The start to the 2023 Southern 100 meeting was delayed for 30 minutes on Monday evening following torrential rain across the island late afternoon.

The roads round the 4.25-mile Billown course held up remarkably well and clerk of the course Giles Olley of ACU Events gave the go ahead for the large number of newcomers, (35 in total including four sidecar competitors) to complete a couple of speed-controlled laps behind travelling marshals.

Local rider Marcus Simpson will frame the first session leaderboard for posterity as he topped the Senior (1,000cc) charts with a lap of 95.390mph on damp/wet roads on his Suzuki.

He was four tenths of a second quicker than Michael Dunlop on the Hawk Racing Honda, followed by Jamie Coward, Mike Browne and Dean Harrison, all in the 2min 41s. Davey Todd completed two slow laps before pulling into the pits with his Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda struggling for power.

Best newcomers were Frenchman Eddy Ferre and local Castletown rider Seb Spiers.

Session two was for the Lightweight/twins class and this was only in its early stages when David McConnachy of Cramlington, Northumberland crashed at Ballawhetstone. He was taken to Noble’s Hospital for further assessment but was conscious and talking.

After a lengthy break the Supersport B class went out and three newcomers dominated.

Joshua Potts of Stockport topped the charts at 91.635mph by more than one second from Jacque Foley of Scariff in Ireland, then Michael Gahan of Limavady, County Londonderry at another three seconds.

Potts crashed his 600 Kawasaki at Church Bends on the fourth and final lap, bringing out the red flags for a second time.

He unfortunately suffered two broken legs, but was reported to be conscious and talking to medics at the scene.

The Supersport A session commenced in rapidly failing light at 9pm, when Coward set the only 100mph lap of the night on his KTS Racing Yamaha.

This was a full five seconds quicker than Dunlop, second quickest at 97.308mph, followed by Browne, Dean Harrison, Rhys Hardisty and leading local Simpson. Todd was seventh quickest.

The sidecar session was cancelled.