Rees Heads To Isle Of Man
Recently crowned New Zealand superbike champion Mitch Rees is about to fulfil a long-held ambition – to compete at the Isle of Man TT.
The TT, which begins on May 26, will be the culmination of a busy few weeks in the United Kingdom for the 32-year-old Whakatane motorcycle dealer and wife Mihi.
Rees is also competing beforehand in two rounds of the British Superbike Championship as well as the famed Northwest 200 in Northern Ireland.
He admits the TT is a "bucket list" item.
"It's probably something I've always wanted to do," Rees says.
"I went there and watched it last year and knew I wanted to race there."
Rees will be the latest in a line of Kiwis who have taken up the challenge of the 60.7km island road circuit.
A handful have succeeded in winning a coveted TT race, including four times world champion Hugh Anderson (twice), and more recently three-time winner Graeme Crosby and Bruce Anstey, whose 12 wins sets him among the TT greats.
Other New Zealand winners are Paul Williams (2), Rod Coleman (1), Dennis Ireland (1) and Brett Richmond (1).
Rees will be riding a Honda CB1000RR-R for Anstey's former team, Padgetts – a prized ride with one of the event's most successful entrants.
However, the three-time New Zealand champion is under no illusions about the enormity of the task.
"The biggest thing is to spend time there and learn it," Rees says.
"I have to take my time because it is so long and so fast ... so fast.
"It requires a completely different mindset compared with a New Zealand short circuit race track."
Rees is quick to point to the support and advice he is receiving from close friend and two-time TT winner Yorkshireman Davey Todd.
"Davey and I get on like a house on fire and he has guided me and his memories of being a TT newcomer are still quite fresh."
Rees recently spent four days on the island, completed many laps – on four wheels – and undertook familiarisation and induction sessions with race authorities.
"I'm following advice and doing it right.
"I'm doing my homework and we'll be living with Davey so I'll be spending every minute listening and learning from him.
"It's an exciting new challenge."
Rees will be contesting both superbike and superstock classes, making changes to his Honda to suit class regulations.
Before then, he will compete in the superstock class in rounds of the BSB at Oulton Park and Donington Park, and crossing the Irish Sea for the Northwest 200, a traditional warm-up to the TT.
"It's all a steep learning curve but we have test days scheduled, including at Oulton and Donington."
While reluctant to quote a cost for his UK race programme, Rees says he has secured a very good deal, but still has expenses that have to be met, including tyres – "so all sponsors welcome."
"Yes, I do feel privileged to be in this situation, but I think I have earned it.
"I have come off one of the best season's I have ever had; probably one of the best any New Zealand rider has had."
Rees said the planning for the UK racing venture began about five months ago and he had welcomed the chance to pit himself against Todd and fellow Briton Peter Hickman when they contested the Suzuki Series in New Zealand late last year.
"I gave Davey and Peter a bit of a tune-up; we were all trying, breaking records and pushing hard – and crashing, too."
Rees has no plans for more UK events after the TT, though the door remains open.
"Team boss Clive Padgett has talked about an extension to our agreement, but I will have taken so much time off away from the business that it will already be a case of re-introducing myself to the staff."
To help fund his racing, Rees and his wife have organised a raffle, where his New Zealand sponsors have contributed to a big prize pool.
"Honda have given a bike worth about $3500, plus there is product from Snap-on, Motul, Alpinestars and we're also adding two Isle of Man TT viewer passes from their app.
"Keep an eye open for details – it's $50 a ticket – and we thank everyone who supports it."
While Rees says he has no hang-ups or superstitions about race numbers, he has adopted No.92 as his preferred choice on his bikes.
It was the number used by his late brother Damon, who died in 2023 from a sudden unexpected medical condition while pursing a racing career in the UK.
"Clive Padgett has entered me under that number for the BSB and Northwest, which is neat.
"The TT organisers also asked me if I had any superstitions about race numbers and they subsequently told me my start and race number would be 29, which is 92 backwards, Damo's number."
Rees is one of several New Zealand motorcycle racers competing internationally this year.
Cormac Buchanan recently made his World Championship debut in the Moto3 class, where he has already scored points.
Avalon Lewis and Billee Fuller have begun their Women's World Championship campaign in Europe, while Shane Richardson and Morgan McLaren-Wood are contesting support classes in the British Superbike Championship.
Jean Turner is dividing his time between racing in Europe and Japan.
Haydn Fordyce is racing in Asia and Tyler King, Nixon Frost, Hunter Charlett and Alvin Wu are competing in Australia.
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