David Saunders, Derby Telegraph. NOT RETIRING SAYS ANN

[steve-e]

SIDECAR racer David Saunders has decided to hang up his leathers after a horrifying crash during practice for the Isle of Man TT.

The Wirksworth driver and his passenger, Anne Garnish, were thrown from their machine in a high-speed smash on the Mountain section.



They were bidding for a good qualifying lap on Thursday evening when things went dramatically wrong near the Graham Memorial, near the Verandah, about seven miles from the finish of on the 37-mile course.

Their Willow Racing F2 machine somersaulted several times and driver and passenger were thrown clear.


Saunders suffered a broken ankle, toes, fingers and ribs, while Garnish was badly battered and bruised. Both were airlifted to Noble’s Hospital in the island’s capital, Douglas, by the emergency helicopter.

The outfit was a virtual write-off and Saunders has decided to call time on his career – although he has no regrets about taking on the perilous TT course.

He said: “The bike is almost a write-off and I could never afford to replace it so I’m hanging up my leathers

“The TT course is the ultimate challenge and you accept the risks involved. This time the challenge was just too great. It is the first time I have head a really big crash.”

The 59-year-old was yesterday waiting for a bed to become available at Derby Royal Hospital so that he can be flown back to the mainland.

He added: “It could have been a lot worse. The crash happened on Thursday night. I am in hospital in Douglas and waiting for a bed at Royal Derby.

“Anne is battered and bruised but she is walking. She is lucky because the passenger usually gets the worst of it. We took quite a battering.

“We went out on the Thursday night practice because we had broken down in the first practice the previous evening and we were way down on the number of laps we had hoped to complete.

“We had managed only two laps the wet night before.

“On the Thursday night, we went out at the back of the field. The idea was to try to get past some slower riders on the first lap and get a good time.

“As it turned out, we had gone quickly enough to qualify on our first lap but the second time we arrived a little too fast at the Graham Memorial on the Mountain section.

“We were going very fast up there and much of it is flat out.

“There is a big left corner and I was getting closer and closer to the mountain. We hit the mountain and the outfit somersaulted a few times. I’m not exactly sure when we got thrown out but when that happens , it’s generally the Mountain that wins.

“I found myself being picked up by the rescue helicopter and airlifted to hospital.

Read more: http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Sidecar ... z2VMg73aiD
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[InkyAnn]

Quick response: David *HASN'T* retired from racing, this is the result of being phoned while in hospital and not realising he was being interviewed (grrrrr - journalists...) However, he has a few weeks of recovery to go and needs to assess the outfit before deciding what to do next.

[steve-e]

It seemed like a hasty response 8)

[Helen Gibson]

Flown to Derby this afternoon... just when i was going to visit again! Get well soon, Dave. x

[powerhouse]

Anyone know which ward he's in ??

[InkyAnn]

He's on ward 204.