TT star Anstey gets Royal recognition

Bruce Anstey, the fastest ever man around the Isle of Man TT course, is set to be officially recognised for his contributions to the sport by the Queen. The New Zealander has been awarded a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, the equivalent to a Member of the British Empire.

Anstey continued his remarkable streak of success in 2014, extending the time since he didn’t grace the podium at all three international road races (the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix) to over a decade.

The 45 year old also took victory at the Classic TT on Clive Padgett’s Yamaha YZR500 grand prix machine, as well as blitzing the lap record at the TT proper. 

He joins Maria Costello as racers with a Royal gong, but criticism has again sparked up closer to home with the failure of either 21 time TT winner John McGuinness or John Surtees, the only man to win both car and bike world titles, to be recognised.