Norwegian fans charter ship to visit TT races

Ole Skaar (left) and Erling Thomas Pettersen organised the trip from Norway to the races

Two motorcycle fans from Norway, who hatched a "crazy idea after a couple of beers", have chartered a ship for 145 fans to visit the Isle of Man TT.

The MS Nordstjernen arrived in Manx waters on Monday after setting off from Bergen on Friday with enthusiasts from across the country onboard.

Ole Skaar, from the Bergen Motorcycle Club, said: "Every motorcyclist has heard about the TT, you just have to do it."

His friend Erling Thomas Pettersen said every morning at breakfast he had been surrounded by his fellow enthusiasts "sitting there smiling" because they were at the "Mecca of racing".

Tens of thousands of visitors travel to the island for the two-week event, which sees riders compete on 37.7-miles (61km) of closed public roads.

The two friends, who decided they were keen to visit the 2025 event, had the idea to find a boat to hire "after a couple of beers", Mr Skaar said.

That led to them organising to charter the vessel, which was built in 1956 and usually visits ports around the north of Europe, three days later.

The MS Nordstjernen will start it's return journey to Bergen on Friday evening

Mr Petterson said he found it was "no problem" to encourage fans sign up for the trip, and ended up with a waiting list of enthusiasts who wanted to join them.

Fellow members of the Bergen Motorcycle Club club were given "first right to join" before other fans from across the country were recruited to take the trip, he said

Despite some rough seas on the journey to the island, he said those on the trip were "so happy" because "everyone on Isle of Man is so friendly and helpful".

Mr Petterson said the duo were already planning to organise the charter again for the 2026 festival and into the future, with about half of those onboard interested in returning.

"The TT is fantastic, we think we can do it for longer than the Vikings were standing here," he said.

"You have to do it at least once in your life."