A motorbike racer has died following injuries he sustained during a qualifying session for the 2024 Manx Grand Prix, organizers confirmed Sunday.
Irish rider Louis O’Regan was injured during an accident on the 37.73-mile (60 kilometer) circuit of the Manx Grand Prix, a set of motorcycle races held annually on the Isle of Man, which are considered to be an amateur version of the famed Isle of Man TT races.
“With great sadness, the organisers of the Manx Grand Prix can confirm that Louis O’Regan, 43, has died following injuries sustained in an accident at Kate’s Cottage during the opening qualifying session of the 2024 event,” the Manx Grand Prix said in a statement.
Organizers referred to O’Regan as an “experienced competitor at the Manx Grand Prix.”
He made his event debut in the 2013 Newcomers A Race where he finished 12th. The Irishman recorded his best lap speed in the 2019 Junior Race, lapping at an average speed of 114.7mph, per the Manx Grand Prix.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Louis’s partner Sarah, his family, loved ones, and friends,” organizers said.
The tragedy follows a series of deaths at the race in recent years, with two competitors – Gary Vines and Ian Bainbridge – dying in accidents suffered during qualifying of the 2023 edition.
Inquests into the two deaths were opened by authorities in 2023, according to the BBC, with new tire regulations being introduced by race organizers after Vines’ death.
