A rider has spoken of the moment he and another biker collided which resulted in two deaths at the Southern 100.

Racing competitor Alan Connor and marshal Liam Clarke both died following a crash in the Southern 100 on July 11, 2023.

Mr Connor, 50, and Mr Clarke, a marshal, both died in the incident at the Castletown bypass during a practice session on the evening of Tuesday July 11.

On Tuesday, the inquest was held into the death of Mr Connor while Mr Clarke’s inquest will be held on Wednesday.

At the conclusion of the inquest, Coroner James Brooks indicated he will write a report to the Auto Cycle Union (ACU) urging it to make checks between sessions to ensure the flags are ‘functional and visible’ after it was clear Mr Connor never spotted the checkered flag.

In a written statement read out at the inquest, the other rider involved in the collision, Andrew Smart, said he had been racing for four years but this was his first time on the island.

He said he had taken part in a practice session the evening before where he had learnt about the course.

Recalling the incident he said: ‘Racing conditions were good that evening. There were no issues with the sun as it was overcast.

‘Towards the end I overtook another bike because I wanted to get a good time. I crossed the finish line and clearly saw the checkered flag.

‘I was beginning to slow down when I felt this impact like a massive smash in my back as if a car had hit me. I thought the other rider must have missed the checkered flag.

‘I came off and rolled down the road. I got up and my family were watching nearby and ran towards me.

‘I shouted for pain relief and then said how did he (Mr Connor) not see the checkered flag. I didn’t know how serious it was then.’

Mr Smart suffered a shattered ankle and injured his knee and was taken to hospital.

He said: ‘I am still processing what happened and I’m extremely shocked by the incident.’

In a written statement, one spectator explained how she injured her knee while running to help nearby children.

She said: ‘l was near the clubhouse with my husband and son. I was watching the last bikes coming through.

‘I heard a noise like a crunching sound and immediately looked up to see two bikes colliding. The next thing is the bike behind went up in the air and hit a lamppost.

‘I ran down to where some children were to take them away from the scene but I fell and felt my knee. I knew I’d badly injured myself.’

The woman was taken to hospital and later had surgery on her knee at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool

Written statements were also heard from a number of other witnesses with many describing how two of the last bikes were close together but the one behind, ridden by Mr Connor, was going faster before the two bikes collided with one saying they ‘locked together’ before both riders lost control and fell off.

Two witnesses said hearing the impact of Mr Connor crashing into the barriers was ‘like a bomb going off’ and another described the scene as ‘like a war zone’ with all the smoke and debris.

Pathologist Dr Ervine Long gave the cause of death as ‘multiple injuries due to blunt force trauma after an impact with multiple roadside structures’.

An examination of both bikes found no mechanical defects which would have contributed to the incident.

Giles Olley, the clerk of the course for the Southern 100, told the inquest every rider who has not been on the circuit before must complete a controlled lap before racing and are shown where all the flags are.

He outlined a number of changes which have been made since the tragic incident.

He said there was now a brightly illuminated digital checkered flag display and the marshal waving the flag is now stood on a raised plinth. He also explained there were countdown boards while there is also a digital yellow flag and marshals are now stood further back from the course than they previously were.

‘Some previously restricted areas have now become prohibited areas.

Marshals are now also issued with photo IDs while more marshals and staff are situated at the start/finish line.

Delivering a verdict of ‘misadventure’, Mr Brooks said some of the evidence didn’t fully match up to the chain of events but said he was satisfied Mr Connor was travelling faster than Mr Smart which led to the bikes colliding.

Mr Brooks was also satisfied Mr Connor, an engineer from County Meath in Ireland, failed to spot the checkered flag but could not explain why that was. He confirmed he will be writing a report to the ACU saying: ‘Flags are the only way of communicating with competitors. It does seem to me everything should be done throughout an event to ensure flags are functional and visible. How that is done I will leave to the ACU.’