In their short time on this earth, 21-year-old Owen Jenner and New Zealander Shane Richardson, 29, achieved a level of excellence that most will never know. Every second they spent on a bike in competition was the fulfilment of a dream, the likes of which the majority of us will never experience.
Owen Jenner and Shane Richardson died in the crash at Oulton Park (Photos: British Superbikes)
There is no official data for fatalities in professional sport. However, the deaths of Jenner and Richardson are added to a tragic roll call of almost 400 in UK motorcycle events alone. While the unique TT (time trial) races in the Isle of Man account for the majority (270), more than 100 deaths have occurred in conventional racing on track and road.
Clearly when a rider is thrown from his bike at speed in any kind of collision, they are exposed to any number of variables beyond their control. Jenner died as a result of a “catastrophic head injury”, Richardson as a consequence of injuries sustained to his chest.
By way of comparison, 672 drivers have lost their lives in sundry racing categories since cars hit the road in the late 19th century, including 52 in Formula One. The last F1 driver fatality was Jules Bianchi, who died nine months after sustaining head and spinal injuries when hitting a recovery vehicle at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
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Bianchi’s death ushered in the introduction of the halo, the protective shield that sits on top of the cockpit, acting as a first line of defence for the head during impacts.
The biking environment has also resulted in safety improvements in the past decade or so with similar advances in track infrastructure, the use of airbags, reinforced leathers and fastening systems, but these developments are not always sufficient in a sport where the risks are clear and ever-present.
The only way to prevent deaths in extreme sports is to ban the activity. But that, in the case of motorbike racing, would be to deny the pure pleasure and enjoyment that some take in the challenge of speed and pushing themselves to the limit. The death rate is actually low, measured at 0.01 per cent per year. That is nil consolation for the families of the fallen at Oulton Park, of course, but offers some perspective when considering the justifications for dangerous sports.
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