Land speed record holder has 'world of respect' for TT riders

A motorcyclist who has broken multiple land speed records and ridden at more than 240mph (386kmph) said she had a "world of respect" for Isle of Man TT competitors.

Erin Sills, a land speed racer from California, holds more than 50 world and national records.

But at her first trip to the TT races, she said watching competitors tackle the Mountain Course had left her in awe of the skill required.

"I go extremely fast, but I go fast in a straight line under controlled conditions," she said, adding: "I have just the world of respect for them, it's incredible."

Sills' fastest recorded speed stands at 242mph (390km/h), and has spent 25 years racing motorcycles on salt flats in the United States, Australia, and Bolivia.

After riding part of the course herself this week on a standard road bike, she admitted even she had felt nervous on some sections of the 37.75 mile course.

She said: "I don't race with walls on either side of me.

"You see them racing today and you know how skilled and talented all of these riders are."

Sills is on the Isle of Man for the first time as part of Women Riders World Relay (WRWR), an international movement connecting women in motorcycling.

On Sunday, she will join riders from around the world in the TT's Legacy Lap, which will be led by women for the first time in the event's history.

The rider described the opportunity as a "once in a lifetime experience", adding she was proud to take part in a moment she hoped would inspire more women into motorcycling.

For WRWR founder Hayley Bell, the lap marks an important moment not only for the TT but for women in motorcycling more broadly.

Launched in 2019, the movement originally saw more than 20,000 women across 102 countries pass a physical baton from rider to rider over the course of a year.

Bell said WRWR had since evolved into a free app aimed at helping women riders connect, challenge themselves and change perceptions around who rides motorcycles.

She said: "It's about celebrating women motorcyclists and giving them a platform to connect."

Bell, who is from Lancashire but now lives in Wrexham, said the idea emerged partly from her own experience of struggling to find other women to ride with.

A motocross accident also exposed wider problems within the industry after she was injured while wearing children's body armour because suitable protective equipment for women was unavailable.

Bell said women riders remained overlooked despite being one of the fastest-growing groups in motorcycling, and said she believed confidence and connection were equally important.

"When you put women in an environment together where they feel confident… they thrive," she said.

She hoped the event on Sunday would help inspire younger generations.

She said: "Imagine the little girls at home watching the TT and watching the legacy lap and seeing this group of women leading the legacy lap in unity. I think that's just so, so special."

She added she would be ”very proud to show my own daughter when she's a little bit older”.

The event was organised by Isle of Man ambassador Lisa Brain, who said it had started as a far smaller idea.

Originally planning a lap of the course with local women riders, Brain approached organisers before being offered the chance for women to lead the Legacy Lap for the first time.

She said she felt "exceptionally privileged" to help bring together riders from around the world and create what she hoped would become part of TT history.

Brain said the event had also highlighted a stronger community of women riders on the island than many people realised existed, adding that increasing visibility could encourage others to get involved.

Those taking part in the event must assemble in the pit lane at the TT grandstand, on Glencrutchery Road in Douglas, at 08:30 BST.

The convoy is to set off at 09:30.

Racing on day two of race week will resume after the lap, with the RST Superbike TT race to start at 13:30.

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