George Peach was the popular recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Isle of Man Sports Awards ceremony on Wednesday.

The Southern 100 club chairman and race secretary was honoured for his dedication to motorcycle sport, in particular his involvement with the dozens of race meetings at Billown over the past 40 years.

He started as a marshal in 1965, when he was 16. First at Stadium Corner, then Iron Gate later becoming deputy chief marshal.

George was then invited to join the committee in 1982 as himself, Peter Oates and Alan Hampton raised a substantial amount of money for the club.

He remained deputy chief marshal until 1989, after which he took on the honorary positions of club and race secretary, a post he still held until the end of the 2018 season.

George was subsequently elected chairman to replace Phil Taubman MBE, who was elevated to president. In 2020 he overcame esophageal cancer, but never backed away from his club responsibilities.

Nominated for the Administration award under false pretences (to invite him along to the ceremony), he and his family then had a dilemma as the function at the Villa Marina clashed with the club’s AGM in Castletown the same evening.

Ultimately the AGM was pushed back 24 hours, so George was able to attend the function with close friends and family. There was some disappointment when he did not receive the award he was nominated for, but elation when he was named as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement gong.

Among the testimonials given on screen were those from multiple Southern 100 winners Ian Lougher and Chris Palmer, former Sidecar World Champion Tim Reeves, and club president Taubman.

George received the award from Hazel Kelly of sponsor CM Partners, after which he said: ‘It was a wonderful moment when the penny dropped. The Southern 100 has been the biggest part of my life, other than my family. It all began at the age of seven in 1958 as I simply loved watching bike racing.’

Described as Mr Southern 100 by former British champion and multiple Billown winner Palmer (who happens to be married to George’s youngest daughter Rachel), who added: ‘He is one of life’s all-round nice guys.’

Lougher, who first raced at the Southern in 1983, said: ‘George is one of the reasons I continued racing.’

George is also on the committee of Castletown Bowling Club, coaching youngsters for the Manx Youth Games. He also competes in rifle shooting and was a retained fireman in his home town for more than 30 years. More from the Isle of Man Sports Awards in next week’s papers and online at iomtoday.im