Tourism Ireland and Bathshack sponsor television coverage
Pictured here is road racer, Neil Kernohan, with Graham Little from NPE Media, Connor Dunlop from Bathshack, Aubrey Irwin from Tourism Ireland, Bill Kennedy MBE, Clerk of the Course, Armoy Road Races and Peter Dunlop of Bathshack.
CHANNEL Four has once again agreed to air Armoy Road Races. There will be a half hour documentary followed by a one hour programme which will be aired, seven days after the race on Sunday 6th August at 7.00 am and 7.30am.
The first of the two programmes, a preview, will document how a sleepy North Antrim village is turned into one of the best national road races there is in Ireland and the second programme, the race programme, will highlight the road racing over the Friday and the Saturday.
The Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club sees Channel 4 and their on demand service, 4OD, which is renowned for its coverage of sport, as a great fit for their sport and hopes to continue to build on last year’s strong viewing figures, across both of their platforms as well as further afield.
Chairman and Clerk of the Course, Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club, Bill Kennedy MBE, said, “This is good news for the fans and supporters of the Armoy Road Races alike. Promoting our sport to a wider audience and highlighting road racing across the United Kindgom can only be a good thing.
“It does take substantial monies to achieve this milestone, so I would like to thank both Peter and Connor Dunlop of Bathshack and Aubrey Irwin from Tourism Ireland as without their vital support, television coverage of the races just would not have happened.
“I would also like to thank Channel 4 for agreeing to feature the Armoy Road Races again and to NPE Media for their professionalism and managing and filming of the whole event. The Channel 4 programme provides many existing and potential new fans with the chance to view the show on a mainstream, terrestrial channel, across the whole of the UK.
“Events like the Armoy Road Races don’t just happen; they have to be funded and then capitalised upon. As a result, the Armoy Road Races are showcased, not just across the United Kingdom, but across the world – allowing our landscape and our sporting event to be seen as one of the best that Northern Ireland has to offer.”
Aubrey Irwin, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Northern Ireland, “I’m exceedingly happy with the news that Channel 4 has commissioned a highlights programme on Armoy Road Races for a fourth year running. With riders and fans travelling from all over the globe, this programme and this area has something for everyone. I’ve no doubt that it will continue to encourage more people to visit this beautiful and historic part of the Northern Ireland.”
Peter Dunlop of Bathshack said, “This is a great opportunity for Bathshack to be involved with the Armoy Road Races and Channel 4. It was an easy decision to help sponsor this programme and showcase what’s on our doorstep to a wider audience. North Antrim is our home and this was not only a great way to give back to a community that continually supports us but to help a fantastic local sporting event.”
Graham Little and his team at NPE Media will once again be responsible for the production of the programme. A well-known sports presenter Graham can be found across the sports channels as well as directing and organising the filming of many key sporting events.
He said, “I’m delighted to be involved with both Armoy Road Races and Channel 4 for the fourth year running. It is testament to the hard work of the Club and the road racers who continue to come to Armoy and race, that we have one of the best, if not the best national road races in Ireland. My job is made all the easier by their professionalism.”
This year, Bike Week runs from Sunday 23rd July until Saturday 29th July with the races taking place on Friday 28th July and Saturday 29th July 2017 culminating in the Roadside Kia ‘Race of Legends’. The Armoy Road Races are part funded by Tourism Northern Ireland and the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
For more information on Armoy Road Races, visit www.amrrc.com or search for ‘AMRRC’ on Facebook or follow on twitter @ArmoyRoadRaces.
Please support the Armoy Road Races by buying a programme. They are available from the AMRRC office, the Mace Shop in Armoy, the Petrol Station in Armoy, Biesty’s Centra, Ballymoney and theTown Hall in Ballymoney, from the Tuesday 18th July and cost £15.00 or €17.