OPINION: NW200 without Rutter is taking the Michael
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OPINION: NW200 without Rutter is taking the Michael
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The news on Friday that North West 200 folk hero Michael Rutter’s chances of competing at the event in May appear more optimistic will have been warmly received by his legions of supporters in Northern Ireland.

‘The Blade’ has a special affinity with the picturesque ‘Triangle’ course on the north coast, where he has tasted the victory champagne on a magnificent 12 occasions.

Rutter’s accomplishment of becoming the first rider to crack the 200mph barrier in 2004 is one of the most abiding memories of the North West 200 in the recent era.

Comfortably in the lead of the second Superbike race on his HM Plant Honda Fireblade, Rutter and the thousands of fans around the 8.9-mile circuit craved the same outcome to put the crowning glory on a memorable day.

And they got what they wished for as the British Superbike star flashed through the timing beam at 201.1mph to enter the history books.

It was an electrifying moment and one which raised Rutter to hero status at the North West, an event he had practically made his own during his dominant years in the Superbike class before a certain Steve Plater arrived on the scene to challenge his authority.

Admittedly no longer a hot pre-race favourite and edging towards the twilight years of an illustrious career, Rutter is not the potent force he once was.

But he remains capable of teaching the young guns a lesson and used his experience and knowledge of the Portstewart-Coleraine-Portrush course to outwit his rivals in the premier class in 2008, recapturing the glory days as he powered over the finishing line on the event-branded Ducati.

Perhaps written off completely as a live threat since, Rutter served notice that he is not on the grid in Portstewart simply to make up the numbers last May.

He showed flashes of his old brilliance during Superbike practice as he nailed down pole position from his British Superbike team-mate and rising road racing talent Martin Jessopp.

Unfortunately the well documented setbacks on race day denied Rutter the chance to prove he could follow up his qualifying heroics.

But perhaps he will have another chance on the MSS Bathams Kawasaki in less than two months’ time.

Although Rutter’s participation at the North West 200 this year was placed in doubt due to the lack of sponsorship, on Friday he told the News Letter he is ‘hopeful’ of agreeing terms with the event organisers and technical director Mervyn Whyte.

Let’s hope so, because a North West 200 grid without Rutter would be taking the Michael.

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26-03-2012, 04:56 PM
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