Harrison tops third qualifying as 133mph mark shattered

Three riders blitz past new marker as pace intensifies

The 133mph mark was broken last night as Dean Harrison led an ever-intensifying pace in the third TT qualifying session of 2023 last night (31 May).

After the 132mph mark was surpassed by Peter Hickman on Tuesday night, DAO Racing man Dean Harrison upped the ante yesterday evening to blitz past the 133mph mark on the superbike at 133.514mph to top the class.

But he wasn't the only rider on the superbike to go north of 133mph as Michael Dunlop set 133.367mph on the Hawk Racing Honda on a short-flagged lap - third in class was Hickman who clocked in his sole lap on that machine 131.862mph.

It wasn't only in the superbikes where the bar was raised - after topping the charts on Tuesday, Peter Hickman set a new standard in the superstock class at 133.284mph - Dunlop also continued his strong superstock pace to slot into second behind Hickman on the night with a best speed of 132.694mph with Davey Todd enjoying a strong runout also at third-fastest at 131.711mph.

Following on was the supersport and supertwin machines which were unable to get a runout on Tuesday after the schedule for those classes was cancelled due to an oil spill.

Back on course on Wednesday, Hickman set an imperious pace from the rest of the field in the supersport class aboard his Triumph going fastest at 127.206mph, a full 17.5 seconds clear of the best time of Harrison in second at 125.145mph who in turn had Dunlop bearing down on his time with the Ballymoney man going third at 124.973mph.

Elsewhere, the 120mph mark was broken in the supertwin class by the fastest man in the category of the evening, Jamie Coward, at 120.912mph - the rider closest to him on the supertwin this evening, Mike Browne, was only a whisker off the 120mph mark at 119.787mph.

In the final outing of the night for the sidecars, Ben & Tom Birchall set the standard again as two outfits this time breached the 118mph milestone with the Birchall's quickest at 118.523mph, but they remain in the sights of their current nearest contenders, Pete Founds & Jevan Walmsley, who clocked 118.159mph.

Elsewhere, local duo Ryan and Callum Crowe made a return to action on Wednesday after Callum sustained a leg injury on the opening Monday programme - the brothers slotted into third at 114.128mph.

As it stands, the next qualifying session tomorrow (1 June) will see roads around the TT course close at 6pm and reopen no later than 9.30pm.