory will just not work. ATGATT is still the watchword but you simply cant make people look after themselves if they don’t want to.
The cancellation of last weekend’s MotoStars meeting at Kembla Grange was a real blow. Legal argy-bargy between the owner and the lessee means that the complex is presently locked up with no sign of that situation improving any time soon. The upside is that the organisers of MotoStars have made the final round at Port Macquarie on the last weekend in September a double header with racing on both Saturday AND Sunday which will be amazing.
Now that the MotoGp rider roundabout has stopped spinning, the action in the minor classes is accelerating. It’s very much in a state of flux just now but I do have to say that some of the announcements already made don’t make a lot of sense to me. Maybe I’m just not far enough “in” to appreciate their subtleties, but, time will tell, I guess.
With the family responsibilities being pretty extensive of late (Helena is recovering brilliantly from her thyroid operation) I haven’t ridden for what seems like ages. Hopefully this will improve soon.
Catch you next time.