Jersey motorcyclist dies after speed festival race
A 24-year-old Jersey man has died in a motorcycling accident after crashing in a timed race.
He was riding in a hill climb in the Classic and Vintage Motor Racing Club Speed Festival at Greve de Lecq on Saturday.
Emergency services were called to the site shortly after 17:00 BST, said police who are investigating.
The man, who has not been named, was treated by medical staff and taken to hospital, but was pronounced dead.
The Classic and Vintage Motor Racing Club (CVMRC) calls the hill climb an "uncompromising thread-the-needle climb between high banks and granite walls and there's no run-off".
Club president Nigel Blandin said all of the standard procedures of the Auto Cycle Union (ACU), which regulates motorcycle racing, had been followed.
'Really lovely chap'
He said: "The CVMRC would like to extend its sincere condolences to the family and friends of our colleague at this terrible time."
Mr Blandin, a friend of the deceased rider, said: "He was a really lovely chap, very keen at racing his bikes for the last couple of years.
"He really embodied the spirit of club racing and was keen to test himself on the road courses we have over here."
He said the crash had happened on a "fast open stretch" of the 1,100ft (1,074m) long course.
"We are not entirely sure what happened," he said.
"The track had been drying out after morning rain.
"All the safety precautions which need to be taken are taken and we have professional marshalls from the mainland to make sure we have experts on hand in three or four seconds at most."
He said the atmosphere at the event was "very subdued" but it was continuing on Sunday, the last day of the two-day event.
He said: "The rider's family have expressed wishes to us that racing continues.
"For some people it is difficult to understand why we do motor racing, but for those who do it is very dear and important to us."