A motorcyclist has died during qualifying for the prestigious North West 200 (NW200) Superbike annual race in Northern Ireland.

A statement from race organizers, Coleraine and District Motor Club, confirmed: “A competitor has died following an incident at Station corner on the NW200 course during this morning’s Superbike qualifying session.”

“The session was immediately red-flagged, and emergency services attended the scene but, unfortunately, the rider succumbed to his injuries,” the statement added.

The victim’s family requested that the rider not be named but gave approval for the event, which concludes on Saturday, to continue.

This is the 20th fatality associated with the event and the first since 2016, when Malachi Mitchell-Thomas died in a Supertwins race.

The North West 200 takes place on over nine miles (15 km) of closed public roads along Northern Ireland’s north coast, through the towns of Portstewart, Coleraine, and Portrush.

The race has been running since 1929, attracting tens of thousands of fans to the British province.

The course is renowned for its high-speed straights, tight chicanes, and unpredictable coastal weather.

Source: www.aljazeera.com