North West 200: Irwin and Todd sparkle at vintage edition of road race

As international motorcycle road race meetings go, they don’t come much better than this.

Thrilling, close high speed racing, record-breaking exploits, massive crowds and unbroken sunshine all combined to make this year’s North West 200 one of the most memorable for many years.

The narrative in the build-up mostly surrounded Northern Irish rider Glenn Irwin’s attempts to become the most successful Superbike rider ever in the history of the event and the home favourite did not disappoint.

The 34-year-old extended his remarkable winning sequence in the premier class to 11 races by securing a hat-trick of victories, thereby moving two clear of the previous benchmark set by Michael Rutter and the late great Joey Dunlop.

Riding for the PBM Ducati team, Irwin was pushed hard all the way in all three exhilarating big bike races, having to dip deep on each occasion to see off the challenge of charging Yorkshireman Davey Todd, who also helped himself to a treble at the sun-kissed nine-mile circuit on the north coast.

While those two ‘Titans of the Triangle’ may have proved the headline acts, they had to share some of the glory with Peter Hickman, who scooped a double in the Supertwins category and Richard Cooper, who left with a Supersport success.

There was also a hugely popular first podium finish since 2012 for veteran John McGuinness and 60-year-old Jeremy McWilliams also claimed a rostrum spot.