EVERYONE’S favourite WSBK racer Jonathan Rea has taken the title of Irish Motorcyclist of the Year for the fourth year running.
The quartet of awards fits nicely alongside the 31-year-old's four consecutive World Superbike titles, which Rea is hoping to complement with a fifth championship win this year.
The Northern Irish rider was crowned Cornmarket Irish Motorcyclist of the Year on Friday night at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. He was the favourite of the finalists, and has now become the first rider to win the coveted trophy more than three years in a row. Joey Dunlop had previously won the trophy three times from 1983 to 1985.
And if Rea takes the 2019 World Superbike title, he will surpass Carl Fogarty’s record of four WSBK titles, although Fogarty’s success was spread over a number of years, making Rea the only rider to win the title more than twice in a row.
At Friday’s ceremony, 2018 British Superstock 1000 champion Keith Farmer and British Supersport champion Jack Kennedy were awarded joint second place in the Irish Motorcyclist of the Year category, while William Dunlop was posthumously inducted into the RPS Group Hall of Fame.
Smiths Racing’s Peter Hickman was named the IFS International Road Racer of the year following victories at the 2018 North West 200, Isle of Man TT, Ulster Grand Prix and Macau Grand Prix.
A number of other awards were also presented at the ceremony. The full list is below:
Cornmarket Irish Motorcyclist of the Year: Jonathan Rea
IFS International Road Racer of the Year: Peter Hickman
Belfast Telegraph National Road Racer of the Year: Derek McGee
Kawasaki Young Rider of the Year: Eunan McGlinchey
JWA Team of the Year: Team 109 Kawasaki
Cornmarket Outstanding Achievement Award: Keith Farmer
Phillip McCallen Motorcycles Short Circuit Rider of the Year (Irish Circuits): Gerard Kinghan
RPS Group Hall of Fame: William Dunlop
Greenlight Television Special Recognition Award: McAdoo Racing
Black Horse Short Circuit Rider of the Year (GB Circuits): Jack Kennedy
McLean Bookmakers Race of the Year: North West 200, Supertwins Race 2
Belleek Off-Road Rider of the Year: Martin Barr
NI Air Ambulance Services to Motorcycling: Valerie Crichton
